Liu Hui entered his room and firmly shut the door, taking out the Upper-Grade Spirit Stone that Xiaoyaozi had refined. He held the stone, which radiated a rich white light, in his palm, then settled into the cultivation posture described in the Tiandi Zhenjing, beginning to absorb its spiritual energy.

As soon as Liu Hui circulated his energy, he immediately felt a dense spiritual essence surge from the Spirit Stone. This essence flowed through his body along the prescribed meridians, slowly remodeling them as it passed. It continuously strengthened his physical power before finally settling in his Dantian.

Liu Hui was overjoyed. This feeling was completely different from his previous cultivation sessions using the meditation cushion. If the energy absorbed via the cushion felt like a small stream, the energy drawn directly from an Upper-Grade Spirit Stone was a veritable river—pure, untainted by any impurities, and flowing directly into his Dantian. The sensation of fullness was exquisitely satisfying, and the tangible increase in his strength as his body was reformed was unmistakable.

Liu Hui ceaselessly channeled his gong to draw the spiritual energy from the stone. The energy perpetually refined his physical form, accumulating within his Dantian. The experience of this cultivation was profoundly mystical, and Liu Hui quickly became lost in it.

He found himself addicted to the sensation, only stopping with deep reluctance when his meridians began to ache with fullness and his Dantian could temporarily accommodate no more spiritual essence. He understood that this was his first time drawing such potent energy, and his body still had a natural capacity limit; pushing further could cause harm. He grasped the principle of moderation—too much is as bad as too little.

Liu Hui opened his eyes and checked the time, realizing seven hours had passed. He was astonished. The cultivation hadn't felt that long; how could seven hours have vanished? Moreover, his body registered no fatigue whatsoever, only an overwhelming surge of vitality, as if his strength were inexhaustible. Truly, the path of cultivation was wondrous, and Liu Hui’s heart filled with eager anticipation for the life that lay ahead.

The Upper-Grade Spirit Stone showed no visible change after his absorption. His delight was immense; this single stone would sustain his cultivation for a long time, proving its worth as an Upper-Grade artifact.

Sensing that Zhou Tengyun should be awake by now, Liu Hui proceeded to the office basement. He found Zhou Tengyun already awake, seated on the sofa, waiting for him.

“Third Brother, try this,” Liu Hui said without preamble, producing the Spirit Root Tester and handing it to Zhou Tengyun.

Zhou Tengyun nervously took the device, carefully placing his hand upon the sphere. He concentrated on feeling the connection to the tester, his eyes fixed intently on the orb.

As Zhou Tengyun focused his senses on the Spirit Root Tester, the small sphere began to emit a faint, hazy luminescence.

“Boss, what does this mean?” Zhou Tengyun asked, looking at Liu Hui with palpable hope.

“Third Brother, congratulations. This means you possess a Spirit Root. You can begin formal cultivation,” Liu Hui replied, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Zhou Tengyun's successful test suggested that the production of Spirit Roots might soon be standardized.

“You mean I can cultivate too?” Zhou Tengyun was visibly thrilled. Though he carried a new mantle of detachment, adopting an indifferent attitude toward most things, the childhood dream of becoming an immortal cultivator had not faded in the slightest. Today, it might actually be realized—how could that not move him deeply?

“That’s right, you can cultivate. Our foundational technique is called the Tiandi Zhenjing. I will teach you the cultivation method first, and with this meditation cushion, you can truly begin,” Liu Hui affirmed, placing the cushion he had just used before Zhou Tengyun.

“Then let’s start immediately,” Zhou Tengyun urged, eagerly placing the cushion beneath him.

“Good. Let us begin.”

Inside Liu Hui’s office, Li Zhi was briefing him on the recent workflow progress: “Boss, the advertisement shoot for our product is complete. Here is the sample reel.”

“Mm, play it for me,” Liu Hui said, curious to see what the commercial would look like.

Hu Xian’er immediately took the sample reel, inserted it into the playback equipment, connected it to the large LCD screen in the office, and pressed play.

The screen opened with soft, calming music, featuring the captivating image of Gao Xiaoyao. The scene quickly cut to focus on her striking, attractive eyes, then cycled through several angles emphasizing the light within them. Finally, the Xingkong Myopia Reliever product appeared, followed by the Starry Sky Group’s logo.

The entire advertisement flowed smoothly, devoid of any spoken dialogue aside from the ambient, soothing music. Yet, because of Gao Xiaoyao’s eyes, the commercial achieved an extraordinary depth. Liu Hui himself found his attention inexplicably drawn in by those large eyes throughout the viewing. It was clear that this simple commercial left an indelible impression precisely because of those moving eyes, making it instantly memorable and infinitely evocative. The subsequent appearance of the product felt perfectly integrated, not jarring—truly embodying the ancient concept of ‘dotting the dragon’s eye.’

“Indeed, though this advertisement has no spoken words, Xiaoyao’s eyes make it exceptionally compelling, highlighting our product in the process. Our product genuinely requires no gaudy embellishments. Very well, we will pilot this advertisement first and let the market judge its success or failure,” Liu Hui concluded after a moment of contemplation, making his final decision on the sample.

Li Zhi visibly relaxed. She had worried the boss might dislike such an understated approach. This specific concept had originated with her, and while the production staff had been skeptical initially, the final product proved its unexpected effectiveness.

Li Zhi continued her report: “Boss, our product has begun shipping to the regional master distributors, and through the secondary dealers we jointly selected, we can place our product in major terminal retail outlets worldwide in the shortest time possible. Naturally, this excludes the Greater China region.”

“Excellent. Greater China will remain offline for now. However, we must sell in Hong Kong, or the inevitable protests will be intolerable. Here is what we will do: contact a Hong Kong pharmaceutical company immediately and grant them temporary authorization to sell our product for a period of three months. We will reevaluate everything once that authorization period expires.” Liu Hui preempted what he knew Li Zhi was about to say regarding the mainland arrangements.

“Boss, I understand your intent,” Li Zhi acknowledged with a nod.

“Then it is settled. Xingkong Myopia Reliever will launch simultaneously across the globe, excluding Greater China, in ten days. You will arrange all other logistics,” Liu Hui said with a slight smile.

“I’ll go arrange it now,” Li Zhi confirmed, nodding before stepping out of Liu Hui’s office. She paused at the doorway. Facing away from him, she asked, “Boss, are we about to make history? I honestly feel like I’m dreaming right now, terrified I’ll wake up and find it was all just a brief illusion.”

“Heh, this is no dream, it is reality unfolding. Director Li, you must grow accustomed to this feeling, because we are only going to create more history from here on out,” Liu Hui chuckled, an air of potent self-assurance emanating from him unconsciously.

Nearby, Hu Xian’er gazed at Liu Hui raptly. She found this man most charismatic when he exuded confidence. She didn't know when it had happened, but Liu Hui had taken deep root in her heart.

Two days later, in the basement.

“Boss, I can already feel a faint sensation of qi,” Zhou Tengyun stated, seated on the cushion in his cultivation posture.

“Good. Once you have qi sensation, entry is near. You should manage to break through before you leave for Africa,” Liu Hui remarked, nodding approvingly.

Zhou Tengyun stood up. “Boss, I just received intel. Tonight, there’s a drug transaction happening at the docks in Sha Wan. The parties involved are the Thai Red Flower Gang—whom you asked me to monitor closely—and Dong Xing’s leader, Brother Quan.”

“Oh, tonight?” Liu Hui stroked his chin, his mind immediately engaged in thought.

“Yes, that’s right. It took considerable effort to secure this intelligence; the timing is certain,” Zhou Tengyun confirmed.

“Good. Then tonight, let’s pay the Thai Red Flower Gang a visit,” Liu Hui declared.

“Boss, it’s just a meeting with the Red Flower Gang. Isn't your personal appearance overkill? Perhaps I should go,” Zhou Tengyun hesitated.

“Third Brother, contact with the Red Flower Gang is crucial for my future endeavors. I must meet them face-to-face,” Liu Hui insisted.

“Very well. We’ll just have to be cautious then,” Zhou Tengyun conceded after a moment’s thought. Given their combined skills, he reasoned, minimal risk if they exercised due care, and agreed.

At ten o'clock that night, Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun arrived at an abandoned pier in Sha Wan. The dock was desolate, strewn haphazardly with broken, empty shipping containers.

Both men wore all-black attire, complete with head coverings that left only their eyes visible. They quietly concealed themselves inside a derelict container that offered the best vantage point, observing the scene outside through a narrow gap.

Outside, only a few incandescent bulbs cast a pale, weak light across the pier. The area was silent save for the chirping of insects. Neither party to the transaction had arrived yet. Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun were not anxious; they sat cross-legged inside the container, silently adjusting their internal states.

Around midnight, the roar of vehicle engines suddenly echoed across the pier.

“They’re here,” Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun exchanged a glance, both rising in unison to look through the container’s fissure.

Three vehicles approached: a van in the lead, a sedan in the middle, and a large truck bringing up the rear. They drove directly onto the pier, stopping near the water's edge. The van stopped first, and seven or eight men in black emerged, brandishing pistols and warily scanning the surroundings. The sedan and the truck followed suit, though no one immediately exited them. Liu Hui’s sharp eyes noted movement within the sedan—someone observing the outside. Based on their vehicles, these three cars clearly belonged to Brother Quan’s contingent.

Less than twenty minutes later, the sound of an engine carried over the water, though a thin fog obscured the exact type of vessel. Suddenly, a pattern of light flashed from the sea: four long flashes and one short, followed by two short and one long.

One of the armed men immediately went to the sedan and reported to the occupant: “Brother Quan, the Red Flower Gang has arrived.”

Liu Hui’s current hearing was formidable; he caught the brief exchange, surprised to learn that Brother Quan himself had come out for this meeting.

“Since the Red Flower Gang is here, send the signal. Let’s finish this quickly so we can enjoy ourselves at the nightclub,” Brother Quan stated calmly.

“Understood, Brother Quan,” the man replied, taking a large flashlight from an accomplice and flashing the agreed-upon response toward the location of the signal lights.

Seeing the matching signal, the Red Flower Gang vessel at sea began steering toward the pier. Liu Hui watched as a decrepit fishing boat emerged from the mist, heading for the dock.

As the boat neared, one of the black-clad men laughed and called out, “I am Big Shrimp from Dong Xing. Which manager from the Red Flower Gang are you?”

“Oh, it’s Third Master Mu. Why is the esteemed gentleman attending personally? Our Brother Quan is in the car; I’ll fetch him at once,” a voice boomed from the boat. Big Shrimp was startled to hear that the Red Flower Gang had sent Third Master Mu himself. He quickly hurried to the sedan.

Brother Quan had clearly heard Third Master Mu’s words. Before Big Shrimp could call him, Quan hastily exited the car, walked to the water’s edge, and offered a hearty laugh. “So it’s Third Master personally making the trip! I knew this morning why the magpies were chattering so loudly outside my window—a distinguished guest was coming!”

“Ah Quan, it’s been a while since I visited Hong Kong. I came along with the cargo ship this time and have a few matters I wish to discuss with you,” Third Master Mu chuckled.

The fishing boat had already docked, and its crew tossed over a mooring line. Quan took the rope personally, securing it to the pier. Once the boat was steady, he helped a middle-aged man descend from the deck.

“Ah Quan, let’s conclude our transaction quickly, and then we can share a good drink,” the stout man said brusquely.

“Third Master is always efficient. Once this is done, your brother will ensure you have a fine time,” Quan responded, waving behind him. Men immediately retrieved several cloth bags from the truck, unzipped them to reveal neat stacks of brand-new Hong Kong currency, and placed them before Quan.

Third Master Mu also waved his hand. Crewmen from the fishing boat carried several large crates ashore and opened them, revealing neatly arranged piles of white powder.

“Third Master, here is forty-five million Hong Kong dollars,” Quan said, pushing the cloth bags toward Mu.

“Heh heh. And here are four hundred kilograms of Grade Four narcotics,” Third Master Mu replied, moving the large boxes toward Quan.

Experts from both sides immediately began inspecting the narcotics and the cash, while Third Master Mu and Brother Quan clapped each other on the shoulders, preparing for pleasantries.

Suddenly, a resonant voice thundered across the pier: “God has spoken: the guilty shall be punished!”

Before Third Master Mu or Quan could react, a massive phantom image of a white light sword materialized in the sky. This white spectral sword appeared abruptly and, with a simple downward cleave, sliced the fishing boat on the sea in half before it rapidly sank beneath the waves.