I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

Life on Poseidon Island was more peaceful than Hua Nongying had imagined.

Five years have passed, and everything on the island has changed. A-Ling led her people to cultivate vast tracts of spiritual fields in the center of the island. The spiritual herbs they planted thrived under the rich spiritual energy, their leaves thick and their fragrance permeating the air. The female disciples from Jade Peak took turns tending the fields, and when they encountered planting difficulties they didn't understand, they would consult Jiang Nianwei—the former elder of the Joyful Union Sect, who had now become a true alchemy master on Seagod Island.

The original low thatched huts on the island have long been demolished and rebuilt, replaced by neat stone houses.

The stone houses were built against the mountain, scattered in a pleasing, staggered fashion. Dried beast meat and spiritual herbs hung under the eaves, and the air was filled with a warm, mingled aroma of cooking and medicinal herbs. Uncle Liu and several divine generals practiced daily on the open space on the south side of the island. His mastery of the Nine Revolutions Golden Body Technique became increasingly refined, and his punches now possessed the power to shatter monuments and split rocks.

Ayan had grown much taller and was practicing his boxing skills in a very respectable manner, following behind Uncle Liu. Although his skill level was still shallow, his tenacity was quite reminiscent of Li Hanshan back in the day.

Hua Nongying sat on a rock jutting out from the coast on the east side of the island, her legs dangling gently in the air, a long-handled pipe between her fingers, but she didn't light it. The sea breeze made her red dress flutter, and her long hair danced like butterflies behind her. She gazed at the distant, endless horizon, her eyes somewhat lost in thought.

Footsteps sounded behind her. Yun Shuyue sat down on the rock next to her, holding a cup of freshly brewed hot tea, and handed it to her. Hua Nongying came back to her senses, took the teacup, took a sip, and then put it down. "When do you think Hanlang will come back?" she asked, her voice deliberately calm, yet still revealing a hint of anticipation.

Yun Shuyue shook her head: "I don't know. But he said he would come back, and he definitely will." Her tone was as gentle and calm as ever, as if she were stating an undeniable fact.

Liu Ruoxue had also arrived at some point, her white dress pristine in the wind. She stood half a step behind the two of them, not sitting down, her cold eyes also gazing into the distance.

The three women sat silently on the rocks, gazing at the same expanse of sea. The sea breeze, carrying a salty, briny scent, brushed against their faces, and the waves lapped rhythmically against the bottom of the rocks, one after another, like the footsteps of time.

They had lost count of how many times they had sat here, every sunny afternoon they would come here without prior arrangement, gazing into the distance where the sea met the sky. It was as if, if they looked long enough, that purplish-gold streak of light would appear on the horizon, getting closer and closer, until it finally landed in front of them.

In another courtyard on the island, Jiang Nianwei was walking out of the alchemy room. Her face was almost unchanged from a few years ago, except that the coolness between her brows had been tempered with a layer of calm gentleness.

Her light green dress fluttered gently in the fragrant air. In her hand, she held a palm-sized jade box containing several bright red pills with fine golden patterns flowing across their surface, radiating a refreshing warmth.

Several female disciples brought by Biyu Peak were drying spiritual herbs in the courtyard. When they saw her come out, they all stood up and bowed.

Jiang Nianwei nodded, her gaze sweeping across the courtyard before landing on Xu Lingxi, who was practicing Qi Refining Technique in a corner.

Xu Lingxi's cultivation had already broken through to the Golden Core stage. Although it wasn't particularly fast, her foundation was solid. The little girl sensed her master's gaze, raised her head, and gave him a sweet smile.

"Master, what kind of pills did you refine today?"

"Body Refining Pill." Jiang Nianwei walked over and handed her the jade box. "I improved the formula using the essence blood of demonic beasts from the island and a few spiritual herbs brought from Jade Peak. The effect is better than before, and body cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage can use it." She paused, her tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of pride. "If your Grandpa Li comes, you can show it to him."

Xu Lingxi's eyes lit up: "When is Grandpa Li coming?"

Jiang Nianwei did not answer. She looked up at the southern sea, which was tinged with a dark purple by the twilight, her gaze lingering for a moment before she looked away and said calmly, "When it's time, it will come."

That night, a strange purple-gold light shone in the sky above Poseidon Island.

The light rose from the southern sea, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, growing brighter and larger. The island's divine generals were startled and rushed out of their stone houses, looking up at the approaching light. Some gripped their weapons tightly, others shouted "Enemy attack!" until the light slowly slowed down above the island, transforming into a silver-white flying boat.

The moment Hua Nongying rushed out of the stone house, the first thing she saw was the person standing by the side of the flying boat. He was wearing a blue robe, his long hair was tied up, and his face was young and angular. His gaze fell on her, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and he opened his arms to her.

"Nongying, I'm here."

Hua Nongying froze on the spot. A layer of mist quickly welled up in her captivating eyes, then she snapped back to her senses, taking one step, two steps, three steps, and finally simply summoning her flying sword and rushing towards him, throwing herself into his arms and tightly wrapping her arms around his neck. She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, not crying, but her slightly trembling shoulders betrayed everything.

"Why did it take you so long to come..." Her voice was muffled against his chest, slightly nasal, "We've been waiting for you for five years..."

Li Hanshan tightened his arms, holding her firmly in his embrace. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," he said apologetically, "but I promised I would come, and I won't break my promise."

Yun Shuyue, Liu Ruoxue, Jiang Nianwei, Xu Lingxi, and Han Yan arrived one after another.

Yun Shuyue stood a few steps away, her gaze fixed on him, a gentle smile playing on her lips; Liu Ruoxue maintained her aloof demeanor, but her eyes had softened noticeably; Jiang Nianwei stood far behind the crowd, still clutching the jade box, seemingly hesitant to step forward. Xu Lingxi couldn't resist any longer. The little girl ran forward, tugged at Li Hanshan's sleeve, and looked up at him, her eyes sparkling: "Grandpa Li, you've become so much younger!"

Li Hanshan rubbed her head and said with a smile, "You've grown quite a bit taller. Your cultivation has also improved, to the seventh level of the Golden Core stage? Not bad." Xu Lingxi was a little embarrassed by the praise and blushed as she hid behind Jiang Nianwei.

For the next few days, the entire Poseidon Island was immersed in the warmth of a long-awaited reunion.

Li Hanshan didn't rush to get down to business, but instead spent several days with the women.

Given the current cultivation levels of the women, dual cultivation would offer them negligible benefits. Therefore, in the past few days, he indulged in intimate moments with the women, enjoying the ultimate bliss.

Ten days later, Li Hanshan summoned everyone to the stone house in the center of the island and got straight to the point, stating his thoughts. "The situation in Zhongzhou is more complicated than I expected. Although I have established a firm foothold in the Hehuan Sect, the Elders' Council is always eyeing me covetously."

His gaze swept over the crowd. "Therefore, I am not planning to take you to the Hehuan Sect for the time being."