Within one of the bustling restaurants in Sky Mist City, Meng Lin sat with Xi Lin, De Sijie, and Xi Lan at a table on the second floor.

Gazing out the window, Meng Lin couldn't help but feel a slight sense of nostalgia. The place was alive with cultivators from various realms, most of them at the Qi Gathering and Foundation Establishment Realm.

Her gaze returned to the dish on the table, which featured ingredients carefully selected to nourish cultivators. Despite her high cultivation level, which made sustenance unnecessary, Meng Lin found unexpected joy in eating.

The dishes before her were far beyond ordinary food—they were infused with spiritual energy, their colors vivid and their aromas tantalizing.

She lifted her chopsticks, savoring each bite with relish, a peaceful expression crossing her face. It was a simple indulgence, but one she cherished deeply.

De Sijie stuffed her mouth with food using her chopsticks, eating with slight elegance. “These Rank 3 dishes are something else! The spiritual energy in them is practically overflowing! And they taste so good!”

Xi Lin nodded thoughtfully, her gaze drifting to Meng Lin as she spoke. “I’ve heard that Rank 3 dishes like these are quite rare, even among the higher realms. To think that the City Lord would give these out so easily—is this the bonus she was talking about?”

“No,” Meng Lin shook her head before continuing. “These dishes were not part of any bonus she mentioned.” Meng Lin took a bite, feeling a slight amount of qi running through her body.

"I told the manager of the restaurant to bring out their finest dish; this is simply the result of careful selection and preparation by master chefs who understand the spiritual essence of food."

Xi Lan, who had been quietly observing, now spoke up with her usual calmness. “I see. At your level of cultivation, food doesn’t provide nourishment in the usual sense, but you still had us come here after merely passing by—do you just like eating?”

De Sijie, who had been stuffing her face with the dish, gave a playful laugh. “Who doesn't like enjoying the taste of food? There’s no harm in eating once in a while, right?” She flashed a grin, clearly pleased by the overflowing spiritual energy in the food.

She continued, “Although I wonder if Miss is just pretending to enjoy this. Could it be that you’re secretly relishing the attention from everyone? You certainly have the presence for it,” she teased, throwing a sly glance at a nearby table where several cultivators in extravagant clothing had turned their attention to the group.

Among them, some radiated the aura of the Gold Core Realm; they were among the elites of Sky Mist City, hailing from prestigious clans with names recognized by nearly everyone in the city.

Yet despite their high standing, they couldn't help but feel a strange pressure whenever they glanced at Meng Lin and her group. Some of them had already begun connecting Meng Lin with the Soul Wandering cultivator's aura that swept through the area.

Meng Lin gave a nonchalant shrug, her expression unchanged. “Let them stare. So long as we're not disturbed, I'll tolerate it,” she said, returning to her meal.

After a brief pause, the conversation shifted. Xi Lan, appearing older and keen on discussing her own cultivation progress, leaned back in her seat. “With this, I think I’ll be reaching the middle stage very soon. Maybe in a few more days.” Her voice was calm, but there was a flicker of excitement in her eyes.

De Sijie’s eyes narrowed slightly, a playful but competitive spark in them. “Oh? So, you’re going to jump to the middle stage already? That’s fast.” She placed her chopsticks down with a deliberate clink. “I should reach the peak stage in just a month or two, if I really push myself.”

Xi Lin glanced at her, her smile serene. She was about to say something when suddenly she paused. Not just her; everyone on the second floor paused in what they were doing.

The cause of everyone's paused action was a powerful spiritual aura sweeping through the area, its origin coming from the City Manor.

Meng Lin held an intrigued look as she looked out the window, surprise evident in her eyes.

Earlier, when she first arrived, she couldn't sense the actual cultivation level of the City Lord. However, now she could clearly feel the aura of a peak-stage cultivator, even more powerful than the aura of Senior Sister Liu when she was at the peak stage.

"What was that just now?" The cultivators in the restaurant, as well as in various parts of the city, were visibly affected by the sudden surge of spiritual power. Whispers started to circulate among the tables as cultivators exchanged surprised glances and speculated on the origin of the overwhelming aura.

De Sijie, wiping her mouth, raised an eyebrow. “The City Lord? Did she do something just now?”

Xi Lin leaned forward, her expression serious. “It appears so. That’s the aura of someone who has reached the peak of the Soul Wandering Realm. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

Meng Lin continued to gaze out the window, her expression thoughtful. "The City Lord had a cracked soul core—something that limited her ability to store spiritual energy. Now that she has two Core Restoration Pills, this should be the result of her cracked soul core being healed."

The atmosphere in the restaurant shifted. Some of the cultivators around them were now looking toward the City Lord's manor, their senses attuned to the spiritual energy that had just emerged.

A few whispers grew louder, and one of the older cultivators at a nearby table commented, “I heard the City Lord was a genius of the Raising Star Rank; it seems that's true. I wonder if the rumors about her cracked soul core were false."

The conversation in the restaurant grew more hushed as the powerful aura from the City Lord's manor began to settle down.

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Meng Lin caught the hint of recognition in the other cultivator’s voice and smiled. "Sounds like the City Lord has more than one trick up her sleeve," she said softly, almost to herself.

Back when she had made four Core Restoration Pills, she gave two of them to the City Lord to lower any suspicions about the refinement process.

However, she didn't think that just a few hours after receiving the pills, the City Lord would be fully healed to her peak; it seems the effects of the Core Restoration Pill were not just for show.

Then, as if snapping out of her thoughts, she turned to the others. “This doesn’t concern us right now. Let’s finish our meal and be on our way. We still have places to visit before leaving.”

De Sijie stood up with a grin. “Let's just go now; we're already full, and I am interested to see what a high-tier city has to offer.”

Xi Lin and Xi Lan stood as well, though their expressions were a bit more thoughtful. The interruption had clearly left an impression on them.

Outside, the streets were crowded, as usual, with cultivators moving between various stalls, shops, and vendors. The girls quickly found themselves making their way toward a few of the vendors they had intended to visit earlier.

They picked up a few rare herbs, some low and mid spiritual weapons, and an assortment of alchemy and blacksmithing materials.

Along the way, Meng Lin’s eyes were drawn toward a vendor selling broken spiritual weapons, her gaze flickering with curiosity.

The stall was small but well-organized, with a range of damaged blades, staffs, and armor pieces laid out in neat rows. Some of the items looked like they had once been powerful.

She paused for a moment, inspecting a rusted sword with faint spiritual runes etched into its hilt. The aura it emitted was faint, but Meng Lin's sharp spiritual consciousness detected traces of a once-powerful formation embedded within the weapon.

Looking through the entire stall with her spiritual consciousness, Meng Lin found only three other weapons that caught her eye.

The vendor, a hunched old man with a patchy beard, noticed Meng Lin's interest and shuffled over. His voice was raspy, but there was a gleam of pride in his eyes as he spoke. "Ah, I see you have a keen eye, young lady. These are rare finds. Most of them come from cultivators who fell in battle."

Meng Lin's gaze shifted to the vendor. "How much for one of them?" Her tone was calm, but there was an undercurrent of genuine interest.

The vendor scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Depends on the weapon, miss. Some can be restored to their former glory with the right materials and craftsmanship, while others are too far gone. For something like that sword you’re looking at..." He paused, studying her. "I could sell it to you for 50 low-tier spirit stones. But if you want it repaired, you'd need to find a skilled blacksmith. Reforging a weapon like this can be costly."

Meng Lin tilted her head slightly, considering the offer. The sword was clearly damaged, and its power was at most at the level of an early-grade spiritual weapon, and it was selling for a high price of 50 spirit stones.

However its potential was clearly undeniable. If she could find the right materials, it could be restored into something much more powerful. Her mind went back to the items she had.

The Soul Water Drop, the Crystal from the Crystal Serpent's cave, and the Crystal of Pure Yin from the High-Grade System pack—if she used those, as well as the dagger overflowing with demonic aura, then she could create powerful advanced or top-grade weapons.

"Fifty low-tier spirit stones, huh?" she mused aloud, her gaze turning to three other items. "What about these other three weapons?"

The vendor nodded, clearly eager to make a sale. "Ah, the other three are similar. Not in the best condition, but they all have traces of spiritual energy embedded in them. If you want them all, I could sell them to you for a total of 150 spirit stones, but again, they will require significant work."

Meng Lin's eyes flickered with interest. These were not just any ordinary weapons; they had probably been middle or advanced-grade spiritual weapons, and if she could restore them, they might serve her well. Besides, the price was negligible.

"Deal," she said after a moment of contemplation, her voice firm. "I'll take them."

The vendor’s face lit up, clearly pleased. He shuffled over to a corner of the stall and carefully handed the four weapons to Meng Lin. "You have a good eye, young lady," he repeated.

Meng Lin accepted the bundle with a nod, tucking it away in her storage bag. She nodded, her expression unreadable. She turned to the others, who had been watching the transaction with mild curiosity.

Xi Lin raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing. "Four broken weapons? Are you planning to repair them all, or is there a reason for this?"

Meng Lin gave a small smile, her eyes gleaming. "Just curious about their potential. They should have some unique traits."

De Sijie, who had been more interested in browsing the stalls, shrugged. "Well, if you think they’re worth the effort, I suppose it could be interesting to see what you can do with them."

Xi Lan added, "Let’s hope you find the right blacksmith, then."

Meng Lin simply nodded and didn't say anything; her thoughts were already moving ahead to how to repair them.

They stopped by a few more vendors and stores before they finally made their way to the edge of the city, where the platform was located.

Without much fanfare, Meng Lin summoned the Crimson Tortoise Dragon, which materialized in a flash of brilliant light. The dragon’s majestic form hovered above the ground, its powerful aura stirring up the air and attracting bystanders.

The trio of girls, along with Meng Lin, settled atop the dragon’s back. “Let’s go."

As the Crimson Tortoise Dragon soared through the skies, the familiar sight of Sky Mist City slowly shrank into a distant silhouette, fading beneath them.

Meng Lin sat at the front, her gaze focused ahead, her expression contemplative as the wind tugged at her hair. The dragon, undeterred by the strong currents, moved with a grace that betrayed its immense size, its long, sinuous body cutting through the air like a serpent in water.

Xi Lin, sitting next to Meng Lin, broke the silence. "So, we’re leaving already? Is there something we need to do outside the city?"

Meng Lin turned her head slightly, a faint smile gracing her lips. "I’ve already found a secluded island," she said calmly, her tone laced with purpose. "That’s where we’re headed."

De Sijie, lying lazily atop the dragon’s back, sat up with a raised eyebrow. "A secluded island? Sounds mysterious. Why there, of all places?"

"It’s hidden," Meng Lin explained. "It’s in a spatial barrier formed from a formation, so it can’t be seen by ordinary means."

Xi Lan, always quick to catch on, nodded thoughtfully. "A hidden island... That sounds like it’s the perfect place to lay low."

Meng Lin replied. "Exactly, there are pills I need to refine, as well as heal my spiritual veins."

The Crimson Tortoise Dragon sliced through the air, passing a few scattered islands before Meng Lin guided it toward their destination. The sea below stretched out endlessly, an expanse of blue with hints of green where islands emerged like forgotten relics of an ancient world.

After what felt like hours, the dragon veered off course, heading into a less-traveled stretch of the ocean. Below, the islands became increasingly sparse until only open water remained. De Sijie, watching the horizon, raised an eyebrow. "How much farther?"

Meng Lin looked up at the dragon’s steady flight, her eyes narrowing as she felt the familiar pull from the Void-State Tablet In her robe. "Not far now."

The island itself was concealed in the folds of space, invisible to the eye and unreachable by most means. Even the dragon’s sharp senses seemed to register nothing but the endless sea as they passed by, but Meng Lin knew exactly where to go because of the Void-State Tablet.

She was about to speak when a flicker of light shimmered in the air ahead, an island 12 miles in diameter appeared out of nowhere. Meng Lin smiled; that was definitely her master's doing.

Looking ahead, her eyebrows raised in shock as she saw a grand palace towering into the sky at the center of the island. The palace was emanating a large amount of spiritual energy, and at the highest point of the palace lay a platform with a panoramic view of the entire island.

"Since when was that there?" Meng Lin said, shock evident on her face.