Six months have passed since the expedition into the forest, and Yulan, formerly known as Barbara, has made astonishing progress in her alchemy skills. The intense training, combined with the time she spent tending to the spirit herbs and exploring the magical garden within the necklace, has brought about a remarkable change in her understanding of the techniques and in her cultivation of the plants.

One morning, Li Mei called her over for an inspection. Her tone was one of ordinary appraisal, but soon the elder’s expression changed from concentration to surprise. As she examined a series of pills that Yulan had concocted, Li Mei frowned, lifting the bottle and observing the purity of the contents.

“Yulan,” Li Mei began after a few seconds of stunned silence, “what’s going on with your cultivation? Not only has your alchemy improved greatly, but the herbs you tend in the sect’s garden seem… different. They’re growing with a vigor I’ve never seen before. They’re much purer, stronger. Almost as if they were plants of another lineage.”

Yulan lowered her eyes, trying not to show what was really going on in her mind. She knew that the secret of the magic garden was making a difference; the herbs growing within it were responding to her spiritual wood root and resonating with its growth. But she chose to err on the side of caution and keep it a secret.

“Thank you, Elder Li Mei. I have studied the lessons you taught us about herb management extensively, and I am happy that my efforts are beginning to bear fruit.”

Li Mei, who had always been picky and reserved praise for rare moments, gave a brief smile of approval.

“This is more than just dedication, Yulan. What you are doing in the garden and in your indoor cultivation is raising the quality of the herbs in the entire sect. The Patriarch will surely notice this change. Keep it up, and soon you will be known not only among the disciples, but among the alchemists in our sect.”

Li Mei’s words struck a chord with Yulan. Even though she had kept her secret, this recognition was more than she had expected. She knew she had to maintain a balance, to move forward without drawing too much attention to the source of her growth, while nurturing her magical garden and honing her skills in secret. After all, she had a new world to discover—both within the sect and in the secret space she carried with her.

After meeting with Li Mei, Yulan headed to the training yard, where Xiao Yu, one of the most respected inner disciples, was leading an assessment session for the younger disciples. It was a cold day, but the air was filled with anticipation and seriousness. Yulan knew that Xiao Yu had a reputation for being strict, especially in his training, but he was also admired for his honesty in his assessments.

Xiao Yu watched her carefully as he called her to the center of the courtyard. He knew of Yulan’s advancement in cultivation, but he was curious about her physical strength, especially the effectiveness of her progress in the Body Refinement Realm.

“Yulan,” he began, his tone calm but firm, “your progress in alchemy is clear, but now I need to assess how you are progressing in your body strength and endurance. Are you ready for a duel?”

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Yulan took a deep breath and nodded. She knew that Xiao Yu was at the Qi Condensation Realm, far ahead of her, but she trusted that even in a friendly duel, he would be fair.

The duel began intensely. Xiao Yu started with quick attacks, testing Yulan's endurance. She blocked the blows carefully and tried to take advantage of every opening to counterattack, but she soon realized that, although her strikes were accurate, they lacked the strength and endurance that he possessed.

At one point, Xiao Yu took a step back and signaled for her to stop. He watched Yulan, assessing her posture and the way she recovered from the attacks.

“Your progress is remarkable, Yulan. The Body Refining Realm requires more than just focusing on attacks; it is a stage of forging every part of your body as if it were steel. Focus on strengthening your endurance, especially in areas that support the flow of Qi. This is the key to sustaining higher levels of energy without exhaustion.”

She absorbed every word, understanding that he was highlighting something essential for her to support the Qi energy in the future. Xiao Yu demonstrated some postures and breathing techniques to help her distribute the Qi efficiently.

— Perfecting the Body is crucial at this stage. Before strengthening Qi, your body must be in complete harmony with the energy. Focus on physical resistance practices and maintain the connection with your spiritual root; this will bring more stability for the next stages.

Although she still needed a lot of training to reach Xiao Yu’s level, Yulan felt that this friendly duel had revealed new aspects of her cultivation. More than just a simple fight, it was a lesson in determination and discipline.

Amidst the stillness of the night, Yulan, who had previously been Barbara, waited patiently until the last of the disciples had finished training and retired. Once alone, she quietly walked away, where no one could see her, and lightly touched the necklace hanging around her neck. In the blink of an eye, she was enveloped in a soft light, transporting herself to her secret space: the magical garden.

Within this private haven, the air was different, vibrant with a deep, serene energy, as if the environment itself was immersed in an ancient calm. All around, spiritual herbs grew in exuberance, radiating a radiance that she had never witnessed in the sect’s plants. There was a sense of protection and stillness in this place, a natural force that seemed to pulse in sync with her spiritual wood root.

In the center of the garden stood a small hut that Yulan had built from the wood of the trees that grew there. She had kept it simple but neat, so that every detail was conducive to learning. Inside the hut, an alchemy furnace glowed softly in the torchlight, and a wooden shelf neatly displayed the ancient books she had found beside the skeleton in the cave. They were volumes filled with rare knowledge, with teachings on herbs, pill formulas, and alchemical practices that she had never seen before in the sect.

Yulan approached the alchemy furnace and touched its cool, metallic surface, feeling a connection with the object that was now hers. She took a deep breath, absorbing the energy of the calm atmosphere of the garden, and opened one of the books. The pages smelled of ancient parchment, but the teachings they contained were invaluable. There, she delved into the alchemical secrets that Li Mei had never taught her, studying the processes in depth and trying, meticulously, to create her own pills.

Concentrating, Yulan placed carefully selected herbs in the oven, adjusting the temperature and time as instructed in the book. Each blend, each attempt, was a learning experience. The heat of the oven resonated with her intention, and as she worked, she felt the garden around her as an extension of herself, amplifying her energy and allowing her to connect deeply with the power of the plants.

Hours passed without her realizing it, as she adjusted the formulas, mixed ingredients, and learned to channel her own essence to imbue each pill with spiritual energy. And there, far from the eyes and judgments of the sect, Yulan began to advance in her alchemical knowledge, silently, but with a strength that no one would ever suspect.