The abandoned structure creaked in protest against the wind, its broken beams and faded roof tiles a forgotten relic on the outskirts of the city. Moss curled along the edges of cracked stone, and vines had long since claimed the exterior.Though neglected, it was quiet and far from the city, perfect for their needs.

  Inside, a faint shimmer glowed at the perimeter. Runes had been meticulously carved on stones at regular intervals, designed to muffle sound and suppress spiritual sense.

  Tao adjusted the last formation stone and stood, brushing the dust from his robes. “That’s the final one. No one's spying on us here, unless they’re a Foundation Establishment cultivator… and if they are, we’ve got bigger problems.”

  Jian gave a short nod, his eyes scanning the interior of the ruin. “Two thousand contribution points gone in a blink,” he muttered, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Still, worth it.”

  Tao shrugged. “It’s the price of silence. And we’ve got too many things that shouldn’t be spoken aloud.”

  They both sat cross legged across from each other, the spoils of their journey laid bare between them.

  Tao exhaled slowly before continuing. “We should decide now, before hesitation becomes a problem. The longer we hold onto some of these, the more trouble they bring.”

  Jian nodded, his gaze sweeping over the items. “Let’s start with the simplest choice. You’ve been using the storage ring, it stays with you.”

  Tao inclined his head in agreement. “Makes sense.”

  Jian reached out, his fingers grazing the hilt of one of the Iron Tower Sect swords. The weapon was finely crafted, its edge keen, but the emblem etched into its base was a mark of its origin, one that could spell trouble. He frowned. “The weapons… we should sell them.”

  Tao studied him for a moment before nodding. “We can’t be caught with them. If anyone recognizes the mark, questions will follow.” His tone darkened slightly. “And we don’t want questions.”

  Jian tapped the table lightly, considering. “Selling them through the sect is too risky. We need an intermediary. Someone discreet.”

  “Maybe someone from the black market?” Tao mused. “I’ve heard of merchants willing to take goods without asking their origins, but we’d have to make sure we aren’t being deceived.”

  “We’ll deal with that later,” Jian said, shifting his focus. His fingers traced the edge of the pill furnace, the cool metal smooth beneath his touch. A strange feeling settled in his chest, a recognition of sorts. The legacy he had inherited in the secret realm stirred within him, faint whispers of knowledge brushing the edges of his mind.

  “This is mine,” he said simply, his voice carrying quiet conviction.

  Tao did not argue. He leaned back slightly, arms crossed. “You did inherit an alchemist’s legacy. If anyone can make use of it, it’s you. Alchemists are highly valued everywhere. If you develop your skills, it’ll open doors for you.”

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  Jian smiled faintly. “Then I should start sooner rather than later.”

  “Just don’t flaunt your knowledge too much. The alchemy legacies in the sect can’t compare to yours. You’ll need to show what you can do gradually.”

  “All this sneaking and hiding,” Jian grumbled.

  Tao reached forward, taking the molten fire grass between his fingers with deliberate care. The small stalk’s veins glowed with a deep ember hue. He studied it with a strange sense of reverence.

  “This stays with me,” he said. “I’ve inherited a legacy related to spirit plants. If I can cultivate it, it’ll be worth more in the long run.”

  Jian watched him, then nodded. “You’ll need to be careful. Something like that… if others learn you have it…”

  “They won’t,” Tao interrupted. His grip on the stalk tightened briefly before he relaxed. “We took this from the secret realm. That alone makes it too dangerous to trade. And we can’t just get rid of it. I’ll find a way to make use of it in secret.”

  Silence stretched between them for a moment, unspoken understanding passing between their gazes.

  Jian reached for the Iron Tower Sect manuals, ignoring the jade slip for the cultivation method he picked up and flipped open the sword manual and started scanning the first few pages. “These are tricky. Too dangerous to sell, but also valuable.”

  Tao smirked. “Then we keep them. Study them. There’s no harm in learning from them before we decide what to do.”

  Jian closed the manual with a firm snap. “Agreed.”

  Tao leaned back, exhaling slowly. “Now that we have the second half of the Verdant Dawn Scripture, we can use it as cover for progressing past the fifth layer. You can take up alchemy in the sect, maybe use sect points to buy some guidance from an elder.”

  Jian grunted. “What about afterwards? Have we changed our minds about the sect now that we’re core members?”

  Tao’s eyes darkened as he leaned forward. “I’ve always wondered why none of the elders have been able to establish their foundation.”

  Jian’s eyes widened in surprise. “You think the patriarch has a lock on the method?”

  Tao chuckled, shaking his head. “Who knows? But we both have methods that exceed the Qi Condensation realm. We’ll probably need to move on eventually. Besides, our sect is small, there’s hardly anything they can offer us past Qi Condensation.”

  Jian frowned. “So how do we handle things?”

  Tao raised an eyebrow. “We need a detailed map of the region. And we need to improve our skills, especially stealth and concealment.”

  Jian nodded. “We’ll need to spend spirit stones on that. I don’t think we can get anything high level from the sect. Even that Initiate’s Guide to Arrays and Formations we bought with contribution points is rudimentary.”

  Tao sighed. “We need a way to make spirit stones. For now, let’s see if we can get anything decent through the mission board. But we might need to check the Hunter’s Association in the city. We should be able to sign up with our cultivation level.”