The final reward was three pieces of Enlightenment Tea.


    Unlike the effects of sudden enlightenment, which are more immediate, Enlightenment Tea does not produce results as quickly. However, sudden enlightenment only lasts for a short period, whereas Enlightenment Tea can permanently enhance comprehension. Additionally, it significantly boosts comprehension for an entire day, although the effect is not as pronounced as sudden enlightenment.


    In the short term, sudden enlightenment may appear more effective, but in the long run, Enlightenment Tea is clearly the better option.


    After carefully checking all the rewards, Lu Yi was quite satisfied.


    Since it was still midday, Lu Yi had a quick meal before continuing his cultivation.


    He immediately used the enlightenment opportunity he gained today to cultivate Thunder Shadow Steps.


    Even though Thunder Shadow Steps was a Foundation Establishment-level technique, Lu Yi’s spiritual energy and mental strength had already reached the standards of Foundation Establishment. Combined with his understanding of the intent of thunder, by the time the enlightenment ended, his Thunder Shadow Steps had directly advanced to level 5, just one step away from the Perfection Realm.


    Lu Yi tried using Thunder Shadow Steps along with White Cloud Steps and found that the perfected White Cloud Steps were significantly stronger than level 5 Thunder Shadow Steps. Moreover, White Cloud Steps consumed less spiritual energy. The power of perfected techniques was so overwhelming that it even surpassed conventional level classifications, leaving Lu Yi amazed.


    For now, Lu Yi decided to set Thunder Shadow Steps aside until it could surpass White Cloud Steps in usefulness.


    Afterward, Lu Yi resumed his peaceful cultivation routine.


    Upon reaching the eleventh layer of the Qi Refining Stage, Lu Yi discovered that the amount of spiritual energy required for further progress had increased drastically. Even with the Jade Spirit Robe accelerating his cultivation speed, it was difficult to break through in a short period.


    Fortunately, Lu Yi was not short on time and could afford to cultivate slowly.


    Two months later, while Lu Yi was meditating in his room, a sudden clap of thunder startled him awake. At the same time, he felt the sky grow inexplicably heavy and oppressive.


    Lu Yi froze for a moment before breaking into a smile.


    He recognized this phenomenon all too well—it was the commotion caused by breaking through the limits of the Heavenly Dao.


    His second senior sister had reached the eleventh layer of the Qi Refining Stage. No—technically speaking, since Lu Yi had become a direct disciple before her, shouldn’t she now call him senior brother?


    Thinking of this, Lu Yi felt a little amused.


    With a grin, he disappeared from his room.


    Since his junior sister had broken through, it was only proper for him, as her senior brother, to congratulate her.


    As Lu Yi approached Donggong Mingyue’s cave residence, he heard her jubilant voice echoing from the entrance:


    “Hahaha! I knew it! I’m a genius! I broke through the bottleneck in less than a year and reached the eleventh layer of Qi Refining! I’m amazing!”


    Lu Yi walked over and saw Donggong Mingyue standing proudly at the entrance of her cave with her hands on her hips, her eyes squinting with joy.


    Lu Yi greeted her with a smile, “Second Senior Sister, you’ve finished your seclusion?”


    Donggong Mingyue froze, her face flushing slightly. She glanced at Lu Yi nervously. “Junior Brother? Why are you here? Did you… hear what I just said?!”


    Lu Yi nodded earnestly. “I heard everything.”


    Donggong Mingyue’s face turned redder, and she muttered shyly, “I was just a little excited.”


    Then, puffing out her chest confidently, she said with a grin, “Now that I’ve broken through, I’ll soon become the peak master’s direct disciple. Junior Brother, from now on, I’ll look after you!”


    Lu Yi’s lips twitched. He covered his mouth and coughed before replying seriously, “Senior Sister, I have some good news for you.”


    “What is it?” Donggong Mingyue asked curiously, noticing Lu Yi’s serious expression.


    Lu Yi smiled. “Three months ago, I also broke through to the eleventh layer of Qi Refining.”


    Donggong Mingyue: “??????”


    Her mind filled with question marks, and she froze in shock.


    Silence fell between them as they stared at each other, wide-eyed. The atmosphere suddenly felt a little awkward.


    Donggong Mingyue gaped at Lu Yi in disbelief. “You’re joking, right?”


    Lu Yi chuckled at her stunned expression. “The peak master announced it to the inner sect two months ago.”


    Donggong Mingyue’s eyes welled up with tears, and she pouted indignantly. “How could this happen?! I worked so hard and stayed in seclusion for over six months!”


    I was supposed to be first! I’m the senior sister! she thought.


    How did my junior brother become a direct disciple before me after my seclusion? Does this mean I have to call him senior brother now?! This isn’t fair…


    Donggong Mingyue suddenly felt the world was a cruel place.


    Lu Yi looked at Donggong Mingyue’s adorable, tearful expression and couldn’t help but find her even cuter.


    No! What am I thinking? Lu Yi scolded himself. She’s my senior sister. How can I enjoy seeing her upset?


    Lu Yi reprimanded himself internally before clearing his throat. “Senior Sister, how about we go see the peak master first? Afterward, I have another surprise for you.”


    Donggong Mingyue immediately grew wary. She had already fallen for one "good news" from this troublemaker and ended up becoming his junior sister. What kind of surprise would it be this time?


    Still, she decided to follow Lu Yi’s suggestion and meet the peak master to become a direct disciple.


    She nodded. “Let’s go see the peak master first.”


    Lu Yi grinned. “I’ll go with you!”


    The two of them headed to the top of Lingluo Peak to meet the peak master.


    Just like Lu Yi, Donggong Mingyue smoothly became the peak master’s third direct disciple.


    Upon learning that Lu Yi had indeed become a direct disciple before her, Donggong Mingyue visibly deflated and lost some of her earlier enthusiasm.


    Afterward, the peak master discussed Donggong Mingyue’s future plans and prepared some thunder-elemental treasures to help her build her Foundation Establishment.


    Lu Yi felt a wave of gratitude. Their master genuinely cared for her disciples and treated them well.


    Once Donggong Mingyue officially became a direct disciple, she and Lu Yi left the bamboo house together.


    On their way down the mountain, Donggong Mingyue pouted, clearly unhappy.


    Lu Yi laughed and teased, “Congratulations, Junior Sister, on becoming the peak master’s direct disciple.”


    Donggong Mingyue''s expression soured even more as she glared at Lu Yi with resentment.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Lu Yi smiled and said, "Why won''t Junior Sister address me as Senior Brother?"


    Seeing Lu Yi''s cheerful demeanor, Donggong Mingyue pouted angrily. Just a moment ago, he was still her junior, but now he was already acting so arrogant?! She had thought Lu Yi was gentle and considerate before—hmph!


    Reluctantly, she said, "...Senior Brother."


    "Good girl!" Lu Yi immediately felt satisfied. Although he didn''t care much about titles like Senior Brother or Junior Sister, he found Donggong Mingyue''s aggrieved expression rather amusing.


    Smiling, he said, "Junior Sister Mingyue, do you remember when I mentioned giving you a surprise?"


    Donggong Mingyue looked at Lu Yi warily. "What surprise?"


    Lu Yi chuckled. "I have a gift for you to celebrate your breakthrough to the eleventh level of Qi Refining."


    Donggong Mingyue was taken aback and asked curiously, "What kind of gift?"


    Lu Yi smiled mysteriously. "Come with me to my cave residence, and I''ll show you something precious!"


    Feeling intrigued by Lu Yi''s secretive tone, Donggong Mingyue followed him to his cave residence. After Lu Yi closed the door, Donggong Mingyue''s curiosity grew.


    "Lu Yi, what exactly is this gift?" she asked impatiently.


    "Aren''t you supposed to call me Senior Brother?" Lu Yi teased.


    Donggong Mingyue: "..."


    Feeling frustrated, she reluctantly said, "Senior Brother!"


    Only then did Lu Yi nod in satisfaction. With a smile, he took out the top-grade magical artifact, the Violet Jade Dress, which he had obtained as a reward from a previous mission, and handed it to Donggong Mingyue. "This top-grade magical artifact, the Violet Jade Dress, was something I received from a sect mission. It enhances lightning cultivation considerably. Since I can''t use it, I''m giving it to you, Junior Sister Mingyue."


    Donggong Mingyue''s eyes widened in shock as she stared at Lu Yi. "A top-grade magical artifact?! Junior Brother, are you really giving this to me?"


    Lu Yi corrected her helplessly, "You need to call me Senior Brother!"


    Donggong Mingyue: "..."


    ''Is this really the time to worry about titles?!''


    This was a top-grade magical artifact!


    Donggong Mingyue understood how rare and valuable such an item was. Even as the personal disciple of a peak master and with her respectable family background, her most precious treasure was only a high-grade magical artifact.


    Yet Lu Yi was giving her this without hesitation.


    Moreover, as Donggong Mingyue gazed at the exquisite dress, she couldn''t help but admire its beauty.


    However, she still managed to resist its allure and shook her head firmly. "Senior Brother Lu, a top-grade magical artifact is too precious. I can''t accept it. You can exchange it for something more useful to you. I''m sure someone would trade for it."


    Lu Yi smiled. "I was fortunate with my recent sect missions, and I already have suitable artifacts for myself. This Violet Jade Robe is the perfect match for your innate lightning spirit body. If you refuse it, it will be like letting a pearl gather dust."


    Lu Yi had gained many items from helping Donggong Mingyue with her missions recently. He had noticed her efforts and care, so he naturally wanted to return the favor.


    Seeing Lu Yi''s sincerity, Donggong Mingyue bit her lip. She recalled how Lu Yi had prepared tiger bone ginseng soup and nourishing dews for her daily, and even sparred with her to help her solidify her foundation and break through her limits.


    And now, he was giving her a top-grade magical artifact.


    Donggong Mingyue''s mind felt chaotic, and her face seemed to grow warm. ''Maybe it''s too hot in this cave.''


    ''Lu Yi is so careless... he didn''t even ventilate the room.''


    Lu Yi noticed Donggong Mingyue standing there silently and assumed she was still struggling with the decision. He smiled and said, "Junior Sister, just take it."


    Snapping out of her daze, Donggong Mingyue hesitated for a moment longer before reaching out to accept the Violet Jade Robe. She nodded lightly. "Thank you... Senior Brother Lu."


    Lu Yi''s smile widened. "I''m glad you like it. From now on, we''ll truly be Senior Brother and Junior Sister. We must support and help each other. Oh, and our daily sparring can''t stop."


    Donggong Mingyue felt a subtle ripple in her heart.


    ''Is Senior Brother sparring with me to help me improve faster now that his strength has grown even more?''


    She nodded softly. "Alright."


    Hearing her response, Lu Yi felt delighted. ''My lightning intent can improve again—this is great.''


    He quickly issued a task in his mind: Defeat Donggong Mingyue.


    Reward: Enhancement of lightning intent and two drops of Thousand-Year Spirit Milk.


    Accept Task: Yes/No?


    Lu Yi was momentarily stunned by the rewards and felt a sense of disbelief.


    The rewards had changed.


    Previously, defeating Junior Sister Mingyue only gave him five drops of Hundred-Year Spirit Milk and a trace of lightning intent.


    But now, it had increased to two drops of Thousand-Year Spirit Milk?!


    Hundred-Year Spirit Milk and Thousand-Year Spirit Milk were completely different in quality and value!


    Why had the rewards increased so much?


    Lu Yi pondered for a moment and realized the main difference—Donggong Mingyue''s cultivation had risen to the eleventh level of Qi Refining.


    ''Could it be that as the target''s strength improves, the rewards also increase?''


    Lu Yi''s thoughts churned, and he came up with several bold ideas.


    Initially, he was worried that as his strength increased too quickly, obtaining other rewards might become more difficult. But now it seemed he might be able to help his task targets improve their cultivation, which in turn could increase the rewards he received from completing tasks.


    This idea seemed quite feasible.


    To be honest, Lu Yi currently had plenty of resources he couldn''t use himself. For instance, Perfect Qi Condensation Pills were often rewards he obtained from tasks, and he could earn dozens of drops of Hundred-Year Spirit Milk every month from the trial tower. Last time, he had given some to his father, Lu Gaoyang, and his mother, Wang Siqi. Even after that, he had already accumulated two to three hundred drops.


    Currently, Lu Yi was cultivating using Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. These other resources had just been sitting in a corner, unused.


    Not to mention, every month, Lu Yi would go to the Resource Hall to collect top-grade Qi Condensation Pills to avoid suspicion. These pills had already piled up into a small mountain.


    These resources could be used to help others with their cultivation—of course, the targets needed to be people who could help him earn task rewards, such as Junior Sister Mingyue.


    If Junior Sister Mingyue grew stronger, he could gain even better rewards for completing tasks.


    Lu Yi felt he needed to take on some sect missions. Only this way could he have a reasonable excuse for obtaining these resources. Otherwise, it would be suspicious to keep producing Perfect Qi Condensation Pills and Hundred-Year Spirit Milk out of nowhere.


    Lu Yi accepted a mission and sparred with Donggong Mingyue.


    After breaking through to the eleventh level of Qi Refining, Donggong Mingyue''s strength had improved significantly. However, compared to Lu Yi, the gap had only grown wider.


    After all, Lu Yi''s foundation was incredibly solid. On top of that, his sword intent had already surpassed twenty percent comprehension. Even though Donggong Mingyue possessed an Innate Thunder Spirit Body, she was no match for him.


    To keep Donggong Mingyue from losing confidence in her cultivation, Lu Yi sparred with her for a while before finally defeating her.


    After the sparring session, Donggong Mingyue sat on the ground with Lu Yi, her forehead covered in sweat and her breathing heavy. She looked at Lu Yi and smiled. "Junior Brother Lu Yi, your strength keeps growing stronger."


    Back then, Lu Yi''s strength had clearly been inferior to hers. Yet, in just one year, he had grown to this level.


    This left Donggong Mingyue feeling somewhat frustrated. After all, she was an Innate Thunder Spirit Body.


    However, the thought that Lu Yi had already pushed his sword intent to over twenty percent left her both shocked and impressed.


    Lu Yi replied helplessly, "You need to call me Senior Brother."


    Donggong Mingyue rolled her eyes and giggled. "I''ve been calling you Junior Brother for a year. How can I change it so easily? Right, Senior Brother Lu Yi~?"


    Lu Yi: "..."


    The two chatted for a while and rested before Donggong Mingyue bid farewell and returned to her cultivation.


    With Donggong Mingyue out of seclusion, Lu Yi now had daily sparring tasks again, allowing him to accumulate more Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. He could cultivate without any worries, and his comprehension of lightning intent began to improve once more.


    During this time, Lu Yi visited his master once a month to listen to Dao lectures and gain enlightenment opportunities. He also visited Elder Ming to study sword intent and refine his understanding further.


    Apart from that, Lu Yi focused on steady cultivation, not only improving his cultivation level but also enhancing various spells and techniques.


    His Spiritual Nurturing Dew finally reached the maximum grade. The dew brewed at this level was highly effective for enhancing mental power. After consuming it continuously, Lu Yi even felt a faint opening sensation at the center of his forehead.


    This was a sign of spiritual power transformation—something impossible at his current realm. If others found out, it would cause a huge stir.


    Additionally, Lu Yi continued refining his Thunder Shadow Steps, investing most of his enlightenment opportunities into mastering the technique. Eventually, he pushed it to the maximum grade, making it exceptionally powerful.


    Four months later, Lu Yi broke through the second layer of the Heavenly Dao''s restrictions, reaching the twelfth level of Qi Refining.


    The breakthrough reward, as expected, was strands of Grand Dao Qi. However, this time, he received two strands instead of one.


    Lu Yi carefully stored all three strands of Grand Dao Qi, planning to use them when forming his Foundation Establishment. By then, his foundation would likely be unmatched.


    After breaking through to the twelfth level of Qi Refining, the year was almost over. Lu Yi decided to take on another sect mission. Once he returned, he planned to use treasures like Hundred-Year Spirit Milk to aid Junior Sister Mingyue in her cultivation.


    Over the past four months, Donggong Mingyue''s progress had been limited due to resource constraints.


    With Lu Yi now at the twelfth level of Qi Refining, the rewards for sparring tasks had decreased. They now offered only one drop of Thousand-Year Spirit Milk and a small boost in lightning intent.


    Lu Yi found this unacceptable.


    This time, to create an excuse for obtaining resources, he didn''t invite Jiang Fan, Bai Yulong, or even Donggong Mingyue.


    He went alone to the Affairs Hall and took on a mission.


    To ensure his excuse was convincing, Lu Yi chose a mission in an area known for hidden opportunities—the Myriad Beast Mountain Range.


    This vast mountain range stretched across the entire Eastern Region, with a portion extending into Green Provance. A small section was within White Cloud Sect''s territory, though it was quite far from the sect itself.


    The range housed numerous ferocious beasts and rare spiritual treasures. Legends claimed that ancient, powerful beasts and relics left behind by past experts resided in its depths.


    However, the core region of the Myriad Beast Mountain Range was a forbidden zone. Even Great Ascension cultivators had ventured in and never returned.


    Since then, no one dared to approach its core.


    Taking on a mission there made it unlikely to encounter fellow disciples. This meant Lu Yi could fabricate stories without any trouble.


    He praised himself for his cleverness.


    The mission required Lu Yi to find a rare spiritual herb called Heavenly Star Grass.


    After accepting the mission, Lu Yi didn''t forget to issue himself a personal task.


    He silently vowed, ‘I must find Heavenly Star Grass.’


    Lines of text appeared on his task panel.


    When Lu Yi saw the rewards listed, he froze, feeling a wave of astonishment.


    He hadn''t expected the reward to be this item.