Chapter 2: Successful Refinement (Part 1)

Guo Shier smiled and said, “Don’t worry about what it is—just know it works.” He was too lazy to explain the origin of the cauldron, as there was no such concept in this world, and it would be hard to explain anyway. Li Ran understood because his soul, like Guo Shier’s, had been reincarnated from Earth, so of course he knew.
Wang Dayang stopped asking questions and said with a smile, “How did everyone fare?”
Guo Shier took out a pouch of talismans and handed it to Monier, saying, “Masteress, here for you.”
Monier glanced at it briefly and was stunned, “So many? All for me?”
Guo Shier nodded, “Yes, I caught them just for you.”
Monier beamed with joy. She didn’t care what they were or how many Void Worms they sealed; what mattered was Guo Shier’s attitude. Unable to resist, she stepped forward and hugged him as before, saying, “Our little treasure is still so well-behaved.” This made Guo Shier’s face turn red.
Sericeline laughed mockingly. It was the first time she had seen Guo Shier shy. Usually, he was not only thick-skinned but also reckless, as if he had no concerns at all. She never expected he could have such a cute side.
Kumu glared at Monier and said, “Why are you acting like a child?”
Monier rolled her eyes at him and said, “Mind your own business! Go away, you deadwood!”
Kumu turned away without saying a word. Of course, he wasn’t offended. When Guo Shier was young, Monier had always hugged him like this, calling him “treasure.” He was used to it. She mentioned him because there were other companions around, and if she did this, it would make people laugh.
Qi Wuzhen asked curiously, “Why are you two so affectionate?”
Monier said proudly, “My treasure… I raised him since he was little!”
Everyone immediately understood. No wonder Guo Shier was so attached to his master—there was a masteress who had raised him since childhood, acting like a mother. Sericeline secretly envied her. She had initially been a bit displeased, not knowing why, but seeing Guo Shier and Monier so close made her feel uncomfortable. Now, however, she felt nothing but warmth.
Guo Shier said, “Masteress, if you keep hugging me like this… Master will get jealous!”
Monier understood what he meant and slapped him, saying, “Ignore that wooden fool. Hehe, you’re getting more and more mischievous!” But she still let go, after all, Guo Shier was no longer a child.

Qi Wu Zhen laughed and said, “No wonder. His master isn’t jealous at all; it seems the girl is the one who’s jealous, haha.” She couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Cerislin’s face turned red immediately as she shouted, “I’m not! Really not!” Though she didn’t understand what jealousy meant, she could guess its meaning.
Guo Shier hit her back, and unfortunately, it landed right on Cerislin’s buttocks. Before he realized it, he said, “Why are you shouting?” Only then did he realize he had hit the wrong place. But he was thick-skinned and pretended not to know anything.
Cerislin’s face turned not only red but almost purple, with a hint of joy in her eyes. She slowly lowered her head, stopping arguing. Instead of feeling annoyed, she felt a bit pleased.
Li Ran said, “Alright, we’ve gained a lot this time, and we’re all exhausted. Should we rest here or head out of the ruins to rest before entering again? By then, we’ll really have to leave the Sacrificial Star.”
Guo Shier said, “Let’s rest right here. There’s no need to go that far…”
Qi Wu Zhen nodded and said, “Mm, I agree to rest here.”
Kumu and Monier were already used to Guo Shier making decisions, and both agreed. Wang Dayang said indifferently, “I don’t want to run either. I’m too tired. It’s fine to rest here.”
The group quickly found a slightly flat area, and Guo Shier summoned the Hidden Talisman House. Cerislin was extremely envious—this was the power of a talisman clan professional, being able to carry a home with them.
They divided up their guard shifts, with Guo Shier and Cerislin guarding on the first day. The two sat in front of the Hidden Talisman House.
Since joining the team, Cerislin had always been with Guo Shier, whether traveling or fighting. After spending so much time together, it was only natural for her to develop feelings for him. But Guo Shier didn’t feel the same way. He was solely focused on reaching the Greater World and didn’t pay much attention to anything else. He was well aware of Cerislin’s changes, as she wasn’t some naive kid but an old demon who had lived three lifetimes.
Guo Shier asked, “Cerislin, are there any others in your family?”
Cerislin replied vaguely, “My family?”
Guo Shier asked, “Are your parents still alive?”
Cerislin shook her head. “I don’t know.”
Guo Shier was taken aback and said, “You don’t know?”

Cerisine said, “In our Blade Clan, once a child is born, if they have good aptitude, they are immediately taken away by the clan’s experts and have nothing to do with their family. Only those with poor aptitude stay at home, but they can only be ordinary people their whole lives—the lowest class in the Blade Clan. That’s why no one wants to stay at home.”
Guo Shier said, “Do you have good aptitude?”
Cerisine replied, “Mm, I’m among the best. That’s why I was taken away from a young age. To this day, I don’t even know who my parents are. No one has told me… And actually, I don’t want to know. After all these years… they must be long gone by now.” After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Are your parents still alive?”
Guo Shier gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “They’re long gone. I was sent to a sect as a child to learn spells. Hehe, I also had excellent aptitude, so over time, I became a professional in the Spell Clan.”
Different races may have varying ways of nurturing the next generation, but one thing is common: true experts are trained from a young age through systematic instruction, which is extremely important.
Cerisine said, “Yes, it’s a kind of luck that not everyone gets.”
Children with good aptitude are treasures in any race—they form the foundation for the race’s growth and are its most outstanding members. The development of a race ultimately relies on these highly talented individuals. Those with average or poor aptitude, even if they become experts, are extremely rare and can be almost ignored. Although they lack natural talent for cultivation, they possess another extraordinary quality: unwavering perseverance and exceptional intelligence—otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to achieve success in cultivation.
Cerisine belonged to those with excellent aptitude. She also had a strong will and a proactive attitude. After interacting with Guo Shier and the others, she practiced even harder and began to draw useful insights from the spells unique to the Spell Clan. Though she didn’t understand spells, many aspects of cultivation overlapped. Learning from each other’s strengths is something every expert in any race should do.
Guo Shier asked, “Do you really intend to come with us to the Greater World?”
Cerisine replied, “If I stay here… will I still be able to improve?”
Guo Shier said, “You’ll definitely improve, but… if you keep practicing, you might dominate the Blade Clan, but you won’t be able to handle other races.” He said it bluntly.

Ceriselle said, “I know.” She gave a bitter smile and added, “I originally thought I was already quite skilled. It wasn’t until I met you all that I realized just how big the gap is. I don’t expect to become as skilled as you, but with you by my side, my strength will surely improve quickly. That’s why I want to follow you to the Greater World.”

Guo Shier said, “Once you go, you won’t be able to return. We won’t be able to return either. Don’t regret it later… No one can help you.”

Ceriselle shook her head. “Since I’ve decided to go, I won’t regret it.”

Guo Shier said, “The journey will be extremely dangerous. It’s very likely that we’ll die halfway there before even reaching the Greater World.”

Ceriselle cooed, “Aiyah, Shier, why do you always say such things… Even if I die on the way, I… I won’t blame you. As long as you’re by my side!”

Guo Shier was instantly speechless. Those words were almost an admission of love. He didn’t dare to go on talking—who knew what she might say next. He smiled and said, “Hmm, I’ll try my best to protect you… As long as I don’t die, you won’t die either…” He almost slapped himself after saying that—it made things even more ambiguous. He didn’t dare to continue the conversation. Standing up, he said, “I’m going for a walk. You don’t need to follow. Just stay here.”

Ceriselle stood up, grabbed his arm, and said with a smile, “Let’s go together.” What Guo Shier had said earlier had filled her with joy. Such a promise sounded better than any love words.

The two walked slowly near the Hidden Talisman House. Ceriselle kept pressing close to Guo Shier, disturbing his focus. This woman was a stunning beauty. From Guo Shier’s perspective in his past life, she was absolutely a supermodel. If not for practicing talismans and becoming a top-tier professional in this life, he wouldn’t have been able to resist such temptation. But now his willpower was extremely strong, and his soul was incredibly resilient, making it hard for him to feel emotional.

The two walked back and forth around the Hidden Talisman House while Guo Shier chatted casually with the handsome old man. Of course, Ceriselle couldn’t hear anything. She quietly held onto Guo Shier’s arm and walked slowly along with him. At that moment, she felt utterly satisfied.

The handsome old man said, “Damn it! It’s finally sealed! Kid, you’re going to drive this old man crazy!”

Guo Shier’s soul pulsed with joy. “Handsome old man, how could I dare? Hehe, what was the harvest this time?”

The handsome old man immediately became excited. “The harvest is huge! Haha! The bugs I sealed in front of me have piled up into a small mountain—enough for you to use for a while.”

Guo Shier remembered a very important question and said, “Elder Shuai, this time capturing insects… thanks to spatial stability, if we use Void Insects in places with stable space, won’t the results be poor?”
Elder Shuai pondered for a moment before saying, “It’s possible!”