— That house is very beautiful, who do you think lives there? — Wu Xue said. — Do either of you know anything?

  Guang Ai and her brother shook their heads, denying it.

  — Seriously, aren't those shining stones already enough of a clue? — Gao Yu commented sarcastically. — Who else here would have access to something that strange?

  Everyone agreed and, in their minds, decided it was best not to approach that place again. They would suppress their curiosity.

  Xiao Yun, on the other hand, felt a bit uneasy. There were no sounds or apparent presence in that place.

  Didn’t he say she was fine...?

  Even if he wanted to check, he thought this wasn't the right time. He told himself this, convincing himself it was true.

  Later... Yes, he decided, returning his focus to running. I think Yang Se would want to thank her, too.

  Gao Yao stopped, and everyone else did the same right after.

  — If I see any of you there, I swear I'll kill you as soon as I catch you, — she warned, staring at each of the boys.

  — I still think this is unnecessary. This stuff doesn’t seem special at all. To me, it's just water.

  — Then why didn't you leave like the others instead of coming along? — Wu Xue retorted.

  Gao Yu shrugged. — Because if it really is something valuable, I’d be missing out. I bet most of us think the same.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Turning away from the others, Xiao Yun was the first to leave. He headed to the waterfall ahead, followed by the other boys who came soon after.

  The moonlight shimmered with the small waves in front of them, giving a very different appearance to the water than what the girls had encountered, since, on the lake, the reflection was clear and bright.

  He approached the edge, walking over the sandy ground, and after uncorking it, poured the flask’s contents into the water. There was no glow or any grand sign, leaving everyone to try feeling the difference firsthand.

  — And what if it's poisonous, huh? Have you ever thought that maybe that's his way of dealing with the fact that we've already learned that technique, but might choose not to obey him? — Gao Yu joked, making Xiao Yun stop in mid-approach, as did the others who were following him. He burst out laughing.

  The culprit was uncertain, because maybe they had all done it together. All Gao Yu could see was water being splashed at him as his narrowed eyes opened — Hey, seriously? Tsk! I haven't even taken off my clothes yet. — His laughter stopped, replaced by confusion. The feeling was strange, but without doubt, miraculous.

  That dark gunk oozing out from his skin seemed to make his body lighter. It cleared his mind and made the flow of his Qi faster and easier. However, that pungent smell was something else to consider. He just didn't do it at the moment because he was too busy tearing off his clothes and jumping into the waterfall. He sat firmly on the ground and soon began to cultivate.

  Then, seeing that he was fine even after entering the water, the others did the same. They felt the lightness, the purity, and the relief. They hadn't done anything, and yet simply stepping into that liquid made them feel cleaner than they ever had before.

  It was not much different with the girls, except for the teasing. They hesitated and, at first, just tested it with their toes. Only then did they realize the time they had wasted and jumped right into the water that had been altered by the mysterious liquid.

  — What is this stuff? Was it really something special, after all?

  — Why would he give us something like this..? — Guang Ai murmured, watching the impurities peel away from her palm.

  — To convince us that following him is the best decision? — someone suggested.

  — ...And is it working...?

  Everyone kept their answers to themselves, deciding to share them only the next day.

  At that moment, the only thing anyone needed to do was meditate and take advantage of the opportunity as much as possible.