Du Yanran possessed water, wood, and fire spiritual roots—a small, self-sustaining cycle where water nourished wood, and wood fed fire. In their past life, after obtaining the Spirit-Cleansing Fruit from Jian Dan, she had purged her water root, leaving her with wood and fire.
Wood roots granted affinity for plants and defensive capabilities, while fire roots excelled in attack, alchemy, and artifact forging. This combination had propelled Du Yanran to great heights, her dual-root cultivation speed far outpacing Jian Dan's five-element Chaos Spirit Root. Once they reached the cultivation world's richer spiritual environment, the gap had only widened.
Back then, Jian Dan had stubbornly progressed step by step, solidifying her foundation despite her slow advancement—partly due to lacking a compatible cultivation method. But the true rift between them hadn't been their cultivation disparity—it was the emergence of the magnolia immortal artifact that turned them into sworn enemies.
Now, if Du Yanran truly remembered their past life, she would undoubtedly take the same shortcut. Which was why Jian Dan had infused the Spirit-Cleansing Fruit with fire-attributed qi. She was certain that when Du Yanran refined it, she would purge her fire root instead of water, leaving her with only water and wood.
Though these two elements still complemented each other, her offensive power would plummet. Without fire, alchemy and artifact forging would require subduing a rare flame—a near-impossible feat on this barren planet.
"A tiny deviation can lead to a thousand-mile mistake."
This was Jian Dan's second gift to her old friend.
A faint, knowing smile curved her lips as she turned and sprinted from Luoxia Mountain, her high ponytail arcing through the air behind her.
After her departure, a pitch-black snake slithered from the hollow where the fruit had been dug up. Its tongue flicked angrily as it coiled around the empty spot, hissing toward the direction Jian Dan had vanished.
It lingered for a long, unsettling while.
That afternoon, Jian Dan arrived at Du Yanran's home, dressed in a white T-shirt, cropped jeans, and pristine sneakers, her high ponytail bouncing with youthful energy. She wheeled a suitcase behind her and knocked lightly.
From inside, a woman's voice called: "Coming! Did you forget your keys again?"
The door swung open to reveal Du Yanran's mother, who blinked in surprise.
"You're… Jian Dan?"
"Yes, Auntie! It's been so long—I've missed you!" Jian Dan beamed. "I had some free time before school starts, so I thought I'd visit. How are you? Is Yanran home?"
"Oh, you've grown so tall and pretty! I almost didn't recognize you!" The woman ushered her inside, calling toward a bedroom: "Yanran, come out! Look who's here!"
Jian Dan had felt the brush of spiritual sense the moment she knocked but pretended not to notice.
As she entered the living room, she unzipped her suitcase, pulling out carefully selected gifts—all genuinely brought from the capital.
"These are cordyceps for nourishing qi and blood—very popular in the capital for health! This silk scarf is this year's trend—it'll look gorgeous on you! And this wine is for Uncle—my father drinks it too. Gentle on the body but improves circulation! As for Yanran's gift…" She winked. "That's a secret!"
A voice rang out behind her: "Jian Dan! You finally decided to come back!"
Du Yanran stood there, her expression a mix of shock and delight.
"Surprise!" Jian Dan threw her arms around her in a bear hug—their old, familiar greeting, executed flawlessly.
Du Yanran stiffened momentarily, a cultivator's instinctive recoil from physical contact. But Jian Dan released her just as quickly, patting her shoulders with practiced ease.
"Let me get a good look at you—wow, even prettier than before!"
The hug had confirmed it: Du Yanran had used the Spirit-Cleansing Fruit's power to break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining… and had indeed purged her fire root.
Now, her aura brimmed with vitality and gentle energy. Her delicate features had sharpened further—fox-like eyes, a sculpted jawline, radiating alluring charm when she smiled, icy elegance when she didn't.
The only flaw? She stood half a head shorter than Jian Dan, giving her a delicate, almost fragile appearance that easily won people over.
At this moment, Du Yanran deliberately schooled her face into a mock scowl: "A whole year without a word! You couldn't even call so I could pick you up?"
"I wanted it to be a surprise!" Jian Dan laughed, steering her toward the bedroom. "Come on, we have so much to catch up on!"
She shot a playful glance at Du Yanran's mother before dragging her best friend away, suitcase in tow.
"You girls chat! I'll go buy groceries and cook up a feast for your homecoming!" The woman grabbed her basket and wallet, bustling out the door.
As the bedroom door closed, the air between the two girls shifted imperceptibly.
The pieces were in place.
Now, it was simply a matter of who played the better hand.