Eric Bennett then sprayed from his own mouth, and a beam of purple light shot out. As soon as this purple light appeared, Ms. Bennett let out a surprised “Eh?”, clearly quite taken aback.

Meanwhile, that Ethan Young only felt the purple light fall upon his head, instantly transforming into a shower of purple rain that poured down over him. The moment it touched him, he felt a coolness penetrate his entire body, as if drinking sweet dew; all pain vanished, and every strand of his vital energy suddenly became lively and vibrant, circulating joyfully. A kind of vital energy far purer than his own rapidly replenished his weakened reserves. He immediately understood that his master had sacrificed his own energy for him, and felt deeply grateful, but had no time to speak. He simply sat suspended in the air, focusing on absorbing and refining this external energy.

While Ethan Young was absorbing the energy bestowed by Eric Bennett, Ms. Bennett was visibly moved. He looked at Eric Bennett, seeing that Eric Bennett still appeared calm and composed, and praised, “Fellow Daoist Eric Bennett, you truly are a great perfected one. That surge of energy just now—was it the Celestial Dew of the Purple Palace? With such attainment, your ascension to Celestial Immortal is surely just around the corner!”

He glanced at Ethan Young and said, “This person has had his Ethan Young repaired with my Immortal Balm and Jade Elixir, and now, with your Celestial Dew of the Purple Palace, not only can his vital energy be restored, but it will greatly benefit his future cultivation as well. Who knows how many lifetimes of fortune it takes to have a master like you!”

“I too spent a hundred years in quiet cultivation and chanced upon the Celestial Dew of the Purple Palace. Just then, calamity struck, so I stored the dew in my sea of essence, and it had not yet transformed into my own vital energy. In truth, he was implicated by me and thus suffered this disaster—his whole family perished, nearly beyond redemption. Of course I must make amends.” Eric Bennett raised his cup and took a sip of tea. “At my level, obtaining the Celestial Dew of the Purple Palace again is not impossible, but for him, it is a rare treasure to enhance the quality of his vital energy.”

“Alas, I have cultivated for so long—by age, I am two hundred years your senior—yet I have never had the fortune to glimpse the Celestial Dew of the Purple Palace. I did not expect that for you, it would be something attainable. Truly, I am ashamed!”

“Fellow Daoist Emily Bennett, there’s no need for such words. There are nine paths to becoming a Celestial Immortal, each with its own merits. Though you have not encountered the Celestial Dew of the Purple Palace, there are other profound realms you may attain. I see your spirit is full and radiant as the sun; your day of ascension is imminent. In terms of cultivation, you surpass me by three degrees—there’s no need for shame.”

“Haha, indeed, before a true perfected one, there is no room for falsehood.” Ms. Bennett laughed heartily, but soon his tone grew somber: “Speaking of calamities, fellow Daoist, you must take things lightly. I see your cultivation is nearly complete; once you achieve perfection, your rank in the heavens will surpass mine. But you have spent five hundred years in seclusion and still have unresolved worldly ties, which is why this calamity befell you. It is also Heaven’s way of urging you to emerge. You must not resent Heaven for this, lest you invite a demonic tribulation.”

Eric Bennett raised an eyebrow. He knew that those on the verge of ascension, whose divine light resonated with Heaven, could perceive many things unknown to lower realm cultivators. Ms. Bennett must have sensed a murderous aura from him, hence the warning.

However, what Eric Bennett disliked most was others manipulating him at will, treating him as a chess piece. So he merely smiled faintly and did not reply.

Seeing Eric Bennett remain silent, Ms. Bennett sighed and said no more.

At their level of cultivation, nothing could be hidden from each other; the only differences that remained were matters of principle and conviction—things that could not be changed by persuasion.

At this moment, Ethan Young had already awakened. The wounds on his limbs had completely vanished, and even his stature had grown noticeably. Upon waking, he immediately paid his respects to the two perfected ones.

“Very good, very good. However, the Celestial Dew of the Purple Palace has not yet been fully refined. You will need to undergo three more major meditations before it is completely absorbed!” Eric Bennett said happily, pointing to a small, water-like mass still flowing inside the semi-transparent body of Ethan Young.

“Thank you, Master, for your great kindness.” Edward Foster, now free of pain, recalled the calamity he had recently endured and still felt lingering fear. He was deeply grateful to Eric Bennett, yet also mourned the destruction of his family.

“You are Edward Foster, correct?” Ms. Bennett asked.

“Yes! I am Edward Foster. What instructions does Ms. Bennett have for me?”

“A cultivator who clings too deeply to the mortal world will not only find it hard to progress, but will also face endless demonic tribulations. You must be careful!” Ms. Bennett said. “With your master present, I will not say much more. But I see you are now burdened with resentment and easily led astray, so I must warn you. I hope you understand.”

These words struck Edward Foster like a hammer to the head, startling him. He quickly replied, “Yes, yes, thank you Ms. Bennett for your guidance.”

Eric Bennett also smiled. “Ms. Bennett speaks the truth. You must remember this.” He turned to Ms. Bennett: “Fellow Daoist Emily Bennett, do you have a quiet chamber? Let my disciple strike while the iron is hot and continue refining the Celestial Dew of the Purple Palace to solidify his foundation.”

“Very well. Ethan Bennett, take Edward Foster to a quiet chamber to recuperate. Do not let anyone disturb or approach.”

“Yes!” Ethan Bennett answered. Edward Foster looked at Eric Bennett, and seeing him nod, followed Ethan Bennett out. For a moment, only the two of them remained, and as the atmosphere cooled, Ms. Bennett spoke.

“Fellow Daoist Eric Bennett, before a true perfected one, there is no need for falsehood. My day of ascension will be at midnight, seven days from now.”