One hundred and fifty mid-grade spirit stones formed a glowing blue circle on the granite floor.
Sera Thorne sat cross-legged in the center of the ring on the roof landing, her back straight as an iron pillar. The heavy leather pouch Kaelen had tossed out the window slot lay empty beside her knee.
Before her, six round pills rested on a square of bleached silk, leaving six more Supreme pills tucked safely inside her belt pouch.
They were Tier 3 Cloud-Veined Supreme pills, refined by Kaelen during his burst window. Nine cloud-veins swirled across each pearl-like surface. They emitted no pungent chemical stench, only the crisp scent of fresh morning dew.
Across the landing, Barnaby Holt stood motionless, his six-foot iron pestle resting against the door jamb.
“Are you ready, Lady Sera?” Barnaby whispered, his single arm braced on the wood. “Absorbing one hundred and fifty mid-grade stones at once is a tremendous shock to the meridians. Normal cultivators take three months to digest this much raw Qi.”
“Normal cultivators swallow poison pills that clog their veins with slag,” Sera replied calmly.
She picked up the first two Supreme pills and slipped them into her mouth.
