ã€ŠThe Science of Cultivation [Xianxia]ã€‹


 Chapter 1: Kid with the Big Head

    Earth 5709

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. Your rare telomere disorder has suddenly taken a turn for the worse. Even with the most optimistic projections¡­ you have at most two months left. I know this is¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay doctor. I understand.¡± Langley patted the doctor on the shoulder and turned his attention to his phone.

    Seeing how the middle-aged man, with salt and pepper-colored hair, was too stubborn to continue listening, the doctor sighed and took his leave. Once Langley confirmed the doctor was gone, he opened up a picture on his phone from his Favorites folder.

    It was a vintage photo of a middle-aged lady who was beaming at her son while he tried to break free from her grasp. He took a moment to compare his youthful self from the picture to his now withered hands, and it quickly made him realize how much time had passed.

    As Langley sipped on his tea while looking at the old picture of his mother, a memory from the distant past resurfaced. A memory of the time he had failed his first test in school.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, son. I¡¯m already proud of all the hard work you always put into everything you do.¡±

    Little Langley continued to cry into his mother¡¯s arms.

    ¡°But mom¡­¡±

    ¡°Listen to me, son.¡± She held up his chin to make him meet her eyes. ¡°Things don¡¯t always work out. Hard work isn¡¯t always rewarded, but I am so proud that you always still have the courage to try your best, even when you know it may not work out. I hope that part of you never changes. After all, true failure is when you become too afraid to even try.¡±

    ¡°...I won¡¯t change, Mom.¡±

    Back then, he didn¡¯t fully understand her words. There were so many things he had wanted to say to his parents or do for them. But it was too late.

    Their lifespan had run out.

    Tightening his grip on the phone, old Langley pressed the picture of his mother to his forehead.

    I won¡¯t forget Mom.

    I won¡¯t give up until the end.

    <hr>

    ¡°Alfred, how long until the auto-analyzer is finished?¡± A middle-aged man asked with undisguised excitement in his voice.

    His mixed-colored hair, combined with the wrinkles on his skin, showed his age. His lab coat matched his hair and helped him exude a reliable and scholarly aura. However, those who personally knew him would say otherwise.

    There was no one else in the lab and he was staring at the screen before him, surrounded by the latest automated lab equipment the Federation of Humanity had to offer. Within a second, a response came from the lab¡¯s AI assistant.

    ¡°ETA is eight hours, fifty-seven minutes, and four seconds. You have been active for over fifty-six hours continuously. I am mandated to remind you to take a break.¡±

    The man corroborated the timestamps in his research logs recorded on his implant and then checked the time.

    ¡°Yeah¡­Seems like I lost track of time again¡­¡±

    He could still do a lot while waiting for the auto scanner to finish, but the feeling of having forgotten something nagged at him. At the same time, his research project pertaining to immortality had just reached a particularly interesting segment and the urge for him to continue was strong.

    It was during these moments of indecision that Langley would decide on the third option: to do something else to let his brain reset.

    He picked up his tablet and resumed reading the cultivation novel he had recently started up for the sake of finding inspiration for his research topic of immortality. He didn¡¯t even get the chance to finish a chapter when a familiar voice called out to him.

    ¡°Langley! Get out here already!¡±

    Langley turned to the speaker and found an old woman with a head full of white hair marching rapidly toward him.

    ¡°Debra! I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough, you stupid research addict. Why are you so foolish when it comes to anything unrelated to your research? You haven¡¯t changed even after reaching the age where you should already be a father. I knew you couldn¡¯t contain that curiosity of yours and would hole up in the lab if I didn¡¯t come get you! For goodness¡¯ sake, today is the award ceremony for your Progressor of Mankind award.¡±

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    ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that! It means nothing to me. I just want to do my research in peace. I¡¯ll leave the politicking to¡ª¡± Langley retorted as he tried to stand up, but suddenly felt dizzy. He leaned onto the table before him for support as he nursed his sudden headache.

    ¡°Langley! How long have you been working again?¡± Seeing Langley¡¯s condition, Debra glanced over at the speaker on the wall. ¡°Alfred, report how long Professor Langley has been in the lab.¡±

    ¡°Professor Langley has been active in the lab for over fifty-six consecutive hours. The last time he left the facility was one week, two hours, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Debra moved closer to check Langley¡¯s condition as he was unusually quiet. ¡°Hey, Langley! Wake up!¡±

    No response came, so Debra tugged on his shoulders. What she didn¡¯t expect was how a slight touch resulted in Langley slumping over like a sack of potatoes.

    ¡°Langley!¡±

    She quickly took the situation much more seriously and performed an examination of his condition and quickly found that he had no pulse.

    At the age of forty-five, Langley had passed away.

    <hr>

    Where am I? Why can¡¯t I see anything?

    Langley suddenly found himself alone in the darkness. He couldn¡¯t see anything or feel anything. His mind felt strangely sluggish, and it only worsened by the second.

    I need to head back to the lab before the auto-analyzer fin¡ª

    Before long, he could no longer hold a coherent thought. His mind went into a daze, as if he was dreaming. Snippets of scenes flashed before him, like watching disjointed short clips that starred some young child with an abnormally large head living in ancient times before the advent of science.

    He could do nothing but passively allow these scenes to flash by. He didn¡¯t even know how long he was in such a state before it was finally over.

    When Langley¡¯s mental fog finally faded, it came abruptly.

    ¡°Hey! Stop daydreaming and keep moving, big head!¡± A child that appeared around ten years old shouted as he shoved past Langley.

    Langley blinked blankly a few times before he realized he was no longer a spectator in a dream, but someone who had full control of his body. When he looked up to find the boy who had spoken to him, he found him already quite a distance away, dragged ahead by the crowd, who were all heading toward the large plaza up ahead.

    ¡°Keep your voice down, Song Xuan! Do you have any idea who you bumped into?¡±

    The surrounding crowd soon drowned their voices out and Langley could no longer hear them. He glanced around and found that he was inside a crowd of children who were all marching ahead. They all wore strange robes that he had only seen in museums, with their hair tied into a bun at the top.

    Something is off¡­

    He inspected his body for any discomfort and then glanced down at his limbs. To his surprise, he realized that he was already standing.

    I¡­I¡¯m shorter than these kids¡­? My body is that of a little child!

    Arriving at the revelation, memories flashed into his mind, with everything playing at many times the normal speed. Memories of a young boy named Li Lang who was orphaned from an early age.

    From the memories, he realized this wasn¡¯t the first time he had assumed control of this body. He had done so multiple times throughout his life, even when he was just born, albeit for a brief moment. As an experienced scientist, Langley swiftly formed a theory of what happened to him.

    I¡­I was reincarnated! And with my memories somehow! An infant body must¡¯ve failed to retain my cognitive abilities¡­That¡¯s why my body tried to compensate and tried to pour more resources into developing the brain, turning me into this child with an abnormally large head!

    Before Langley, now more accurately known as Li Lang, could digest his situation further, a man¡¯s voice boomed out from further ahead at the center of the town plaza. However, what immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention was how the speaker was levitating up into the air.

    ¡°Silence!¡± He yelled out and glanced around before nodding in satisfaction with the obedience of the crowd. ¡°We will now begin the annual selection for the Clear Heart Sect!¡± the man declared as he floated in mid-air, high above the plaza where the crowd of children gathered.

    He then formed some hand signs, and some glowing sigils that formed a circle appeared on the ground. A few moments later, the earth trembled. In the blink of an eye, a section of the ground beneath the man rose, becoming an elevated platform.

    All the children present stared in admiration at the man, who had managed to raise a platform with only a few movements of his hand, like a magician.

    ¡°Form lines and listen to our disciples'' instructions!¡±

    The man then descended onto the platform he made, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to the dozen figures beside him. They all stepped forward, wearing similar beige robes, much like the man¡¯s.

    Seeing how he spoke no further, the crowd soon broke their silence and the sound of chattering filled the plaza all at once. The few at the front began to form orderly lines, with the people behind them following along with a slight delay.

    ¡°Did you see that? That cultivator from the Clear Heart Sect just changed the terrain at the wave of a hand! He must be at least in the Foundation Establishment realm!¡±

    ¡°You country bumpkin! Which village did you crawl out of? Even cultivators near the pinnacle of the Energy Gathering realm can do that too if they are accomplished Formation Masters or use a talisman! You can tell he is an esteemed Foundation Establishment elder because he can fly!¡±

    ¡°Out of the way, you peasants! You sorry folks should head to the back of the line!¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth, Xiang Po! What would you do if one of these people you¡¯re offending ends up having tremendous talent or a heavenly physique?¡±

    As Li Lang blinked blankly at the scene unfolding before him, his mind raced to process everything. He tried to analyze everything as objectively as possible, but the answer that he arrived at stayed the same despite how ludicrous it sounded.

    I¡¯ve been reincarnated into a cultivation world!

 Chapter 2: Aptitude

    Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but well up with excitement as his curiosity about his new world was sparked. A world of cultivation, as told in the fictional stories he had previously read for inspiration in his research. These stories all depicted a world where humans could transcend their mortality and break free from the shackles of time, which was exactly what he had been seeking in his research. He had thought cultivation only existed in fiction, but that was no longer the case, given what he had learned from his hazy memories.

    How curious, a world where it¡¯s possible to live longer by simply cultivating these mysterious techniques¡­ No, calm down. There¡¯s no definitive proof that is the case yet. It is unclear how attaining power that can let you fly and change the terrain correlates to prolonging the lifespan. I need to further research this immediately!

    Before Li Lang could lose himself to his curiosity, the commotion of hundreds and hundreds of children clamoring drew his attention. They had come from all the surrounding towns and villages and grew more boisterous by the second. If one looked down from above, it would almost seem like an invisible force took hold of the sea of people below and made them form neat lines in front of the disciples from the Clear Heart Sect.

    Li Lang was no exception as the momentum of the surrounding crowd swept him along. He was troubled by this new development, but he didn¡¯t know what to do. As a high-level researcher, he had spent the majority of his previous life indoors and had security guards accompany him in public venues where such large crowds gathered.

    The people behind him wanted to push forward while some of the people up front wanted to travel in the opposite direction to join the tail end of the line.

    Just as he was about to lose his balance from the shoving, a hand extended out of the crowd and suddenly grabbed onto his hand. The firm grip pulled him forward with surprising strength and the resistance of the people in his way weakened.

    By the time Li Lang caught his breath, he realized he was in the orderly part of the line, with the struggle to join it now behind him. He glanced down at his hand and then up toward the person who was still holding onto him. He found a young boy staring worriedly at him, along with a girl.

    They greatly resembled each other, and their clothes matched as well. They even wore matching jewelry, with the boy wearing a ring adorned with a red gemstone, while the girl wore a hair stick filled with smaller pieces of gemstones of the same color.

    Li Lang swiftly checked his own clothes and found that he was wearing clothing of a similar design, and was also wearing a necklace with a red gemstone the size of a coin.

    Upon making eye contact with them, some of his memories began to resurface.

    Twins¡­They are¡­the children of the man who took me in. My childhood friends, Zi Xi, and Zi Xiao Mei.

    ¡°Li Lang, are you okay?¡± the girl with long black hair, who he recalled to be Zi Xiao Mei, meekly asked.

    ¡°What were you doing spacing out? I had just told you to follow me closely!¡± the boy, named Zi Xi, admonished as he released Li Lang¡¯s hand.

    It only took an instant for Li Lang to remember his former self, who had come here along with these two siblings, to take part in the selection test of the Clear Heart Sect.

    He remembered when they had first entered into the sea of children, a terrible headache suddenly struck Li Lang as his memories began sorting themselves all at once. His brain had grown enough to accommodate his consciousness, but the bad timing had separated Li Lang from his friends.

    Not able to explain the truth, Li Lang could only scratch his cheeks as he came up with an excuse.

    ¡°Sorry, I got distracted.¡±

    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s your fault for not keeping a close eye on him!¡± The young girl pulled on her brother¡¯s sleeve. ¡°You know Li Lang sometimes spaces out. It¡¯s not his fault!¡±

    Zi Xiao Mei then brushed past her brother and went to console Li Lang. Seeing how his sister doted on their friend, Zi Xi shook his head and gestured for them to move ahead of him so he could keep watch over them from behind.

    The trio completely ignored the commotion happening in the back, where the other children continued to shove their way into the line and merrily chatted amongst themselves, as if they were in their own little world. The line inched forward every few seconds, and they were soon able to make out the faces of the disciples from the Clear Heart Sect that were administering the tests.

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    ¡°Look, Li Lang! The orb over there is glowing yellow!¡±

    Zi Xiao Mei excitedly pointed toward a young child who had placed his hands on the orb before him. The examiner, who appeared to be a teenager, carefully scrutinized the orb as they recorded the results.

    Li Lang watched on, completely unaware of what the yellow light signified, and Zi Xiao Mei perfectly saw through that.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Lord Father said that only one in a hundred people have grade three aptitude, and the yellow light represents exactly that!¡±

    Li Lang searched his memories, but it appeared he had been spacing out when he was being taught about the aptitude levels.

    ¡°Then what grade do those red lights signify?¡± Li Lang pointed toward the orbs where other children were being tested as his curiosity compelled him to ask.

    Xi Xiao Mei smiled patiently and explained.

    ¡°Red is grade one, and orange is grade two. Lord Father says the Clear Heart Sect, like the other righteous sects, only accepts disciples with at least a grade two aptitude.¡±

    Hearing Xi Xiao Mei¡¯s explanation, Li Lang immediately came up with some theories. Some habits died hard, especially ones that were cultivated throughout a lifetime.

    Does that mean as the concentration of Qi increases, it alters the color based on the wavelength of light?

    Before Xi Xiao Mei could continue, a commotion drew their attention to where one of the orbs was. Li Lang instantly spotted the orange glow of the orb, which only made him more curious as it drew even more attention than the previous instance with the yellow orb.

    ¡°Deacon Yu, please examine this child!¡± The examiner behind the orange orb yelled out toward the man who had floated in the air earlier. The man was now levitating only slightly off the ground with his legs crossed.

    He slowly opened his eyes, casually walked over, and pulled up the sleeves of the confused boy, who still had one hand on the orb. He placed a hand on his wrist for a short moment before turning back to the examiner.

    ¡°Twenty-three spiritual roots, grade two aptitude with the Serene Lotus physique. Carry on.¡±

    The examiner¡¯s eyes widened at the news and immediately jotted something down on his notes with his brush while his superior simply walked away, as if it was nothing special and resumed his meditation. Li Lang found the contrast in their reaction made for an interesting scene.

    The tests continued, and Li Lang carefully observed the proceedings. He found that a majority of people had grade one talent, with less than ten percent of the people here managing to change the orb to the next color. The physiques were even more rare, and judging from the examiner¡¯s reaction, they were a big deal.

    As someone who has memories from another world, will I get anything special?

    ¡°Stop looking so worried.¡± Li Lang turned around to find Zi Xi placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°They say people with unique bodies have a higher chance of having a heavenly physique.¡±

    Only with those words that Li Lang was reminded his body was currently deformed. He had an abnormally large head compared to his body, and this was one of the reasons why no one in the city treated him too badly since his childhood. People may have shunned him and ignored him, but none had dared to bully him in fear of him possessing a unique physique.

    Reminiscing through the scenes of the past, Li Lang found that only the Zi siblings and their father treated him with kindness.

    Before long, it was finally the trio¡¯s turn, with Li Lang up first.

    ¡°Next!¡±

    The young man in beige robes urged him forward, and he did as many before him had done, placing a hand on the transparent orb on the table.

    He instantly felt an invisible wave pass through his body before returning to the orb. The color of the orb began to change. The orb took on a light red hue, and everyone watched on, waiting in anticipation for the orb to change colors.

    But that never happened.

    The faded red color persisted, and everyone watching gasped. The examiner turned around and called out to the man hovering a short distance away.

    ¡°Deacon Yu, I need your attention here!¡±

    The deacon wordlessly approached. Seeing him up close, Li Lang could feel an aura around the man that was filled with power. When he swept his gaze over him, he couldn¡¯t help but shudder. The man then proceeded to place two fingers on his wrist and furrowed his brow. He shook his head at the examiner, who was eagerly waiting with his quill brush.

    ¡°Only five spiritual roots¡­ Grade one aptitude, and does not possess any heavenly physique. How strange given his physical deformations¡­¡±

    He thought about it for a few more moments before he lost interest and moved away while Li Lang stood there, frozen stiff.

    Am I destined not to be able to research phenomena that open the door to immortality¡­?

    Li Lang dreaded the thought of losing access to the mysterious power of cultivation after just coming into contact with it. It was something he became more obsessed with every second, and something he wanted to research right away. However, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy to do so if he didn¡¯t become a cultivator himself.

    Just as he was feeling dejected, he suddenly remembered his mother¡¯s valuable teachings.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t give up. Failure is when you become too afraid to even try,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°Next!¡±

    The examiner¡¯s words reminded Li Lang he had to move. However, before he could turn around, a familiar sensation landed on his shoulder and it spread a warm, reassuring feeling through his body.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely become a great cultivator in your place and get you an Ascension Pill, too.¡±

    Li Lang turned around and found Zi Xi standing behind him with flaming eyes of determination.

 Chapter 3: Rising Phoenixes

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely become a great cultivator in your place and get you an Ascension Pill, too.¡± Zi Xi said as he stepped forward toward the transparent talent orb.

    Another hand landed on Li Lang¡¯s shoulder and he couldn¡¯t help but smile when he saw it was Zi Xiao Mei. His two childhood friends were there for him. His memories of them may be hazy, but there was no doubt they had always been there for him.

    Zi Xi¡¯s confident declaration had drawn the attention of everyone in earshot. Many were looking on in anticipation to see if the young boy could back up his words, while others wanted to see the disappointment on the arrogant brat¡¯s face.

    Zi Xi didn¡¯t let the audience wait and strode straight toward the table where the orb and examiner were.

    ¡°May I?¡±

    The examiner wordlessly nodded and gestured for Zi Xi to place his hand on the artifact.

    The moment his hand made contact with the orb, light flashed out. It started from a dull red and brightened rapidly. Not even a second had passed before the light already changed to orange.

    At the sight of the orange light, gasps could be heard all around Li Lang. He particularly took note of the people¡¯s faces who were waiting for Zi Xi to fail, as he found their shock amusing and satisfying. The satisfaction was to the point where Li Lang had to question himself regarding his strong emotions.

    Is this young body affecting my thinking? How intriguing.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t have time for introspection, as the scene didn¡¯t end there. The orange light grew brighter and brighter until the color soon changed to a pale yellow.

    ¡°Grade three! Brother will definitely be able to get you and Dad the Ascension Pill given some time!¡±

    Li Lang could feel Zi Xiao Mei¡¯s hand tighten around his shoulder as she exclaimed excitedly.

    The grip grew even tighter, like a vise, when the color began to change once again. Green light began to rain down the platform into the plaza.

    By now, even the deacon who was floating in the air, acting all mighty, began paying full attention to where Zi Xi was. His steel-like expression broke when the light changed to blue. His eyes struggled to pop out of their sockets, and he quickly vanished from his spot only to reappear beside Zi Xi.

    The blue light in the orb brightened, and hints of indigo were present, but quickly vanished. The orb then stabilized at a dark blue color.

    The audience was all stunned into silence, and before they could recover, the blue light dashed out of the orb and transformed into the shape of a phoenix. The blue energy, shaped like a phoenix, rushed into the skies and a deafening screech rang out for many miles before exploding into harmless specks of light, like fireworks.

    Once the phenomenon ended, the deacon swiftly picked up Zi Xi¡¯s hand and took his pulse. He furrowed his brow before turning to the examiner, who was waiting with bated breath to write down the latest results.

    ¡°Eighty-nine spiritual roots, top of grade five talent with a unique physique.¡±

    ¡°Sir¡­Unique physique? Which one?¡±

    ¡°Just write it down as unique. I¡¯ll report to the elders myself when we return.¡±

    ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t know.¡± A soft voice whispered into Li Lang¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Xiao Mei, be quiet. He can probably hear you.¡±

    As Li Lang had suspected, the deacon turned to them with eyes like a hawk. However, it softened when it landed on Zi Xiao Mei.

    ¡°I see that is your sibling, correct?¡± He asked as he rested a hand on Zi Xi. ¡°Come here, girl. It¡¯s your turn.¡±

    Zi Xiao Mei hesitated for a moment, but seeing her brother before her, she took a deep breath and moved toward the examiner after flashing Li Lang with a reassuring smile.

    By this time, the crowd had recovered and the sound of hundreds of people muttering filled the plaza.

    ¡°Grade five aptitude! I can¡¯t believe I witnessed it myself. I heard you could become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, even if you slack off with that kind of talent!¡±

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    ¡°Hey, who is that guy? Can anyone introduce him to me?¡±

    ¡°Shut up. You think he¡¯d spare any time for someone with grade one talent like you? It¡¯s too obvious you¡¯re just aiming for Ascension Pills.¡±

    ¡°...Can you blame him? Ascension Pills could let even people like us with grade one aptitude breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment realm and live for a hundred years longer.¡±

    ¡°His twin sister is apparently next. Do you think she¡¯ll have similar results?¡±

    ¡°Quiet, it¡¯s starting!¡±

    The crowd only quieted down when Zi Xiao Mei placed her hand on the orb.

    The light flashed out with just as much intensity as in Zi Xi¡¯s case. The color rapidly climbed from red to orange, then to yellow. As if the scene was set on replay, the color of the orb only stopped when it reached dark blue once again.

    Another phoenix shot out from the orb and spread its wings as it flew high above, before dissipating into tiny blue lights.

    The noise from the crowd erupted once again as the mesmerizing scene repeated itself.

    The deacon quickly repeated his inspection of the younger sister.

    ¡°You two, what are your names?¡±

    ¡°Zi Xi.¡±

    ¡°I am Zi Xiao Mei.¡±

    He nodded with a satisfied look before taking out two wooden tokens and handing them to the siblings.

    ¡°Show these to the gate guards when you come to our sect. They¡¯ll let you go straight in without any further tests. I look forward to seeing you two at Mount Clear Heart.¡±

    The siblings bowed and thanked the deacon and then retreated like the rest of the children who had finished their test. Those who had been accepted were invited to visit the Clear Heart Sect¡¯s home base in a week. This gave the children time to bid farewell to their families and prepare for their long-term stay in the sect. The travels also acted as another test for the potential recruits.

    That meant all the children returned home once their test was complete, regardless of the results.

    While being dragged away by Zi Xiao Mei, Li Lang was lost in thought, completely unaware of the looks of the crowd or the whispering of nasty rumors about him.

    He was busy reassessing his situation and his current condition. His memories of his past life had all come back, and he found himself in possession of a lifetime¡¯s worth of memories from another world while his body was only ten years old.

    As a biodefense expert for many decades, he knew enough about biology to know how much the physical body affected one¡¯s mind. He had to make some adjustments to adapt to his new reality.

    Not only that, he found himself in a world of cultivation. And as if to mock the efforts he had previously put into his research, a viable way to immortality was dangling before him, piquing his curiosity to the fullest.

    Then he found out he had no talent, which meant no sect would accept him or direct any resources his way, which made it especially difficult for him to come into contact with cultivation-related knowledge beyond the surface layer.

    With a viable avenue to immortality in front of me, am I forced to give up because of my talent? No! I must not give up and look for ways to learn more about cultivation. However¡­it isn¡¯t likely unless I become a cultivator myself. That way, I can gain more time, too!

    Li Lang turned to look at his two childhood friends walking beside him. Zi Xi immediately noticed his gaze.

    ¡°No need to feel down, Li Lang. We both got grade five talent. It should be possible for us to get enough Ascension Pills for both you and Lord Father. You won¡¯t get rid of us so easily.¡±

    That¡¯s right¡­these two will have longer lifespans the higher their cultivation goes. I¡¯ll be just a memory to them if they don¡¯t strain themselves to attain those pills. They already have enough on their plate, supporting their dad, and now I¡¯m added to the mix¡­

    Li Lang began thinking up ways he could help. He doubted he could buy a cultivator pill so easily, so he would have to do some investigating first.

    Time went by in the blink of an eye, as he was lost in his thoughts. The next thing Li Lang knew, he was standing in the main hall of a mansion, where a middle-aged man with a long mustache stood before him and his friends.

    ¡°---and that¡¯s all, Lord Father.¡± Li Lang only tuned in at the last bit of Zi Xi¡¯s report to his father.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± The man swirled his mustache and turned to Li Lang to give him a look over with undisguised pity in his eyes. ¡°You should all go rest for now. I¡¯ll have the servants prepare a feast for tonight.¡±

    At the man¡¯s words, two servants suddenly appeared and guided Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei away. Li Lang swiftly stepped out of the main hall and followed his memories back to his room. He found it spartan, just how he remembered, with only a simple bed and drawers.

    He had been given his own room from a young age, despite his supposed status as a servant. The master of the mansion had always treated him well, and he heard it was because his late parents had served diligently throughout their lifetime.

    Li Lang surveyed the room and then paced around anxiously with a hand on his chin. He couldn¡¯t calm his mind when there were so many fascinating things waiting for him to research, and most important of all, cultivation.

    It became especially arduous for Li Lang to sit still without being able to delve straight into researching a subject that piqued his curiosity. It didn¡¯t help that he was used to planning out how to utilize every minute of his time. One didn¡¯t become one of the forerunners for the Progressor of Mankind award without an enormous amount of effort behind it.

    He paced around the room restlessly while he dug through his memory for something productive to do.

    That¡¯s right! There¡¯s a library here. I needed to learn more about this world, so it¡¯s perfect!

 Chapter 4: Zi Family

    Following his memories, Li Lang cut across the courtyard at a brisk pace. He found a lone pagoda in the middle of it with a large wooden sign hung right above the entrance. It had the words ¡°Book Pavillion¡± carved into it.

    There wasn¡¯t anyone else around, so Li Lang took the liberty of letting himself in. Several shelves immediately entered his vision, with dozens of books on each one. It was quite underwhelming for someone like Li Lang, who had been to numerous libraries that were much more impressive during his student days, but it was still a welcome sight.

    Books meant recorded knowledge, and knowledge was just what Li Lang was after. He knew too little about the new world he found himself in and was only too eager to learn more.

    He quickly skimmed through the bookshelves and homed in on his goal. He brought the book to the table in the middle of the room to leisurely go through it. He had to place the book flat on the desk and climb up a chair to read, as his body was too weak to hold on to the thick book for long.

    I can read the texts just fine¡­I did get to join in on Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei¡¯s private tutor sessions, but the old me never showed any hints he had picked anything up. I was too busy drooling¡­ Did I subconsciously learn it anyway?

    He carefully went over the geography book, paying particular attention to the maps. Some maps were very detailed, with minute details on the terrain, while others were simply labeled with a name with no other defining feature. Only the map of the local area had any details on it, which was how Li Lang discovered he was currently in Lingyun Town within the province of Yellow Qilin.

    The provincial level map showed Yellow Qilin was sandwiched between various other provinces, and one of them immediately drew in Li Lang¡¯s eyes. Adjacent to Yellow Qilin was a large stretch of land labeled Demonic Cultivator Territory. However, there was no other worthwhile information on it.

    The only other useful map was the large-scale one that showed Yellow Qilin province was on the southern end of a small island called Violet Isle that was just off the southwest of a colossal continent.

    There wasn¡¯t much else Li Lang could learn from the maps, as all the names of places labeled on the map were unfamiliar to him. Determined to remedy this, the old man in a child¡¯s body quickly moved to search for text on world history.

    However, he couldn¡¯t find what he was looking for.

    Hmm, I guess I expected too much from this place.

    Instead, he began going over the remaining books in more detail until he noticed the books from the farthest shelf all had strange titles.

    He glanced down at the new book he found, titled ¡°Rabbit¡¯s Gait¡±, and furrowed his brows.

    Li Lang began skimming over the book, and his frown only intensified. He found the concepts written within completely alien to him, showcasing how to perform a set of movements, and how to control the Qi within the practitioner. The book indicated if performed successfully, the practitioner could dash quickly and at great distances.

    If Li Lang had read this back in his world, he would certainly believe it was made-up nonsense. Now, he only felt curiosity overwhelming him, and his body moved on its own. If anyone from Li Lang¡¯s old lab were here, they wouldn¡¯t be surprised at all. Li Lang had been known to dive straight into anything that piqued his interest.

    There was no longer anything stopping him now that he had come across something that both piqued his curiosity and could be immediately put to the test.

    He followed the texts and tried his best to follow them word by word. The only issue was that he had no idea how to use Qi. The texts asked him to concentrate Qi on certain parts of his legs, so he tried imagining a flow of power gathering there.

    To his surprise, something happened, but not what was written in the book. A sharp pain suddenly attacked his legs, and he couldn¡¯t help but let out a yelp.

    No! I let my curiosity get the better of me again! That was a dangerous experiment to do with such little information¡­Have my impulses become harder to manage in this young body?

    The pain quickly came and went, but it was enough to make him collapse on the ground.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Li Lang, are you in here?¡± A man¡¯s voice called out from outside.

    Startled by the voice, Li Lang panicked and tried to get up, only to slip back down as he lost his balance. His head was well in the upper ranges in terms of head size among adults. His little ten-year-old body was strained to support the disproportionate head, which made his balance poor.

    Hearing his fall, the man outside rushed into the pagoda and found Li Lang sprawled on the ground. He came up to Li Lang and reached out toward him.

    Li Lang quickly covered his face, prepared for the lecture to come, only to find his entire body lifted off the ground. He was carried onto the chair, and only once he got seated that he realized the man who had carried him was Zi Zun, the master of the house, and the father of his childhood friends.

    ¡°Master, I¡ª¡±

    Zi Zun smiled warmly and patted his head.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to panic, Lang Er. There¡¯s no need for you to be disappointed or afraid. Zi Xi has told me about the rumors going around, and I assure you, I won¡¯t treat you differently just because you aren¡¯t a genius.¡±

    His head pats invoked many memories within Li Lang. The master of the house had cared for him many times like this in the past. He was kind and acted like a father to Li Lang in all but in name.

    A feeling of fuzziness welled up inside Li Lang, a sensation he hadn¡¯t felt until recently.

    The warm feeling only intensified when he saw the figures that suddenly peeked through the library doors.

    ¡°There you are! We were looking for you, Li Lang. You¡¯re here with father?¡± Zi Xiao Mei poked her head into the room before dashing inside when she spotted her target.

    Half a beat later, Zi Xi followed behind her, albeit much more composed.

    ¡°Come play with us, Li Lang!¡± the two siblings exclaimed and grabbed Li Lang from both sides.

    Seeing the antics of his children, Zi Zun smiled and sat back as he watched the scene unfold.

    Li Lang soon found himself dragged around once again, and this time, he was dragged all the way out of town. They didn¡¯t head too far, just toward the small mountain nearby. The siblings only released him when they arrived at the top of a small cliff that overlooked a pond surrounded by a field of purple flowers that Li Lang did not recognize.

    The flowers gave off a soft yellow glow that was even visible during the day.

    ¡°Look, Li Lang! It¡¯s the time of the year when the Nightembers are the most beautiful again.¡±

    Li Lang stared blankly at the field of flowers before he noticed the siblings exchanging concerned gazes.

    They are trying to cheer me up¡­

    ¡°Yes¡­This is an amazing sight no matter how many times I see it!¡± Li Lang said with a fake smile that soon turned into a real one when he saw Zi Xiao Mei beam from his positive response.

    ¡°That reminds me. We still need to have our rematch this year! Li Lang, prepare yourself!¡± Zi Xi declared and ran toward the shore of the lake.

    He then searched around and picked up several small pebbles before turning to Li Lang, waiting for him to do the same.

    The three kids joyfully laughed as they skipped stones into the pond and chatted merrily until the sun began to set.

    Acting more mature than their age, they swiftly returned home without complaint. By the time they managed to clean up all the mud and sand they had gotten on themselves, a huge feast awaited them.

    ¡°Xi Er, Xiao Mei, congratulations on being accepted to the Clear Heart Sect. Be sure to work hard.¡± The loving father patted both his children gently. ¡°And Lang Er, don¡¯t feel discouraged. With both Xi and Xiao Mei showing considerable talent, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be able to earn enough merits to exchange some Ascension Pills for both of us.¡±

    ¡°Father! You should continue trying to cultivate your own power! You¡¯re at the peak of the Energy Gathering realm. It is a waste for you to stop your cultivation journey!¡± Zi Xi strongly said as he shot up from his seat.

    ¡°Enough, we¡¯ve discussed this already. My work as a merchant takes priority as long as I¡¯m responsible for this family. It¡¯ll be better for us to focus our resources on you two, who are much more talented.¡±

    Zi Xi wanted to continue convincing his father, but little Zi Xiao Mei pulled back on his sleeve and shook her head. He breathed in deeply and relented, sitting back down.

    Seeing his son placated, the master of the house turned to Li Lang.

    ¡°You¡¯ll help me with my merchant work, right?¡±

    Li Lang took a second to go over his options. From what he knew from his memories and what he saw while he was out today, the materials of this world all differed from what he was familiar with. That meant much of his knowledge that may be able to help him earn a fortune wasn¡¯t possible until he found the right materials or their substitutes.

    ¡°...Yes, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±

    Merchant work sounds like it could fund my research. Maybe I can find a way to fund my cultivation too to offset my low aptitude.

    Zi Zun immediately smiled at his reply and yelled out to the servants to start serving the food. He picked up his chopsticks with vigor and took a hearty swig from his cup.

    The family all enjoyed each other¡¯s company and were excitedly chatting about their future prospects.

    Just as they finished the last of their food, a loud voice abruptly resonated throughout the manor.

    ¡°Ha ha ha! I¡¯m here first!¡± Followed by the voice, the wind screeched, and the rooftop of the building where the family of four lived abruptly vanished.

    They could only gawk up through the exposed roof at the sudden development.

 Chapter 5: Intruder

    ¡°So you two are the kids with the Tranquil Harmony physique! Good, good, good! You both will serve as excellent cultivation cauldrons for me!¡± The man¡¯s voice somehow echoed throughout the dining hall where the Zi family was. His voice drew all their attention upward, past the roof that had been obliterated.

    Zi Zun, the master of the house and someone who was at the peak of the Energy Gathering realm, narrowed his eyes at the small dot hovering high above them.

    ¡°We¡¯re under attack! Everyone gather around!¡±

    ¡°Stop running around aimlessly! Where¡¯s the enemy?¡±

    Voices could be heard all over the manor as the guard scrambled around in search of the invisible enemy. At this point, only Zi Zun and the children around him knew they were in a much graver situation than any of the guards had thought.

    Their enemy was floating high above them, which meant they were at least in the Foundation Establishment realm. Zi Zun gritted his teeth as he had enough life experiences to know there had to be at least ten of him to stand a chance against someone in that rank of cultivation.

    He stepped forward and greeted with a fist wrapped in his other hand, bowing slightly toward the distant figure.

    ¡°Greetings Senior, to what do we owe the honor of being graced with your presence?¡±

    Li Lang squinted his eyes in search of the newcomer, only to flinch back when a man with long and messy hair abruptly closed the distance in the blink of an eye as if he had teleported. He was now hovering just slightly above where the roof once was.

    Did he teleport¡­? Or is he too fast for my eyes to see?

    ¡°Ha, no need to waste your words. I am not like the bunch from their so-called righteous path and care for pleasantries. I will be taking those two kids today, no matter what you say.¡±

    With those words, the man with the disheveled hair pointed the palm of his hand toward Zi Xi.

    The young boy could only stare with wide eyes as he began to feel a force pulling him up from the ground. Just as his feet were lifted into the air, Zi Zun swiftly fetched a talisman from out of thin air and threw it toward the intruder. The talisman sailed with incredible speed and almost instantly landed on the man, causing a loud explosion high above the manor.

    Zi Xi crumpled to the ground, falling flat on his back while his father¡¯s figure swiftly rose into the air, riding on an exquisite-looking sword. It had a golden hilt, while the blade itself let off a bright sheen as it sailed into the skies above the manor.

    ¡°Xi Er, Xiao Mei, Lang Er, run! I won¡¯t be able to hold him off for long!¡± Zi Zun¡¯s voice rang out from above, thawing the three children from their shocked state.

    The sibling¡¯s flight instincts were activated, and they tried to drag Li Lang with them in their escape, but Li Lang surprisingly refused to budge.

    ¡°What are you doing, Li Lang? Let¡¯s go!¡± Xi Zi screamed out at the top of his lungs.

    ¡°Brother is right, come on Li Lang.¡±

    ¡°...You two, do you really think we can outrun someone who can fly?¡±

    As someone who had an adult¡¯s mind, Li Lang was calm enough to have a much better grasp of their situation. They weren¡¯t even cultivators yet. Li Lang could not think of any way they could outrun the madman. They would be caught sooner or later and may even accidentally get others caught up in it too.

    It would be a different story if Zi Zun could hold him off for hours, but that didn¡¯t seem likely either.

    ¡°Haha, interesting. A peak Energy Gathering cultivator thinks he is worthy to stand up against me? Your expensive tools are only good against others in your realm. Allow me to show you the vast gulf between the Energy Gathering realm and the Foundation Establishment realm!¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    The cultivator with messy hair watched Zi Zun dart around him on his sword with an amused expression for a brief moment before he yelled out fiercely. A sudden gush of smoke came out of his mouth, with a fierce momentum that pushed out in all directions.

    The siblings beside Li Lang let out a sharp cry. Their worried expression didn¡¯t last for long, as the figure of their dad stood strong within the smoke. He was glowing with a resplendent light.

    ¡°Heh, an Earth-grade defense talisman. Not bad, but how long could it last? Earth-grade talismans may match the power of Foundation Establishment cultivators, but that is only for an instant! Borrowed power will never overcome the real deal!¡±

    In response to the man¡¯s words, Zi Zun materialized another sword from thin air and slashed out toward him. A pale yellow light shot out from the blade, slashing toward the enemy at high speeds.

    The man laughed at the attack and swatted the blades of Qi as it neared him. The attacks were easily redirected toward the ground, causing loud explosions in the surroundings. Cries of pain were heard as the servants and guards became collateral damage.

    ¡°Not bad power. You better keep them coming if you want to flatten your own home. Ha ha ha!¡±

    Zi Zun was unprovoked, pausing his ineffective attacks. He scanned the area below and made eye contact with his son. They exchanged meaningful glances that needed no words, prompting Zi Xi to take action. He turned around and grasped both his sister¡¯s and his friend¡¯s wrists before dragging them with all his might toward the exit.

    As he ran ahead, he refused to turn around or even open his eyes. He ran with tightly shut eyes that had two thin streams running down his cheeks.

    Not wanting to be dragged around, Li Lang was forced to keep up with his childhood friend, but he never took his eyes off the battle taking place behind them in the skies.

    Smoke filled the area and obscured his vision, but the bright flashes of light occasionally pushed the smoke away.

    ¡°Brother¡­Is father going to be¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up and focus on moving your legs!¡±

    Zi Xiao Mei sniffled her cry and obediently listened to her brother.

    Just as the trio made it to the gates of their manor, a blurry figure came crashing down from above directly into the gates. The wooden gate easily splintered and a large dust cloud was kicked up in the aftermath.

    Zi Xi continued undaunted and ran straight through the dust. It was only when he got closer to the crash site that he stilled for a brief moment before running toward the man lying on the ground.

    ¡°Father!¡± Zi Xi cried, followed by Zi Xiao Mei, after a short delay.

    ¡°Father!¡±

    The siblings came rushing to Zi Zun¡¯s side and inspected his condition. His limbs were mangled and bent in unnatural directions, but the man himself was still conscious, albeit struggling to keep his eyes open.

    ¡°...Run¡­Go to¡­Fok Tong Town¡­and find Ou¡­yang Xi.¡±

    ¡°No Father! You come with us too!¡± Zi Xiao Mei buried face in her father¡¯s chest and cried.

    ¡°How touching! Don¡¯t worry about me, kid. I¡¯ll let them have their moment first before I finish off their father right before their eyes!¡± The cultivator with messy hair declared as he smiled sardonically at Li Lang.

    Li Lang had kept his eyes on the man the entire time and had watched him slowly approach. Various questions welled up in his mind now that he had come face to face with a cultivation expert, but he also knew he was in mortal danger.

    The academic in him urged him to call security, but he didn¡¯t have that luxury. He could only stand there and wait.

    ¡°What? Why are you all so quiet all of a sudden? Are you done with your goodbyes?¡±

    Having noticed the man, the siblings were now staring daggers at the powerful cultivator. Streams of tears came gushing out of their eyes until the tears turned red.

    ¡°Blood tears? Haha, wonderful! They¡¯re beautiful indeed. If you guys are done with your goodbyes, then let us be off!¡±

    The man had a crazed look in his eyes as he approached the collapsed Zi Zun. He smiled as he readied a palm to unleash a final blow.

    ¡°No!¡±

    The man acted as if he didn¡¯t hear anything and smashed his palm down without hesitation. A powerful pressure descended and a cry of pain echoed throughout the area.

    The dust was kicked up from the powerful strike, making the three children shield their eyes. When it settled, they stared down at the figure on the ground. However, there were two of them, one being Zi Zun, and the other being the attacker who was lying in a pool of his own blood.

    Yet what shocked them the most was the middle-aged man standing right beside them in pristine clothing. His black hair was tainted with numerous strands of white hair, and he held a fan in one hand while his other hand stroked his goatee.

    He proceeded to kneel down beside Zi Zun and placed two fingers on his neck.

    After a few seconds, he got up and turned to the two siblings with a serious look in his eyes.

 Chapter 6: Taken Away

    The middle-aged man in pristine robes eyed the two Zi siblings intensely. He slowly walked toward them and crouched down once he got close enough to place a hand on their shoulders.

    ¡°I¡¯m Chen Hao Ming, an elder from the Clear Heart Sect. I¡¯m sorry for coming too late. I may have taken care of that demonic cultivator, but your father has already passed on.¡± The middle-aged man spoke out in a soft and feminine tone.

    The siblings visibly flinched at the news, but Zi Xi recollected himself instantly and stepped forward. He clasped his fist and bowed towards the elder.

    ¡°Thank you for saving us, Elder Chen. We owe you our lives.¡±

    Zi Xiao Mei didn¡¯t have her brother¡¯s composure and instead ran out toward the body of her father. More tears fell down her cheeks, as if a dam had broken.

    Li Lang breathed in deeply to contain his emotions while he carefully watched the elder who had suddenly appeared.

    What are the chances he makes such a dramatic entrance? I say this guy was here the entire time and only stepped in when convenient.

    Despite Li Lang¡¯s misgivings, there wasn¡¯t anything he could do, nor did he have any proof, so he took to the background.

    ¡°No need for thanks, child. We have to leave quickly before more demonic cultivators have any ideas about the unique physique you two possess. Quickly say your farewells to your father.¡±

    Having heard the elder¡¯s words, Zi Xiao Mei¡¯s cry intensified. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, father! I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Zi Xi grimaced at the scene and made his way over to hug his sister. For a while, nothing but their heartbreaking cries could be heard.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, children, but there is no more time. You will have to mourn later. We must depart now.¡± The Clear Heart elder reminded.

    The siblings¡¯ eyes widened, but then turned to Li Lang.

    ¡°Elder, can we take our brother here with us? With our father gone, there¡¯s no one left to take care of him.¡±

    ¡°A boy with a particularly big head.¡± He said thoughtfully. ¡°I have heard about him in the reports. I believe he only has grade one aptitude, which unfortunately means he cannot enter the sect.¡± The elder shook his head. ¡°Only disciples can reside in Mount Clear Heart, so he can¡¯t come with us. Here, boy, take this and take care of yourself.¡±

    The cultivator threw a pouch toward Li Lang. Upon catching it, he could immediately tell it was full of coins from the jingling of the bag.

    ¡°...Li Lang, please take care of yourself. It won¡¯t be long until we come to find you once we have settled in.¡± Zi Xiao Mei said while doing her best to hold back her tears.

    ¡°Yes¡­Please be careful yourself. No one should target you if we¡¯re not there, but still, be careful.¡±

    ¡°...I will¡­I¡¯ll also make sure to bury your father. You guys can rest assured.¡±

    While Li Lang had his misgivings and was lost on what to do himself, he agreed his two childhood friends would be much safer with the Clear Heart Sect. As soon as the children finished with their parting words, the elder whistled loudly, and a giant bird rushed toward them. The beast was larger than the vehicles Li Lang had seen, and a mysterious pressure emanated from it.

    Is that a tamed Qi beast¡­?

    It landed docilely beside the elder, lowering itself to allow the humans aboard. The elder swiftly helped the siblings mount the beast before getting on himself. The bird had an intelligent glint in its eyes and took off after confirming its passengers were aboard.

    It flapped its wings, producing a gust of wind that kicked up all the sand around Li Lang as it took off. Just as it was about to pick up speed, a purple fog encompassed the entire area. The moment the gas made contact with the giant Qi beast, its movements slowed and the bird went into a daze.

    The passengers on the mount, however, were completely fine. A soft yellow glow enveloped them, keeping the fog out.

    Elder Chen narrowed his eyes and inspected their surroundings. He could make out something moving rapidly within the fog, but nothing beyond that. As the sweat started to build on the elder¡¯s brow, the gentle voice of an old lady sounded out from no particular direction at all.

    ¡°A Violet Core cultivator of the righteous path at such a young age. You have even comprehended Fire Laws to minor achievement. Not bad.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    The Clear Heart Sect elder remained silent, despite his expression betraying how serious he found the situation. He made a split-second decision and reached into his robe.

    ¡°Come now, you don¡¯t plan on getting violent with an old lady like me, I presume? Why don¡¯t you leave those kids behind and I¡¯ll let you go?¡±

    ¡°Silence you demon! I would be a fool to trust the words of a demonic cultivator like you!¡± The elder pulled out and scattered a dozen talismans all around him and they exploded with enough force to clear away the fog so that even Li Lang could spot them from the ground.

    Unfortunately for Elder Chen, the fog returned a second later.

    ¡°Oh, do you know who I am?¡± The old lady¡¯s voice resonated through the area once more.

    ¡°Stop playing around with me and give me an honorable death, if you must! I was prepared to meet my end the moment the infamous Abductress showed up. May the heavens curse your fate with a horrible end for all your misdeeds!¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± The woman let out a weary sigh. ¡°Fine, I will give you the end you desire.¡±

    As soon as she said her words, the sound of wood clacking filled the area. It grew louder until a figure suddenly leaped into view, crashing into Elder Chen. The Zi siblings huddled together as they watched a wooden puppet locking swords with the elder.

    ¡°A Violet Core level puppet?¡± Elder Chen muttered.

    The two were evenly matched, with the Elder¡¯s protective glow clashing against the purple fog that continued its attempt to seep through the barrier.

    Neither party budged until the elder¡¯s sword started to glow. Its intensity grew by the second before the middle-aged man shoved the puppet off his mount before chasing after it.

    Several wisps of fire materialized around the elder, spinning in a circle around him. The fire then shot out as if it had minds of its own, cutting off the escape route of the puppet.

    He then brought his sword up and the wind began being sucked toward his sword, creating a vortex around it. Right above his sword, a colossal fireball appeared. It rapidly reduced in size as it became more compact every millisecond. The color changed from red to orange, then to a resplendent yellow, as it stabilized around the size of a carriage.

    The heat of the surrounding area shot up with the appearance of the giant fireball. The purple haze quickly dissipated from the heat, restoring vision to everyone around. However, what took its place was the air distorting from all the heat, creating a visibly shimmering effect to accompany the high temperatures.

    ¡°Whole Heart Slash!¡± Elder Chen yelled as he swung down with his sword.

    The entire area went silent once he swung down, as the yellow fiery ball descended toward the puppet, which was now exposed without any fog around. It appeared slow at first, but suddenly closed the distance to its target in an instant. Then sound all returned at once as the impact of the fireball hitting the earth resounded. Dirt splashed up high into the air, with birds crying out as they took to the skies.

    However, the clear skies only lasted for several more seconds before the purple fog once again consumed the scenery as the ball of fire was gone. It prevented everyone from seeing the aftermath of the attack.

    Elder Chen knew it didn¡¯t matter if his attack worked or not, as it was only a puppet controlled by a superior cultivator. That was why he landed back on his Qi beast. He looked haggard, and he sweated profusely as he sighed to himself.

    ¡°Elder Chen, are you okay?¡± Zi Xiao Mei asked worriedly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡±

    Just as he was turning back to face the Zi siblings, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. He glanced down to find a sword had pierced through his chest, and the last thing he saw was the face of the emotionless puppet when he turned his head to get a glimpse of his assailant.

    His body collapsed on the back of the giant bird. A wistful sigh from the old woman could be heard by everyone nearby. A moment later, the Qi beast suddenly lost consciousness as well. The beast came crashing down onto the ground.

    Li Lang, who had only seen glimpses of the fight, immediately reacted to the noise of the Qi beast hitting the ground. He immediately ran toward the sound of impact.

    ¡°Zi Xi! Zi Xiao Mei!¡±

    He ignored the fog and continued running straight into it. He felt his body weaken, but he persisted.

    His perseverance paid off when he spotted the large shadow in front of him. It urged him to move even faster until he spotted an adult-sized figure standing over his unconscious friends, sprawled on the ground.

    ¡°It really is the Tranquil Harmony physique. Very good!¡± The old lady¡¯s voice sounded out from the figure.

    Li Lang froze at the sight of such a dangerous character, unsure of what to do. He watched as the old woman waved her hands and two wooden puppets appeared out of thin air and began to carry the Zi siblings over their shoulders.

    I need to save them¡­But what can I do?

    Li Lang gritted his teeth as he cursed his own powerlessness. He took a deep breath and made up his mind.

    ¡°Please leave them alone, Senior! Let me take their place instead!¡±

    The old woman ignored his pleas and kept her full attention on the siblings, but his cries had managed to wake his childhood friends up.

    ¡°Huh, where are we? Who are you? Let me go!¡± The siblings cried.

    When Zi Xi met eyes with Li Lang, he quickly changed his complaining tune to that of anger.

    ¡°Li Lang! What are you doing? Get away from here!¡±

    ¡°Now, now, children. Behave.¡± The old woman clapped her hands and the wooden puppets instantly vanished into the fog, along with the children they were carrying.

    Li Lang watched his friends disappear in horror as the old lady finally turned around to face him. She abruptly faded away into the fog and reappeared directly in front of him, causing him to flinch back. He didn¡¯t even get to fall to the ground as the woman gripped his shoulder, holding him in place.

    Unable to move, Li Lang could only watch on fearfully as the old lady flashed her teeth at him.

 Chapter 7: A Red Night

    The old woman flashed Li Lang a smile as she ran her hand over his cheeks. Her hand continued downward until it reached his neck.

    ¡°Hmm¡­strange. No unique physique or talent for cultivation despite your deformations¡­ Never mind then. Run along now, child.¡±

    She quickly lost interest and turned her back on Li Lang.

    ¡°Wait, take me too!¡±

    Li Lang ran after the old lady, reaching out to grasp her sleeves. His hand went straight through her as if she were a ghost, and her body turned translucent before dispersing away into the fog.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, child. I will keep your friends safe, but you likely won¡¯t be able to see them again unless you become at least as strong as me. You should forget about them and live out your life however you want.¡± Her voice echoed from every direction.

    Am I too useless to even be kidnapped in this world?

    ¡°Where are you, you old witch?! I said take me too, damn it!¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s provocation went unanswered. He continued yelling obscenities at the old woman, but there was no response, even when the fog cleared up. After an incense stick¡¯s worth of time, the fog completely dissipated, leaving Li Lang alone on the streets just outside the Zi manor.

    He stood there shaking his head with a clenched fist.

    This¡­this isn¡¯t the safe and civilized world that I am used to. I really can¡¯t do anything without power here, can I?

    When Li Lang was done processing what had happened, he began scanning his surroundings. The entire manor was a mess and the bodies that he previously saw all disappeared!

    Just the shockwaves from the fighting were enough to end many lives of the servants and guards serving the Zi Family. It was shocking for him to find all the bodies disappear into thin air so abruptly.

    Li Lang gritted his teeth at the sight of all the damage and at the thought of the Abductress not even sparing the remains of the deceased.

    It is so easy for the weak to die when they didn¡¯t even do anything wrong. Their deaths don¡¯t even have meaning¡­Now we don¡¯t even have a body to return to their families. What did they die for?

    He assessed the surroundings before his eyes rested on where one particular body used to be. The remains belonging to the former master of the house, Zi Zun, were also missing. It meant Li Lang couldn¡¯t even live up to his promise to the siblings to bury their father. He grimaced at realizing he couldn¡¯t even do that much for the man who had taken good care of him.

    Zi Zun was never officially his father or anything, but from his memories, the care and affection he showed Li Lang since he was young was undoubtedly fatherly love.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. I swear I will at least save your children.¡± Li Lang¡¯s words intensified with each passing word.

    He abruptly stood up after his declaration and disappeared into the manor. He knew the town would soon claim this property once they heard the news, so he began looking for any valuables to prepare for his journey.

    However, he found the entire manor eerily empty, with not a single body in sight. There were either no valuables to loot or they were buried beneath the rubble.

    That witch must¡¯ve taken everything, too¡­

    Many others put in his position would fear for their future as he had lost his backing, but Li Lang didn¡¯t. All his life, he had relied on honest, hard work to get anywhere. It was a habit deeply ingrained into him, so he had no complaints. It was how he rose up in his previous life with no backing.

    The only thing Li Lang could find around the wreckage was some food. He quickly packed all his belongings into a small sack and exited the area.

    With the Zi family gone and his poor aptitude becoming common knowledge, Li Lang knew he wouldn¡¯t be treated well if he stayed in this town. He was fine with it, as he needed to journey around to achieve his goals, anyway. His childhood friends wouldn¡¯t be saving themselves, and he wanted to study how cultivation worked.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t have any memories of his biological parents from this life, so Zi Zun was the closest thing he had to a parent in this world. He believed the least he could do for the deceased man was to not give up on his kids.

    Still, just because he wanted to save them didn¡¯t mean it would happen. He had no idea where to go from now on.

    He knew the best method was to seek help, but a part of him wanted to find a way to get stronger himself, so he could gain access to information pertaining to higher levels of cultivation.

    Just because someone told him he had no aptitude, the scientist in him refused to blindly believe the words of others. He only believed in claims that were backed by concrete scientific proof.

    He knew that it was likely that he was just fooling himself, as there was nothing scientific about a world of cultivation, but he wanted to believe. He wanted to believe that cultivation could be studied just like any other phenomenon.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    While he had been deep in thought, Li Lang had subconsciously walked toward the lake his childhood friends had brought him to previously. He stared blankly at the beautiful sight of the purple Nightembers that glistened under the moonlight, as he reminisced about the fun times he once had around here.

    Memories of his peaceful time flashed through his mind and frustration inevitably welled up in his chest as he realized those days were permanently behind him.

    He let out a sigh and then began taking a stroll along the edge of the lake.

    He soon walked into the rocky area where Zi Xi had once guided him to. Just like his previous visit, he picked up a pebble and threw it with all his strength toward the water. The stone skipped a few times before disappearing into the lake.

    After throwing a few more stones, he calmed down and sat on the ridge that overlooked the entire field of purple Nightembers that shone with soft yellow light.

    Well¡­time to plan out my next step. Survival is my priority, and then I need to find an expert to either help me or learn from them. Survival, survival¡­I should take stock of my finances first.

    Finally, having a moment to catch his breath, Li Lang opened the pouch the elder from the Clear Heart sect had previously thrown to him. As he suspected, he found it full of coins. They varied in color, with the majority of them being silver mixed in with some bronze and gold.

    However, there was one coin-sized object in there that drew his attention. He carefully picked up a colorless, small orb that was translucent. It resembled a murky marble, but with more flat faces like a cut gemstone, and Li Lang could feel something special about it.

    It was only then that he remembered a different currency that cultivators normally used. The metal coins in the pouch were the common currency among regular folks, but he remembered being taught about an even more valuable currency called Qi stones. Having received the pouch from a powerful cultivator, it wasn¡¯t hard for Li Lang to make the connection.

    Li Lang thoroughly examined the Qi stone, as it piqued his curiosity.

    Interesting. This kind of rough finish should mean this is its natural shape and not cut like a gemstone. From its name, it should contain this Qi energy that powers cultivators and their tools¡­

    Having observed that point, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but take out the red gemstone on the necklace he had been wearing. He placed it right next to the Qi stone and began comparing it to confirm his suspicions.

    What he didn¡¯t expect was for both stones to suddenly start glowing. On top of that, he could feel a strong suction force coming from his red gemstone. It was even causing the Qi stone to turn into speckles of light before being absorbed by the ruby.

    What is going on?

    Despite his panic, the phenomenon taking place before him didn¡¯t give him any time to think. The suction force exponentially intensified and within a second, the entire Qi stone had vanished. However, the suction force didn¡¯t stop, and it began tugging on Li Lang¡¯s finger that had been holding the stone.

    His skin quickly parted, and blood was drawn.

    Thankfully, as soon as his blood made contact with the red gemstone, it calmed down. Li Lang quickly took off his necklace and distanced himself from the dangerous specimen.

    This thing is¡­dangerous, but I also want to study it. Hmm¡­In the first place, where did it even come from? I have been wearing it ever since I ¡®awakened¡¯, but my memories don¡¯t have any information on where I got this necklace.

    Just as Li Lang was frozen from indecision, the gem began to glow again. This time, the brightness of the gem was incomparably more intense than before.

    As the light grew brighter and brighter, he began to back away. He had seen countless experiments his peers had done to know a rapid increase in luminosity could mean trouble. It represented a huge amount of energy, and he doubted that it would be different in this world.

    To his surprise, the red stone began to rise, floating up in the air by itself. It was slow at first, but slowly gained speed. Just as it got to his eye level, the stone abruptly started heading straight toward him.

    Cursing his luck, he didn¡¯t hesitate to turn tail and run. There was so much he had to do, and he didn¡¯t want to have any risky dealings with the suspicious floating stone. As much as he was curious about the stone, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to risk his life to find out. He preferred a safe laboratory environment when doing research.

    After a few steps, he took a peek to find the stone was still on his tail and accelerating, too. He changed directions several times but to no avail.

    What is this?! How in the world do I get away from it?

    As he started to panic, he ran into the treeline in hopes the obstacle would slow the stone down. His eyes widened when he saw the stone agilely maneuvered around the trees, traversing the obstacles even faster than he could.

    It gained quickly on Li Lang, and his mind blanked. It was inevitable the pressure of being chased finally got to him and he clumsily tripped on the root of a tree. He rolled down a slope, and for a moment, he outpaced the stone. It only lasted until he landed with a thud as he collided with a tree.

    With the wind knocked out of him, he could only lay there helplessly as the stone rammed straight into his head. It didn¡¯t bounce off after the impact, but instead, stuck onto his forehead.

    It¡­didn¡¯t hurt?

    Li Lang slowly opened his eyes to find nothing had happened. The stone didn¡¯t explode or hurt him in any way. In fact, the light had subsided, so he reached out to the stone to confirm its existence.

    The moment his bloodied hands made contact with the stone again, he felt like he touched a black hole as it sucked up the energy out of him. He rapidly grew tired and his vision darkened.

    In an instant, Li Lang had fainted.

    ¡°...M¡­ma¡­¡± A muffled voice rang out in the darkness. ¡°Ma¡­.master!¡±

    The voice became clearer by the moment, rousing Li Lang from his slumber. When the voice became clear enough to make out their meaning, he snapped open his eyes. He found himself floating within the darkness, with only a specter of red light floating beside him.

    ¡°Master! Please decide how you would like to set up your artifact space.¡± The red orb glowed in sync with the child-like voice.

    ¡°Where am I? Who¡¯s there?¡± Li Lang glanced around the darkness around him in confusion.

    The red orb floated into his view whenever he turned his eyes.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯m right here. I do not have a name yet, but that can wait. You should decide how you would like the artifact space to be set up first so you don¡¯t have to float around in this darkness.¡±

    With nothing else around him, Li Lang was forced to accept the floating orb was talking to him. He stopped looking around, squinting his eyes to inspect the red orb.

    A talking red orb. Truly fascinating, and if possible, I would love to experiment with it. That is¡­ unless¡­

    ¡°Have I gone crazy after hitting my head? And this is all just a figment of my imagination?¡± Li Lang muttered with wide eyes.

 Chapter 8: Artifact Spirit

    ¡°Have I gone crazy after hitting my head? And this is all just a figment of my imagination?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but mutter at the ludicrous situation he found himself in.

    He was floating in the middle of darkness and a childish voice came from a red stone.

    ¡°Master, you haven¡¯t gone crazy. I guarantee it!¡± the red orb immediately replied, flashing excitedly, in sync with its words.

    ¡°...Then what are you?¡±

    ¡°I am the proud artifact spirit of the¡­I¡­don¡¯t have a name yet, Master. You have to decide one for me.¡±

    ¡°Are you like a¡­newborn artifact or something?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but ask, having heard the childish voice of the orb.

    ¡°Of course not! I am a powerful Divine artifact, made from the will of the world, and have been around for eons!¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯ve been around for eons but still don¡¯t have a name?¡±

    ¡°I¡­Most of my memories are wiped each time I gain a new master.¡±

    ¡°...Fine, then. I¡¯ll call you Ruby for now. What was that about the artifact space?¡±

    ¡°Understood, Master. I¡¯ll be Ruby until you say otherwise. The artifact space is where we currently are. The default state is that of nothingness. To make use of my powers, it is best for you to set up the space to match your preference. If you would like, I can peek into your memories to set up the space for you.¡±

    ¡°...You can read my mind?¡±

    ¡°Only with your permission, Master.¡±

    ¡°...Sure.¡±

    Li Lang was already having trouble keeping up with what was happening, so he happily offloaded the bothersome task away. He didn¡¯t really care if the space was just a spartan room.

    The darkness suddenly receded, and the entire room became a blur of lights. The next thing Li Lang knew, he found himself inside a place he was familiar with and he instantly became nostalgic.

    He glanced around and took in the scenery of the laboratory he had spent much of his time in.

    He quickly headed for the door, but when he tried to hit the button to open it, his hand phased straight through.

    ¡°Master, this is just an illusionary space with the projection of the room you frequented the most. It is limited only to this area.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± The excitement that had abruptly welled up within him dimmed just as quickly as it came before it exploded back upward in a rollercoaster of emotions, as he excitedly pondered how this artifact space worked.

    ¡°Are you satisfied with this, Master?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you. Anyway, tell me how you work. How is this possible? What principles are behind it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master. I don¡¯t know myself. It just comes naturally to me.¡±

    ¡°Never mind, then. I¡¯ll have time to investigate it myself soon enough.¡± Li Lang swiftly reined in his excitement and took a seat in his familiar chair.

    ¡°So, tell me. What are the powers that you mentioned having?¡±

    ¡°Master, I am a rare and invaluable artifact that specializes in helping crafters such as alchemists, blacksmiths, and other creators hone their craft!¡±

    ¡°And how so, specifically?¡±

    ¡°You can test out new recipes and crafting techniques in this artifact space without expending any materials as long as it is in my knowledge repository.¡±

    As a scientist in his previous life, Li Lang¡¯s interest was instantly piqued. What the Red Stone had described sounded surprisingly similar to an advanced variation of a virtual simulator.

    ¡°Show me.¡±

    ¡°...Sorry, I can¡¯t, Master.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Why not?¡±

    ¡°My knowledge repository is currently empty, Master. There¡¯s nothing I can reproduce. You¡¯ll have to find materials to let me absorb it first.¡±

    At Ruby¡¯s mention of materials, Li Lang glanced around at the specimen storage of his lab. He quickly remembered how they weren¡¯t real, but when he glanced over at his equipment, he abruptly shot up and ran to the largest machine present, which was surrounded by layers of protective glass.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Why is my auto-analyzer different?¡±

    He closely examined the large machine that was one of the backbones of every lab back in his world. The auto-analyzers took care of much of the tedious work of analyzing the makeup and compound of whatever was inserted.

    ¡°It is part of my power, Master. I can help ¡®simulate¡¯ equipment you are familiar with to help in your craft, but your cultivation is too low. You can barely supply enough Qi to use just the tiniest fraction of my powers. I took the liberty of finding the oldest model of auto-analyzer from your memories to more accurately represent what the machine is capable of right now.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­So this auto-analyzer is actually usable and not just decoration?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Even without my memories, I¡¯m sure this is the first time I¡¯ve seen something like it, but it should work perfectly as long as my powers can handle it!¡±

    Numerous research topics surfaced in Li Lang¡¯s mind as he found out his precious machine worked, but he knew many research topics were irrelevant now. The projects that he could weaponize weren¡¯t so easy to create without the industrial backbone of an entire star sector behind him. It would be close to impossible to source all the raw materials and other specialty equipment involved in the production of bio-weapons he knew of.

    In the first place, Li Lang didn¡¯t even know if this world had the same materials or followed the same laws of physics. All the scientific knowledge he had accumulated may be completely useless!

    He shelved all his wild thoughts as he continued to learn from his newly acquainted artifact spirit.

    ¡°Do you have any function that can help me cultivate?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master. I do not have knowledge regarding that topic.¡±

    I guess things aren¡¯t that convenient, but this virtual space should be able to help me in other ways¡­

    Several ideas about how he could leverage Ruby ran through Li Lang¡¯s head, but he needed more information before he proceeded with any one of them. He knew too little; he didn¡¯t even know how to start cultivating.

    With his yearning for cultivation rekindled, he glanced over at the floating red orb.

    ¡°Ruby, how do I get out of here?¡±

    ¡°I can do it for you, Master!¡±

    In the blink of an eye, the scene around Li Lang changed. He suddenly found himself lying flat on the ground in the middle of the forest. He stared up at the night skies that were illuminated by the numerous stars above. It was a sight he had rarely seen in his previous life, as the nightlights of the cities had drowned out the stars.

    He noticed he had one hand placed on his forehead, gripping onto something. When he opened his hand, he found that he had been holding onto a dull, red stone.

    ¡°So it wasn¡¯t a dream, after all.¡±

    ¡°Master, I am very real! Would you like to enter back into the artifact space to confirm?¡± The child-like voice rang directly into his mind.

    ¡°...No, it¡¯s okay. Are you going to be in my head from now on?¡±

    ¡°I am only able to communicate with you, Master, when you are holding the stone against your head.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­Tell me about what you know about where we are.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master. As I previously mentioned, my memor¡ª¡±

    The voice abruptly cut off as Li Lang moved the stone away from his head. He stared down at the stone for a moment before bringing it back up by his ear.

    ¡°Master, that was rude!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I just wanted to test it out.¡±

    ¡°You can trust me, Master! I wouldn¡¯t lie to you!¡±

    ¡°...They say the next town over is half a day away, so I guess I¡¯ll have to find shelter for the night first.¡± Li Lang quickly changed the subject.

    Seeing how Ruby had no useful input, he stowed it away and prepared to traverse the forest.

    The glimmering forest shouldn¡¯t be too dangerous for him. It had no Qi beasts and was somewhere Zi Zun hadn¡¯t minded them visiting despite their young age.

    Dredging up his memories, Li Lang headed for the rocky cliff area where a road leading to the next town should be. He walked cautiously, being mindful of each step. Whenever he spotted any new type of plants, he would gather them.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to make it out of the overgrowth into a flat barren stretch of land beside a cliff wall that stretched further than what his eyes could see. He could hear the sound of water pouring down nearby as well.

    ¡°I guess this will have to do for tonight¡­¡±

    He placed his bags against the cliff wall and sat down, hugging his knees. He laid out the plants and branches he had collected before he took out a piece of dried jerky and munched on it while he held up Ruby to his head.

    ¡°Can you add these plants and sticks I gathered into your knowledge repository or the auto-analyzer?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master, but they will be permanently destroyed in the process of recording their data into my knowledge depository. Once they have been added, you can then place them in the auto-analyzer. Should I proceed?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The items before him quickly faded from view. It was like they had evaporated but in a matter of seconds.

    ¡°...Bring me into the artifact space.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Master!¡±

    Li Lang blinked and found himself inside his familiar lab once more. This time, he wasn¡¯t lost and immediately walked over to the auto-analyzer.

    This model¡­is one I¡¯ve seen in a museum back in my student days¡­It should work the same way, right¡­?

    He glanced around and found the items he had gathered were neatly placed in a pile on the table beside the machine. He didn¡¯t hesitate and moved to pick out a simple tree branch and threw it into the tray.

    Right as he shut the cover behind the tray, the mechanical arms came to life and brought the piece of wood further into the machine. Li Lang watched through the transparent glass as it went to work, impatiently tapping on the table.

    ¡°Report, ETA!¡± He yelled out after a minute.

    Li Lang expected the synthetic voice of an AI to respond, but what he got instead was Ruby.

    ¡°Master, ETA is six hours, nine minutes, and eleven seconds.¡±

    ¡°...What? It normally doesn¡¯t take more than a few minutes!¡±

    This stupid antique!

    ¡°Sorry, Master¡­You will have to increase your cultivation to be able to use more of my power if you want more processing power.¡±

    ¡°...Forget it. Take me out of the artifact space. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Master!¡±

    Li Lang quickly found himself back in the real world, staring at his knees. Before he could look up, a voice rang out from above him at a shockingly close distance.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re awake.¡±

 Chapter 9: Sailing Through the Sky

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re awake.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s eyes opened wide as he looked up at where the voice had come from. A young boy in pristine beige robes stood right before him. He had both hands behind him and was looking down at Li Lang with a smile.

    He appeared young, around Li Lang¡¯s physical age, and had a lively aura. Still, Li Lang regarded him cautiously.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Relax, child. I am Elder Nong from the Clear Heart Sect. I just wanted to ask you a few questions.¡±

    This kid? An elder from the Clear Heart Sect?

    While Li Lang was skeptical, he didn¡¯t let it show. He could feel power, similar to the other elder, emanating from the young boy.

    As if he could read Li Lang¡¯s mind, the young boy¡¯s next words precisely addressed Li Lang¡¯s concern.

    ¡°Do not regard me as a child. I am over three times your age. My appearance is simply like this because I reached the Foundation Establishment realm quicker than most. ¡±

    Fascinating. Cultivation could affect physical growth? No wait, don¡¯t get distracted¡­If what he says is true, then their sect sure reacts fast¡­ Maybe they can help save Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei!

    ¡°I¡­if you¡¯re here to investigate about Elder Chen, then you have the right person! You have to quickly tell your sect about the evil demonic cultivator who had slain your elder and kidnapped my friends!¡±

    The young elder furrowed his brows and gestured for Li Lang to slow down.

    ¡°Calm yourself, child, and explain everything from start to finish. I will definitely try my best to help, but I¡¯ll need to know the entire story first.¡±

    Li Lang did not hesitate to narrate everything that had happened at the Zi manor the day before. He made sure to even recite the words spoken by the people in his story so he wouldn¡¯t leave out any information.

    It took almost half an hour from start to finish before his retelling ended. Elder Nong¡¯s furrowed brows hadn¡¯t relaxed throughout the entire story.

    ¡°Are you sure Elder Chen referred to this old woman as the Abductress?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    The young man closed his eyes and massaged the area between his eyes. He then let out a weary sigh before directing a look of pity at Li Lang.

    ¡°Thank you for telling me about Elder Chen¡¯s fate. You have saved me from having to do lots of tedious investigations, but unfortunately, I cannot help your friends.¡±

    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t the Clear Heart Sect of the righteous path? Don¡¯t you hunt down demonic cultivators? We¡¯re talking about one who not only kidnapped my friends but killed your fellow elder here!¡±

    ¡°I understand¡­ but there is nothing we can do. Even we have limits to our power. You may not know, but Abductress is a famous demonic cultivator that, I am ashamed to say, is far beyond what we can handle.¡±

    ¡°Then ask someone who can handle her for help!¡±

    The elder shook his head and smiled patiently at Li Lang as if he was teaching a naive student.

    ¡°The large sects won¡¯t act lightly. Maybe if she crossed their bottom lines, otherwise, the sects refuse to get involved for small matters, citing they are too busy dealing with the Myriad Races.¡±

    That just means the large sect won¡¯t move because they aren¡¯t motivated enough to do so. If they won¡¯t move until they can profit from it, then their so-called righteousness is just a scam!

    Seeing how Li Lang¡¯s breathing was becoming uneven, Elder Nong could easily tell the young boy was getting agitated. He quickly changed the topic.

    ¡°Anyway, where are you headed, child? I can at least help you get to somewhere safe. Someone as young as you traversing the wilderness is no joke, you know.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m¡ªforget it! If you can¡¯t help directly, can you take me into your sect instead?¡±

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Li Lang knew the fastest way to both save his friends and learn about cultivation was to enlist the help of an expert. Experts weren¡¯t easy to approach without being one himself. This gave him another reason to learn how to cultivate himself, as he knew he could only rely on himself at the end of the day.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. According to what you say, your aptitude for cultivation is too low and you don¡¯t possess any unique physiques despite your physical deformations. Not even I can bend the rules on who we accept¡­How about I bring you to Xiang Yang and find someone to take care of you instead?¡±

    ¡°Xiang Yang?¡±

    ¡°The largest city around these lands. There¡¯ll be numerous people there, and where there are people, there are opportunities. You¡¯ll be able to find your own path there.¡±

    Li Lang only thought about it for a short moment before nodding his head. It would beat having to find his way by himself, and where many people gathered was exactly what he was looking for.

    Elder Nong nodded and gently smiled at Li Lang¡¯s response. He didn¡¯t dawdle, and a wooden carriage suddenly materialized at the wave of his hand.

    Without explanation, the elder carried Li Lang and placed him inside. Li Lang glanced around at the plain-looking interior of the carriage. He didn¡¯t get to look around for long as he suddenly felt a brief moment of heaviness. He immediately realized that the carriage had taken flight, and the view from the window verified it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move around too much or you may hurt yourself,¡± the young elder said as he looked back at Li Lang¡¯s bewildered expression through the small window at the front. ¡°First time on a Skyrunner? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll start slow. It may not be the most comfortable, but it¡¯s fast.¡±

    The carriage began to pick up speed, with the sound of wind growing louder and louder. He would¡¯ve panicked a lot more about his safety if he had never been on an aircraft before, but that wasn¡¯t the case.

    True to his words, Elder Nong gently accelerated, but the acceleration continued for a long while.

    This¡­this is faster than a helicopter!

    Thankfully, Li Lang hadn¡¯t received a face full of wind while they traveled at such high speeds. The carriage shielded him from the elements, but when he glanced over at Elder Nong, he saw a soft glow surrounding his body, acting like a barrier to the cultivator.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± The young elder called out while keeping his eyes on the front.

    ¡°Yes¡­How long will this trip take?¡±

    He glanced up at the sky for a short moment before responding.

    ¡°Hmm¡­We should reach Xiang Yang just before sunset.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s still morning¡­¡±

    ¡°...Would you like me to tell you a story in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°...No, thank you.¡±

    The young cultivator scratched his cheeks at being unsure of how to properly take care of a child. He soon gave up and fished out a jade slip to ponder on its contents instead.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang curiously examined the passing scenery, trying to learn more about the world he found himself in.

    A dense forest covered as far as he could see, with a few occasional mountains here and there. He couldn¡¯t make out any details, though, as a fog covered every stretch of the land below. He passed the time trying to catch glimpses of the world beneath until he grew tired of his futile attempts.

    Seeing how the sun was at its zenith, he wanted to enter Ruby¡¯s artifact space, but he was hesitant to do so with a powerful cultivator beside him.

    He hadn¡¯t figured anything out when he found me while I was inside Ruby before, but he may be able to sense me entering the artifact space¡­I have too little information on what cultivators are capable of.

    ¡°So, Elder Nong¡­¡± Li Lang called out, trying his best to sound like an innocent and curious child.

    ¡°Yes?¡± The cultivator quickly stowed his jade slip and replied.

    ¡°What cultivation realm are you in?¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t something you should ask lightly, child.¡± He smirked, as if having caught a mischievous child. ¡°Many cultivators are sensitive to being asked such questions, so be mindful of asking in such a direct way. I don¡¯t mind telling you that I am in the late stage of the Foundation Establishment realm.¡±

    Li Lang forced out a gasp of admiration before continuing his questioning.

    ¡°So what¡¯s the difference between you and cultivators in the Energy Gathering realm?¡±

    ¡°The difference is vast¡­Most commoners may have some attainments in the early Energy Gathering stage, but less than five out of a hundred Energy Gatherers ever breakthrough to the next major realm. Many of them are stuck at Energy Gathering even after spending their entire life cultivating. However, countless people still strive for it because it can let them live longer.¡±

    ¡°Even people who have poor aptitude like me?¡±

    The cultivator gently patted Li Lang on the head.

    ¡°Yes. It is much harder without good aptitude as it requires much more time, hard work, and, more importantly, resources, but it is still possible.¡±

    ¡°So it is possible for me to cultivate! Can you teach me?¡±

    The elder held his gaze on the Li Lang for a moment before sighing.

    ¡°...Sure, I can¡¯t teach you any of our sect¡¯s techniques, but I can teach you¡­the basics.¡± Elder Nong closed his eyes and contemplated about the manner for a brief moment. ¡°Yes, the basics are fine. Let me warn you, it won¡¯t be easy. Many give up, and that is fine too. If you force yourself too much, it is very possible to hurt yourself or even die.¡±

    The two then lost themselves in their conversation and before they knew it, the sun had begun to set and they arrived at their destination.

    A large city began to come into view through all the fog. It had a huge stone wall surrounding it, and Li Lang could barely see where the walls ended despite the vantage point he had.

    Elder Nong headed straight for one of the entrance gates and began his descent toward it. There was a long line of people waiting to enter, and many of them had their heads turned up towards them, whispering amongst each other.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±

 Chapter 10: Xiang Yang

    ¡°This is Xiang Yang. This is as far as I can take you, since they don¡¯t allow people to fly into the city. We¡¯ll have to part ways here, but I hope you find your way in life. If I make any significant progress in my cultivation, I swear I will help you search for your friends.¡± The elder from the Clear Heart sect with the appearance of a young boy proudly declared.

    ¡°...Thank you.¡±

    Elder Nong proceeded to descend right beside the gate, ignoring all the spectators in the line. At the wave of the hand, several guards rushed out toward him, bowing politely toward him.

    ¡°Sir cultivator, please let us escort you through.¡±

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m just dropping this boy off.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Allow us to escort him, then.¡±

    The elder nodded, and he floated back up to the skies on his wooden carriage. The soldiers quickly saluted him before they moved to surround Li Lang.

    ¡°Follow us.¡±

    Li Lang nodded blankly and did as instructed. They moved right past the line, who were all gossiping amongst themselves while pointing at the strange big-headed child.

    ¡°Look, that¡¯s him. The one that senior from the Clear Heart sect brought along.¡±

    ¡°What senior? He looked as old as my son to me.¡±

    ¡°What do you know, you old geezer? Experts can control their physical appearance somehow. He could be a hundred years old for all we know, as Foundation Establishment experts have a lifespan of five hundred years, after all!¡±

    ¡°Anyway, who do you think that child is? A child of that senior?¡±

    ¡°Probably not if he¡¯s leaving him here alone. Look at the size of that head¡­Maybe he has a special physique.¡±

    ¡°Then the great senior would¡¯ve taken him away to their sect already!¡±

    Li Lang ignored the gossip from the crowd and continued his way through the thick walls into the city. He watched as the guards ushered several people in the middle of paying the toll, to move to the side as they passed by.

    Luckily for him, the guards hadn¡¯t asked him to pay the toll and welcomed him into their city.

    ¡°Child, was there somewhere you needed to go? I can take you there.¡± The leading guard asked as he waved his subordinates away.

    ¡°Umm, just anyplace where I can find lodging.¡±

    He nodded and wordlessly resumed walking.

    Li Lang had to pick up his pace to match the strides of the adult, but that wasn¡¯t able to distract him from taking a look at the city around him.

    It was a vibrant and lively place, with street stalls on both sides of the road, where large streams of people went about their lives. The vendors aggressively hawked their wares as they walked by, but none dared to stop them once they recognized the guard¡¯s uniform.

    It only took ten minutes before they arrived at their destination. It was a store with a wooden sign that depicted the sun and the moon. Once the guard gestured for Li Lang to go in, he swiftly took his leave.

    As if taking over for the guard, a middle-aged woman stepped forward and loudly welcomed her latest guest.

    ¡°Welcome to the Azure Sky Inn. How may I help you, little fella?¡±

    ¡°I would like a room.¡±

    ¡°For how long, and would you like your meals included?¡±

    ¡°Do you have deals for long-term stays with meals included?¡± Li Lang asked as he counted the coins in the purse he had received from the late Elder Chen.

    He found several gold coins and a plethora of silver and bronze coins. As he had lived in this world for ten years, albeit with some mental deficiencies throughout most of it, it wasn¡¯t hard for Li Lang to know the great amount of money he had received. He had heard all cultivators were rich, and he currently couldn¡¯t agree more.

    ¡°We charge thirty silver coins for an entire month with two meals each day included for a standard room.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take that, then.¡±

    Li Lang quickly received the key once he paid and headed up to his accommodations. While he thought it was weird that no one found it strange for a child like him to be alone, he was grateful he didn¡¯t have to go through the awkward conversation as well.

    Maybe it isn¡¯t a rare sight in this world¡­How cruel.

    Once he got into his room, he swiftly locked it behind him and jumped onto the wooden bed. With him finally alone, he didn¡¯t waste any time and took out the thing he had kept hidden until now.

    He gripped the red stone tightly in his hand and brought it up to his head.

    ¡°Master, your analysis on the auto-analyzer is complete! Would you like to enter into my artifact space now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve waited long enough!¡±

    Li Lang blinked and instantly found himself inside his old lab once again. The auto-analyzer was right in front of him, and he quickly used the touch screen to bring up the analysis report. Various details were displayed, allowing Li Lang to view the makeup of the tree branch he had put into the analyzer.

    ¡°This tree¡­I¡¯ve never seen anything like it before, but it is also remarkably normal at the same time¡­Why does it say the anomaly here can¡¯t be analyzed?¡±

    ¡°Master, that is information pertaining to the Qi of the specimen. You can only analyze Qi of things that are at your level or weaker, which means you currently cannot analyze any Qi-related materials at all.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­Well, what I got already sufficed for initial testing. Let¡¯s try out the various plants I gathered now.¡± Li Lang threw a random plant from the pile beside the analyzer, and a timer appeared on the screen.

    ¡°...Over twelve hours. Is there any way to speed this up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, master. This is the best I can do until you cultivate and become stronger.¡±

    Well, it isn¡¯t that bad to wait a day. Research is supposed to take a long time after all. The important thing is its accuracy¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose there are research papers in this world I can learn from, is there?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, master¡­but I don¡¯t believe so. I don¡¯t think your so-called ¡®science¡¯ even exists in this world.¡±

    Forget it. I¡¯ll do it myself. The materials and everything may be different in this world, but I can still learn about everything using the scientific method just the same. Observe, hypothesize, experiment, analyze, then conclude.

    By studying it systemically, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll help me in figuring out cultivation one way or another.

    With nothing left to do inside the artifact space, Li Lang returned to reality. He now had shelter and money. There was nothing left hindering him from beginning his search for either someone to save his childhood friends or cultivate himself.

    However, seeing how the guards reacted to Elder Nong, he doubted he would find anyone strong enough to help in this city.

    That meant Li Lang¡¯s next step was cultivation. He began reviewing what he learned from Elder Nong¡¯s lessons during their journey.

    The stronger I get, the easier it is for me to come into contact with stronger cultivators.

    He quickly got into the lotus position and? closed his eyes. He sat there and breathed in deeply for several minutes, but to no avail.

    Realizing it wasn¡¯t working, he delved into his memories as he tried to remember the sensation Elder Nong had kindly shown him.

    ¡°Can you feel it, Li Lang? I am channeling a sliver of Qi into you through your spiritual roots.¡± The elder had said back when they were still on the way to Xiang Yang while placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Do not forget this feeling. The first step of cultivation starts with absorbing Qi into your body and becoming a vessel for it.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­The feeling is very strange.¡±

    ¡°You will get used to it with time. Now that you know what Qi feels like, try to absorb the ambient Qi around us.¡±

    The strange sensation quickly subsided, as he felt it drain out to the source it came from, the hand on his shoulder. With the feeling still lingering in his mind, he began taking deep breaths in search of that sensation.

    ¡°There is no need to breathe so deeply. Have a clear image of taking in the Qi, and it will naturally flow. The image you have of how you absorb the Qi is the basis of cultivation methods. While I cannot teach you our sect¡¯s methods, you can try using the simplest method of sucking in the Qi through your mouth.¡±

    Li Lang slowed his breathing at the advice, sucking in the surrounding Qi. To his surprise, the method worked, and he began to feel a trickle of that strange sensation entering his body from five different points. However, it was so very slow.

    ¡°Good, now will the Qi to gouge out a space to hold it within your body. It will empower you as long as you let it be a part of you. Some prefer to think of it as melding with the Qi. Either way, the end goal is for your body to become a container. Do not be mistaken, it will hurt, and a lot, too. But you will need to be able to bear the unique pain you will feel if you want to cultivate. Just be sure to stop immediately if you feel any sharp pain or you will hurt yourself.¡±

    He swiftly directed the Qi to his finger and tried to dig out an area for the Qi to stay. He felt like he was trying to hollow out his finger to become a container for the gaseous substance that was Qi, and a dull pain permeated throughout his being and intensified quickly. The Qi dug into his flesh and only became more painful the more force he tried to apply.

    He could feel sweat dripping from his brow as his body heated up, but he held on. Li Lang continued his first cultivation session for over three hours before he was forced to stop.

    As foretold, he eventually felt a sharp pain run its course throughout his entire body.

    ¡°You have reached your limit, I see. You can¡¯t get too greedy with your low aptitude. The reason why aptitude is so important is that it dictates how much Qi you can tolerate each cultivation session. You said you only had five spiritual roots, so you will have to take your time. Once you reach your limit, if you continue and ignore the sharp pain, it will start damaging your spiritual roots and could even lead to death.¡±

    ¡°...Is there no way around it?¡±

    Hearing the question, the elder sighed as he looked up into the sky.

 Chapter 11: Cultivation 101

    Li Lang still remembered the moment when he had asked Elder Nong if there was any method to get around the limit of Qi one could absorb each session, imposed by aptitude. The elder had closed his eyes and took a pregnant pause, looking towards the sky above before replying.

    ¡°Cultivation is more difficult than climbing up Mount Tai. Each and every step is taken with blood, sweat, and tears, but the higher you go, the steeper it gets. You must also progress quickly lest you run out of time. If you need assistance at the start line already, how far could you possibly go?¡±

    Seeing Li Lang¡¯s unconvinced expression, the young elder shook his head and continued.

    ¡°If you must know, there are no established methods to break past one¡¯s natural limit. While some employ the use of various pills to address this issue, they all come with serious drawbacks and an exorbitantly high price. The famous Ascension Pill is one such pill. While it allows one to breeze through cultivation realms, one won¡¯t be able to exert strength as befitting of their cultivation or progress by themselves without further using pills of even higher quality than the previous.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡°

    The young elder pitifully stared back at the large-headed boy as they silently continued their journey. He wasn¡¯t trying to discourage him, but the ways of the world were too cruel and he believed it would be better for the child to give up his unrealistic ambitions early on.

    Li Lang finished reminiscing about the lesson he had with the elder and prepared himself for another attempt. With a clear image of the strange sensation of Qi fresh in his mind, he began to suck in the ambient Qi as he had done in his memories.

    The surrounding Qi slowly but surely entered his body through five different points. With the energy flowing through him, he began the next step of using the Qi to dig out a space for it within his body. He began with his fingers, and the dull pain intensified the more he forced Qi into himself.

    The pain persisted for as long as Li Lang cultivated.

    This¡­is taking so long. Hmm, Elder Nong said to use my imagination, so maybe I can make it faster if I use other imagery.

    Li Lang began imagining himself as a black hole, dragging all the ambient Qi toward him. It once again started at a slow trickle, but then rapidly grew into a quick stream.

    It worked! But it¡¯s not going any faster if my body can¡¯t hold it. It¡¯ll just spill out!

    He adjusted his mindset and had the Qi within him transform into a high-powered laser. He then directed the laser to bore through the space he intended to hold the Qi. There was no pain from the burning laser or anything, but the dull pain persisted.

    Like that, he cultivated until he soon felt a sharp pain running through his body.

    Li Lang had always been a hard worker, but if you looked at it from another angle, it also meant he was a stubborn person. That meant he was immensely frustrated when he had to stop so soon. He forced himself to rein in his feelings and swiftly entered Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    Each person¡¯s recovery time before they could cultivate again was different. The elder had told him it would normally take half a day, but was safer to take a full day¡¯s rest. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for people who worked too hard to suddenly die. Hearing that, Li Lang wanted to find the exact amount of time it took for him to recover to maximize his gains.

    He took a blood sample from himself and placed it into the auto-analyzer. He would repeat this every hour. While his first sample took an hour to analyze, the following samples took much shorter as the machine simply had to spot the difference.

    The test showed that his cells were stressed to the point they were destabilized, but were recovering.

    Once the sun rose, he began trying to absorb a sliver of Qi into himself again, testing if the sharp pain persisted. Then he analyzed his condition in his lab. He did this nonstop, skipping any meals until the discomfort from absorbing Qi ceased.

    ¡°Roughly eleven hours¡­¡± He wrote down his results on his usual computer in the lab. ¡°The elder said a typical cultivator with grade one aptitude would at least take an entire month to break into the first stage of the Energy Gathering realm.¡±

    He tried to make his implants run the calculation for him out of habit, but quickly smacked himself when he realized he didn¡¯t have such conveniences anymore.

    ¡°Twice a day for thirty days is sixty cultivation sessions. If I can find a way to shorten this somehow, my speed could drastically increase. However, recklessly doing so may come with the risk of overdosing on Qi and dying.¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    I need to investigate how overdose works if I want to continue. For now, I¡¯ll cultivate twice a day.

    After a whole night without rest, Li Lang¡¯s stomach instantly grumbled when he finally settled down. He exited his room and found a seat down in the restaurant area on the first floor to make use of the meal that was included with his lodging.

    The young lady, who wasn¡¯t much older than Li Lang, immediately approached when he sat down.

    ¡°From room 207, correct? I¡¯ll bring you your breakfast right away, but what would you like to drink?¡±

    ¡°Water is fine.¡±

    The young girl nodded and walked back into the kitchen. She came back within a few minutes with a bowl of stew and quietly placed down his order.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t mind the lack of choice and didn¡¯t hesitate to sate his hunger. While his body took care of sustenance, his mind was busy with other matters.

    I¡¯m curious about how Qi overdose works, but I need to come up with a hypothesis that I can test¡­ I don¡¯t really know much about Qi at all. Is it wise to base my guesses on my previous knowledge?

    For the next ten days, Li Lang mindlessly cultivated, ate, slept, and checked in on the results of the auto-analyzer during the time in between.

    The various plants he had examined all provided a trove of information, but none of them proved particularly useful to his current situation. However, he was satisfied with expanding his database of knowledge, though. Who knew when it would prove useful?

    On the tenth day, he halted his routine once his hypothesis had taken shape. However, an obstacle stood in his way. The scientific method he was familiar with wasn¡¯t perfect. One crucial thing he needed to do was to experiment. To progress, he would need to perform countless experiments to gather as much data as possible to test his new hypothesis.

    The main problem was that cultivation involved humans. While Li Lang had ample experience performing human experimentation, he had trouble coming up with a way for his child self to attain subjects.

    As a former biodefense specialist in service to the Federation of Man, he simply had to put in the request and his colossal government organization would source the subjects he needed without him having to lift a finger. He hadn¡¯t a single experience in searching for willing volunteers himself, nor was it possible for the current him to capture vicious criminals in some of the more dangerous experiments used.

    ¡°Ruby.¡± He grasped the red stone tightly and placed it against his forehead.

    ¡°Yes, master?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t bring living beings into your artifact space, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°How about parts of them? Like hair or blood?¡±

    ¡°Those you can. It¡¯ll just be like any other material. However, their condition won¡¯t deteriorate like in the real world.¡±

    Even with the lowered requirement, Li Lang still couldn¡¯t think of a way to find volunteers to help with his experiments. Especially if he wanted obedient people who would listen to his instructions.

    Faced with this dilemma, Li Lang began to rethink his strategy.

    Maybe I should focus on other aspects that don¡¯t involve human experimentation first. The elder had mentioned pill refining, so maybe I should try starting from there first and use that to build wealth to incentivize people to my plans. The only issue is getting started in such an esoteric subject.

    On the tenth morning, since he had arrived in Xiang Yang, Li Lang set off from his inn for the first time.

    He had asked the innkeeper for directions and they had pointed the way to the Alchemist Guild near the center of the city.

    It was quite far from where his lodging was and it took his short legs a whole hour until he arrived at the core part of the city. The moment he set foot there, it was apparent that the core part of town was different, catering to the wealthy.

    There were numerous stores catering to cultivators, selling artifacts, talismans, pill furnaces, and much more. As a result, numerous cultivators were seen around the area.

    With Li Lang¡¯s daily cultivation, his sensitivity to Qi had improved and he could tell the cultivators in his vicinity were giving off an immense amount of Qi.

    Many normal citizens were low-level cultivators, as it wasn¡¯t hard to get started and had many benefits. Just being in the first stage of the Energy Gathering realm was said to give them a few extra years of lifespan.

    However, just because cultivators were plentiful didn¡¯t mean powerful cultivators were plentiful. That was why Li Lang found it surprising that there were so many strong presences nearby.

    He soon found himself standing before an enormous complex that stood over ten stories tall. It was one of the tallest buildings he had seen upon setting foot in the city, and the large resplendent gate at the front only heightened the sense of grandeur of the scene before Li Lang.

    There were crowds of people going in and out of the tall gates, and Li Lang took a short moment to compose himself before delving into the flow of the crowd.

    Entering the spacious lobby, he could see several counters with lines of people in front of them. He glanced around at the signs and joined one for the information desk. While he waited, he surveyed the different kinds of people here and the architecture of the gigantic wooden pillars that were painted a vibrant red.

    This place doesn¡¯t seem easy to build with the absence of construction equipment. I wonder if there are cultivators specialized in architecture.

    The receptionists at each counter seemed experienced and diligently addressed each visitor with speed and clarity. The lines moved swiftly and within an incense stick''s worth of time; it was soon Li Lang¡¯s turn.

    The little boy, with a larger head than normal, sauntered forward to the curiosity of all the onlookers, but the receptionist still greeted him with a smile.

    ¡°How can I help you, young master?¡±

    ¡°I would like to learn alchemy. How do I apply as an apprentice?¡±

    The lady instantly directed him with a troubled look.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡±

 Chapter 12: Alchemy and Materials

    The receptionist balked at the question coming from the little boy for a split second before composing herself and re-donning her facade.

    ¡°Little friend, the Alchemist Guild¡¯s role is to certify qualified alchemists. We do not take apprentices ourselves. Your best chance is to find a teacher by joining a sect.¡±

    ¡°Do you not have your own alchemists, who serve the guild that can accept disciples?¡±

    ¡°We do, but it is up to each individual alchemist to decide how they accept disciples. It isn¡¯t the guild¡¯s business to meddle in that. Their requirements are usually pretty high in both aptitude and other qualities important to an alchemist, so it may be easier for you to join a sect.¡±

    Li Lang tried not to grimace at the mention of aptitude. He felt like he was being impeded by it every step of the way.

    ¡°Do you sell books on pill refining, then?¡±

    The receptionist flashed a strained smile at the child before her.

    ¡°Silly boy, an alchemist¡¯s techniques are their treasure. They would never spread them around. Each alchemist¡¯s techniques are only passed on to their disciples.¡±

    ¡°...How about books on herbs and other materials itself?¡±

    ¡°Go to the Gatherer¡¯s Guild for that.¡± The woman replied, with an edge to her voice that slipped out.

    ¡°Can you give me the directions to there? And I should be able to buy some pills here, right?¡±

    ¡°...Of course.¡±

    Li Lang then headed to another line as instructed. The line this time was much longer, and the counter wasn¡¯t in sight from the tail end of the line. Thankfully, the Alchemist Guild knew how to do business efficiently, and the line made good progress every few seconds.

    He soon saw the reason the line was moving so fast, as he watched several children, that were around his age, coming up to each person in line.

    ¡°Sir, can you read? Here is the list of pills for you to browse. If you know what you would like, just inform me and we will have it ready for you by the time it is your turn.¡±

    The children moved as a group and kept handing sheets of paper to the customers in line before taking their orders. They moved with practiced ease and it was soon Li Lang¡¯s turn.

    He quietly read over the list handed to him. There were unfamiliar names such as Qi Condensing pill and Heaven and Earth pill, while there were also easier-to-understand ones such as Antidote Pill or Recovery Pill.

    There were prices clearly marked right next to each pill, which made Li Lang suddenly realize he wasn¡¯t as rich as he thought. All the prices were listed in Qi stones and the cheapest pills cost two Qi stones. After mentally converting his wealth to the correct unit with the rate listed, he ended up only having a handful of Qi stones.

    Cultivating was expensive. It not only allowed people to expand their lifespan, but also brought power, wealth, and status. It only made sense that people would spare no expense for cultivation-related items.

    He didn¡¯t have a stable income yet, so Li Lang only selected one pill to start off with.

    Once he was done with his purchase, he headed for the next destination. He swiftly exited the splendid Alchemist Guild and only had to travel down one street before he arrived.

    The Gatherer¡¯s Guild he had been informed about was much more modest than the Alchemist Guild. It was a simple two-story building with an unimpressive entrance. Still, it had a high amount of traffic, with many people going in and out.

    Upon entering, Li Lang immediately noticed a stark difference. Inside the Alchemist Guild, there was a large variety of people, ranging from strong cultivators to rich merchants, or even normal citizens. In comparison, the Gatherer¡¯s Guild¡¯s demographics were much simpler. There were only strong cultivators who seemed like seasoned warriors inside.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The young boy entering the building immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention. A brief silence took over the lobby until someone with a masculine voice dramatically cleared their throat. Everyone inside immediately acted as if they had their tail stepped on and quickly went about their own business once more.

    That didn¡¯t give Li Lang a sense of relief, though. The man who had cleared his throat was carefully looking at Li Lang and gestured for him to step forward. He obediently obeyed the muscular men behind the counter, who stood at least six feet tall.

    ¡°Boy, what business do you have?¡±

    ¡°...I wanted to purchase some herbs and other alchemy materials.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s words had caught the attention of several rough-looking individuals nearby, but they quickly looked away when the muscular man glared their way.

    ¡°Sorry, we don¡¯t sell that around here. We sell directly to the Alchemist Guild.¡±

    ¡°Then can you teach me about the herbs and where I can harvest them myself?¡±

    ¡°We only share that information with our members. Actual material gatherers.¡±

    ¡°Then allow me to become a material gatherer.¡±

    ¡°...Kid, you¡¯re not even in the first stage of Energy Gathering. Material gathering isn¡¯t a game, especially for a smelly brat like you. It is a dangerous job where you will regularly encounter Qi beasts.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. You don¡¯t have any rules against me joining, right? Please sign me up.¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s your funeral, kid.¡±

    The large man quickly stepped into the back before reemerging with a crystal ball, much like the one used to test aptitude.

    ¡°Place your hand here.¡±

    When Li Lang did as instructed, the orb didn¡¯t glow like he had expected. In fact, nothing happened. The muscular man didn¡¯t give a chance for him to ask questions and immediately retreated to the back once more. He didn¡¯t return until ten minutes later, with a wooden badge with the number one inscribed on it.

    ¡°This is your guild badge. It shows you are a grade one gatherer. You can go to the bulletin board over there with the map to see what areas you can gather from. The blue areas are for rank ones like you and are marked with the materials commonly found there.¡±

    Li Lang nodded at the explanation while he fidgeted around with the badge he received. He could sense Qi from it, so he was tempted to study the material it was made from.

    Once the man had finished, he wasted no time and walked toward the map.

    ¡°Hey, now. Is that kid seriously planning on heading into the forest? He¡¯ll just be feeding the Qi beasts¡­¡±

    ¡°Who cares? We still need to find a ten-year-old Sunfire Leaf for Young Master Ye. We have to find it before that sect¡¯s entrance assessment begins next year.¡±

    ¡°We should go as well. We need to maintain our relationship and fulfill Spirit Grove¡¯s request.¡±

    ¡°Looking for more members to venture into the Verdant Forest!¡±

    While some had paid attention to Li Lang, even more went about their own business. Li Lang quietly listened, carefully sieving for any useful information as he made his way to the bulletin board.

    The map posted there had a detailed outline of the area surrounding the city, with various areas highlighted in different colors. Li Lang knew it was already dangerous for him to traverse the relatively docile blue area for beginners, so he paid the other areas no mind.

    He carefully memorized the information for each plant found in the blue areas. They had a note nearby with the name, picture, and information for each one. They even went into detail about the harvest method, but none of that changed the fact Li Lang had to go in person to attain these herbs.

    Without the herbs themselves, he wouldn¡¯t be able to proceed with his plan to analyze and recreate the pill he had bought.

    Once Li Lang had finished his business in the Material Gatherer¡¯s guild, he swiftly left after asking for directions for his next destination.

    This time, he had to travel much further to a different part of the city before he arrived on a busy street. The entire area was filled with stores that sold various things a cultivator would want. The majority of the stores sold Mortal-grade artifacts, with only a few possessing Earth-grade artifacts, which corresponded to the Energy Gathering realm and Foundation Establishment realm in power, respectively.

    However, the store Li Lang headed for sold something entirely different. He walked through the storefront and found it relatively quiet. Only a few guests were browsing the products displayed on the wall behind the clerk. Despite there being few guests, each and every one of them appeared to be incredibly wealthy, coming from famed houses.

    Li Lang eyed each talisman on display carefully, reading every word on the plaque below them. He couldn¡¯t help but smirk when he read about one of the talismans on display in particular, but he frowned when he read the part labeled with the price.

    ¡°This young master. How may I help you?¡± A gentle and feminine voice called out from the other side of the counter.

    I won¡¯t have enough money for anything but next month¡¯s inn fees if I buy this¡­

    While Li Lang silently contemplated, the female clerk waited patiently beside her guest while wearing a smile. Her face beamed upon hearing Li Lang¡¯s next words.

    ¡°I want that one over there.¡±

 Chapter 13: A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step

    Twenty days after Li Lang had visited the various guilds in Xiang Yang and spent most of his fortune on a talisman, his plan was finally coming to fruition.

    During this entire time, he had closed himself off at his inn, cultivating, eating, and sleeping. He kept a low profile and avoided trouble. It would have been exceptionally boring if he didn¡¯t have Ruby to talk to and the research results of the various plants he had previously harvested.

    ¡°Ruby, I can feel it. Today should be the day!¡±

    ¡°You can do it, master!¡± the child-like voice excitedly cheered on.

    The timer in his lab rang, marking twelve hours since his last cultivation session, and he immediately exited from the artifact space and stowed Ruby away.

    He got into the lotus position and began absorbing the surrounding Qi by invoking the image of black holes. As he had done throughout these twenty days, he ushered the Qi to carve out a space that could hold it within his body, working on his feet this time. He had already done so to the rest of his upper body to his limit, and only his left foot remained.

    His flesh resisted the invasion of Qi, but he applied more force, increasing the level of pain. For someone with only grade one aptitude, it didn¡¯t take long before he soon felt himself approaching his limit.

    A sense of urgency welled up when he thought back to that old hag, The Abductress¡¯s words. He couldn¡¯t help but be skeptical of her promise to not harm his friends. She was apparently a famous demonic cultivator, and one didn¡¯t earn that title by being a trustworthy and upstanding human being.

    Not wanting to waste even a second, he continued melding the Qi with his flesh to his utmost limit. Just as the sharp pain that signaled his limit began to spread, it abruptly ceased. He felt his body radiating an air of strength and filled with energy.

    The energy coursed through his veins with no escape, and he couldn¡¯t help but shoot up from his seat and stretch out his hands, with his two palms facing the sky. The bed strained from his sudden movement but luckily held as he recollected himself.

    ¡°Have I broken through to the first stage of the Energy Gathering realm?¡± he muttered as he examined his body.

    There wasn¡¯t any outward difference, so he brought out Ruby and held it against his temple.

    ¡°Ruby, can you tell if I have broken through?¡±

    ¡°Congratulations, master! Yes, you have! I can now use slightly more of my power, so your auto-analyzer¡¯s processing speed should increase accordingly.¡±

    ¡°Great! By how much?¡±

    ¡°Umm, it¡¯s hard to say. Maybe around 10%?¡±

    ¡°...That isn¡¯t that much.¡±

    ¡°Master, the first stage of energy gathering is just the beginning of cultivating. Almost anyone could reach this stage, so it shouldn¡¯t be surprising that it doesn¡¯t give you that much of a power boost.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re right. Elder Nong did say that early Energy Gatherers have only become slightly stronger physically. What I really care about is if the auto-analyzer can now work on the pills I bought!¡±

    ¡°Of course, as long as they have around the same quality of Qi as you. Most Mortal-grade pills should work, only Earth-grade pills and above are beyond you.¡±

    Li Lang swiftly fetched out the pill he had purchased from the Alchemy Guild and laid it in front of him. It was inside a bottle that was properly labeled.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start as planned. Bring the pill into your space, Ruby.¡±

    ¡°Yes, master!¡±

    The entire bottle faded out of existence and Li Lang impatiently entered into the artifact space after it.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Without hesitation, he took the yellow-brown pill out of its container and threw it into the auto-analyzer. He glanced over at the new timer displayed on the screen and yelped.

    ¡°What? 169 hours?¡±

    ¡°Master, the auto-analyzer is already working faster than before. It¡¯s just that items with Qi take much longer than the mundane items you¡¯ve scanned so far.¡±

    ¡°...A whole week. Whatever, I can wait that long.¡±

    Shaking his head, he exited the artifact space and began to enact his plan. He still had enough funds to pay for another month at the inn, but that was it, so he didn¡¯t have any time to waste.

    After a quick breakfast, he headed out of the inn for the first time in a while and retraced the path the town guard had used to guide him there from the gates. If there was one thing Li Lang could be proud of, it was his memory that aided him greatly during his academic days.

    The way out of the city was filled with crowds of people going about their lives. More than a few people gave him strange looks as he left the gates, wondering why such a strange child would be heading out alone, but no one called out to him.

    Most of the other groups that left the city traveled in groups or rode carriages. They all headed down the well-traveled paths, and Li Lang took the one that headed west of the city. The travelers kept some distance between each other, and their paces were different, so the further they got, the more spread out they became.

    Having walked down the path for almost an hour, Li Lang noticed a group of rough-looking men with sabers at their hips, veering off the road toward the treeline that was also his destination.

    Material gatherers with the same goal, perhaps? Hmm¡­

    Being a beginner, Li Lang made a split-second decision on the whim to follow after them. He wanted to see professionals at work, and their proximity made it safer for him too with all the Qi beasts that may be lurking about.

    While they likely wouldn¡¯t like it if they noticed him, he didn¡¯t believe they would treat a kid like him as a threat, even if he was caught. It was worth the risk if he could hold on to his trump card for even a second longer.

    The trek across the uneven terrain of the forest drastically slowed down the pace of the group. It slowed even further when they came to a stop as they discovered a gathering spot.

    Li Lang was mindful to keep a distance away, but there was a limit to how far he could be without losing track of them through all the bushes around. He was just close enough to listen in on their conversation.

    ¡°Leader, allow me to keep watch this time! I recently succeeded in practicing Clear Jade Farsight!¡± A young teenager proudly declared to a man with grizzly hair.

    Before the leader could reply, one of the men who was crouched down harvesting herbs loudly asked the person beside him.

    ¡°When did our group get hold of something as valuable as a cultivation technique?¡±

    Having heard their companion¡¯s question, they all erupted into laughter.

    ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t let the name fool you, Wang Quan. It¡¯s just the basic technique to enhance your eyes with Qi. Yi Wen over there came up with some grand name when the kid asked him about it while he was drunk!¡±

    The kid who was so proud just a second before blushed in embarrassment at the revelation, and the group only erupted into another round of laughter, but the leader quickly put a stop to it.

    ¡°Focus on your work! If your hands stop, then your mouths stop. We¡¯re no longer in the city, so lookouts, be on your guard. Kid, you¡¯ve already been assigned your role for this trip. We can talk about it next time.¡±

    The men soon resumed their harvesting, and Li Lang didn¡¯t miss a second of it. The material gatherer¡¯s guild had a detailed description of how to properly harvest the herbs, but it still paled in comparison to a live demonstration, albeit from a distance.

    However, he wasn¡¯t able to watch in peace as the lookouts did their jobs and managed to spot the child with an abnormally large head.

    ¡°You there! What are you doing sneaking around us?¡±

    The group of men all turned over in his direction at the same time, and one of them kicked off the ground and dashed toward him in a blur. He was so quick that Li Lang only had time to fall flat on his butt before the man arrived right before him.

    ¡°Brat? What are you doing? You lost?¡± the leader of the group said with a frown as he towered over the strange child.

    His men quickly caught up to him and one of them exclaimed in surprise when he saw Li Lang.

    ¡°Boss, that¡¯s the weird kid with the big head I was talking about before. The one who boldly signed up at the guild.¡±

    ¡°...So you¡¯re trying to gather up herbs like us? You think you¡¯re clever trying to hang around us for protection? There are rules in this business, brat, and you¡¯d do well to learn them.¡±

    ¡°...Boss, he¡¯s just a kid.¡±

    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know? I started in this business when I was just¡ª¡±

    The leaves suddenly rustled violently and the entire group tensed up and looked all around them. The expression of the entire group quickly became tense as their leader shouted out his commands.

    ¡°Gather up around and prepare the¡ª¡±

    He didn¡¯t have a chance to finish when a dark brown leopard abruptly jumped down from a tree and bit down on the captain¡¯s shoulder. The leopard pinned the man down with lightning speed.

    Everything happened within an instant. Blood splashed onto Li Lang¡¯s face and the only thing he could hear were the cries of the man before him.

 Chapter 14: Material Gathering

    As the warm blood splashed onto Li Lang¡¯s face, he quickly reached into his robes to keep his trump card close. However, before he could use it, the man above him, who was still being bitten by the Leopard, suddenly shone like a lamp in the dark.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t even have time to process the scene before the light exploded outward violently, sending the Qi beast flying.

    ¡°Run! That beast is at least in the middle stage of Energy Gathering!¡± the leader of the group yelled out as he fetched out two different pills, one red and one yellow. He swallowed them at once, and his wound immediately stopped bleeding, as it magically began to close.

    ¡°What is a mid-stage Energy Gathering Qi beast doing in the outskirts of the forest?¡±

    ¡°Who cares? Get moving already!¡±

    Having heard the urgency of the group, Li Lang wasted no time as well and jumped to his feet. He had his hand tightly grasping his trump card the entire time, as he silently followed the retreating party.

    They didn¡¯t make it far before the surrounding leaves rustled once more.

    ¡°The beast will be attracted to me who has the highest level of Qi! Gather around!¡± The leader yelled.

    Hearing his words, Li Lang discreetly distanced himself from the leader instead.

    An abrupt yell soon sounded out from the center of the formation.

    ¡°Not this time, you damn beast!¡±

    It all happened so fast that by the time Li Lang could make out what happened, the beast had already been repelled and was growling at the group from a short distance.

    These beasts are so fast that my eyes can¡¯t catch up¡­Who knows if it¡¯ll suddenly change to an easier target like me? Now isn¡¯t the time to be holding back.

    As the leopard circled around the group, carefully scanning for any opportunities, a sudden gush of Qi bellowed out nearby. The powerful Qi caused the beast¡¯s fur to stand on its end as a shiver ran through its body. The leopard¡¯s survival instincts screamed at maximum intensity, causing it to turn tail and disappear into the forest.

    ¡°It¡­it ran?¡±

    ¡°Hurray! That dumb beast must¡¯ve been scared off by our big brother¡¯s mightiness!¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s¡­right! Hurray for our big brother!¡±

    The leader of the group could only awkwardly clear his throat in an attempt to draw their attention but to no avail. The men soon all cheered his name, and it was too late for him to correct their misconception, so he could only nod his head at them.

    He quickly urged his men to retreat and carefully scanned the surroundings, including the skies above. He suspected that either another strong Qi beast was nearby or an expert had saved him.

    No matter how much he strained his eyes, he couldn¡¯t find any clues, and he soon gave up. He knew there was no way for him to detect an expert that didn¡¯t want to be found. The results of getting out of that encounter with such a powerful Qi beast without harm had already satisfied him.

    It was only when he calmed down that he began looking around for the brat they were dealing with earlier.

    ¡°Hey, where¡¯s that brat with the big head?¡±

    ¡°The brat? I haven¡¯t seen him. Hey you guys! Anyone seen the brat?¡±

    All the men briefly searched the area and came up empty. The leader could only sigh and hope the child had safely gotten away.

    While the group had been searching for him, Li Lang had been rushing through the forest, searching for any useful plants. Having seen how dangerous this place could be, he didn¡¯t dare dawdle lest the effect of his talisman expire.

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    The talisman Li Lang had brought the other day, using a good chunk of his wealth, was what had caused the Qi beast to shriek away in fear. It was a beast-warding talisman that released the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator to keep them at bay. It had been tweaked so that it only worked against beasts to avoid misuse, which was why no one had noticed Li Lang using the talisman.

    It only worked for as long as it took to burn through a large incense stick, which he calculated out to be approximately two hours.

    It was unaffordable to most sectless cultivators because it costs as much as what material gatherers made in several weeks, so none of them had even considered making use of such a luxury item for their work. Such talismans were normally reserved only for the offspring of the wealthy.

    With the talisman only effective for a short duration, Li Lang rushed into the forest in a frenzy the moment he had used it. He wanted to get a few samples of as many herbs as he could, in hopes of gathering all the required materials to recreate the pill he had thrown into the auto-analyzer.

    Without having to worry about being interrupted by any beasts, Li Lang single-mindedly tried to replicate the actions he had seen of the material gatherers. He knew his technique was rough, so he could only pray as he clumsily gathered the herbs.

    When he felt like a good amount of time had passed, he checked the timer he had started in his artifact space. When there was just a quarter of it left, he decisively retreated toward the city.

    Li Lang had never been a fighter, having holed up in his lab more than he had gone to the gym. Hand-to-hand combat wasn¡¯t even common in his day and age. With much more technologically advanced means at their service, melee combat skills were only popular in very niche groups.

    Even now that he had become a cultivator, he hadn¡¯t practiced a single skill yet. As he rushed out of the forest, he couldn¡¯t help but contemplate the idea of finding techniques that aided him in retreating from danger.

    I¡¯ll have to take things one step at a time. That guy talked about cultivation techniques as something really valuable, so I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get the luxury to pick and choose anytime soon. I have to count and spend my coins carefully right now, lest I lose the roof over my head.

    As Li Lang grumbled to himself, the city of Xiang Yang soon came into view. He suddenly slowed down his pace and cursed.

    How did I forget about the entrance toll¡­How much is it even? Damn, please don¡¯t be too much.

    He prayed and cursed as he waited in line for half an hour until it was his turn.

    ¡°Next!¡±

    He nervously walked up at the calls of the gate guard, hoping it was the same man who had accompanied him before, and that he would recognize him. His prayers weren¡¯t answered as the guard coldly yelled out to him.

    ¡°Toll! Two silvers!¡±

    Li Lang restlessly glanced around in search of a guard who may recognize him but to no avail.

    His antics made the guard give him a second look.

    ¡°Brat¡ªare those herbs that you gathered on your back?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­Is there an additional fee to bring them in?¡±

    ¡°No, but if you are a member of the Material Gatherers Guild, then you do not need to pay the toll.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I am a member!¡± Li Lang quickly fumbled for the wooden badge he had received and presented it to the guard. ¡°Here¡¯s my badge.¡±

    The guard glanced down skeptically at Li Lang before he grabbed the wooden badge from his hands and examined it briefly before returning it.

    ¡°You may pass. Next!¡±

    Thanking his luck, Li Lang hurried into the city and returned to his inn. He stowed his harvest before having a meal on the first floor.

    He always ate at one of the tables in the middle, where he could easily listen in on the other patron¡¯s conversation because it was one of his few forms of entertainment he had and was good for information gathering.

    Today, the same gossip was circulating as it did this past week. Even with no particular new information, Li Lang enjoyed listening to how each different person explained what the upcoming event entailed.

    ¡°I heard even more sects will be coming this year to recruit new disciples!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not surprising since Xiang Yang always had a large population.¡±

    ¡°Who cares about any of that? None of you have any kids, so it has nothing to do with us.¡±

    ¡°Hey now! Sometimes when the sects don¡¯t recruit enough talents to fill their quota, they¡¯ll start opening up recruitment to the older age groups! Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve always wanted? Joining a proper sect with vast resources?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m not blind enough to believe it¡¯ll be my turn to be picked. I¡¯m already twenty-nine and I am still in the sixth stage of Energy Gathering.¡±

    Once Li Lang had finished his meal, he returned to his room and resumed his cultivation routine.

    He began gathering Qi and directly melded it into his body. Having become a first-stage cultivator of the Energy Gathering realm, he noticed his Qi capacity had grown. Still, the difference wasn¡¯t large.

    Time passed when no new things entered his life, and soon a week had passed. On this day, he excitedly entered Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    ¡°Master! The analysis on the Recovery Pill is complete!¡±

 Chapter 15: Small Business

    Li Lang ran to the auto-analyzer upon hearing Ruby¡¯s report regarding the completion of the analysis on the Recovery Pill. He skimmed through the pages of reports, which were much more detailed than what he received when analyzing any of the previous materials.

    The first section went over the effects of the pill, which, as its name implied, helped the user recover from their wounds. It worked on all sorts of physical injuries by speeding up the natural recovery process exponentially.

    The page with the materials was almost entirely labeled with either alphanumerical gibberish or question marks. Many new compounds were assigned temporary codenames while the database was still missing numerous materials.

    ¡°Good, very good! Now we just need to analyze all the herbs, too!¡±

    Li Lang could tell the analyzer did its job well. Once it gained the information on the raw materials, it should be able to analyze its creation method. It may take a few trials and errors to fine-tune it, but this was a process Li Lang had done thousands of times before!

    He excitedly placed one of the herbs he had recently gathered into the auto-analyzer, only to find the new timer showing 75 hours.

    Glancing back at the small pile of herbs he had, he began to wonder if he had enough money to last that long. He had only brought a small portion of each herb into the artifact space, but there were still almost a dozen different types.

    I¡¯d have to get lucky to figure out the recipe within a month. I¡¯ll need to come up with a way to start making some money in the meantime or else I¡¯ll have to sell some of the herbs, but if I do, it won¡¯t be so easy to attain them again¡­

    Faced with this new reality, Li Lang quickly finished another round of cultivation and set off for the commercial street to explore new ideas.

    The streets were bustling with people as always, as the stalls and street vendors hawked their wares. Seeing how busy some of the stalls were, he almost ran over to ask if they were hiring, but quickly gave up on the idea.

    He doubted anyone would hire a young child like him, so he believed it was better to come up with some small business instead.

    He walked down the street as he browsed through what the street vendors sold for inspiration. Most of them simply had their wares laid out on their blanket. The range of what was sold varied widely from common household items to antique silverware.

    It was a given that almost all stalls were operated by adults, but Li Lang would occasionally see some children help out, albeit in a supporting role. The only job he saw a child do alone was selling flowers or hawking traveler¡¯s biscuits and drinks.

    Boy Scouts jobs¡­I doubt I could make much doing those jobs, but it may be better than nothing.

    Just as Li Lang closed his eyes in deliberation, he suddenly felt something bumping into him, pushing his small body helplessly aside.

    ¡°Watch it!¡± An angry voice rang out.

    Li Lang turned to find the man staring down at him, but his companion quickly ushered him to keep moving.

    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re in a hurry. Let¡¯s go buy something to drink real quick before leaving the city.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, dumb kid. Yeah, let¡¯s go. Too bad we can¡¯t drink alcohol before the job. It would¡¯ve been so refreshing in this heat.¡±

    Li Lang let out a sigh once the two men disappeared and swiftly got moving as well. He didn¡¯t manage to take a few steps before he abruptly came to a stop.

    Wait, that¡¯s it! I can sell that!

    ¡°Ahem¡­¡±

    Li Lang turned to find another person glaring daggers at him for suddenly stopping in the middle of the road, and he quickly apologized and made his way to the market. He went to inquire about the prices of several stalls selling foodstuffs and seasonings. He only bit the bullet to buy all the materials he needed when he recognized a mineral labeled indigestion medicine from a stall. He grinned when he found the key ingredient to his plans.

    The majority of the time wasn¡¯t spent on haggling or finding the things he needed, but confirming what each ingredient was. Thankfully, this world had all the ingredients on his shopping list, with no need to search for alternatives.

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    He returned to his inn with a full haul, where he was greeted by the middle-aged innkeeper.

    ¡°Went shopping, I see. Need any help with that?¡±

    ¡°No thanks, but do you have a small barrel or something I could borrow to store liquids?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­there should be a few empty water kegs out back by the well. Feel free to use those.¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡±

    Li Lang quickly retrieved everything he needed and neatly laid them out on the floor of his room. The bulkiest items were the barrel and a bamboo pole.

    He got to work and prepared the ingredients, particularly in processing the nahcolite mineral he bought into baking soda. Li Lang smiled happily as he crushed the minerals before beginning the leaching process. He had recalled pleasant memories of having done this before for a school project.

    He found he wasn¡¯t tired even after hours of work. He could feel that his power and stamina had improved. It was all thanks to the breakthrough that empowered him physically.

    He then waited a few days for his baking soda to crystallize and dry.

    When he was done, he combined his new baking soda with vinegar to cause a reaction that released carbon dioxide gas. He had the bamboo pole set up to act as a tube to inject the gas into the soft drink he had made in the meantime.

    Once he was done, he immediately dipped a finger into the new drink he concocted and gave it a taste test.

    That¡¯s¡­.pretty¡­bad. Well, I can¡¯t really compare it to the stuff I¡¯m used to. Maybe the people of this world will find it enjoyable?

    Li Lang swiftly slapped himself and shook the lazy thought of selling what he produced on his first try. He was taught that if he was going to do something, he better do it right. While it wasn¡¯t possible to perfectly replicate what he had in his old world, he should at least attempt to do the best he could.

    With his new business plan in mind, Li Lang got to work and added the development of his new product to his usual routine. After eating, cultivating, sleeping, and developing his product for a few days, he finally arrived at a recipe that resembled what he knew.

    The most difficult part was getting the carbonation process correct, but he fine-tuned the process without wasting valuable ingredients by performing his tests in Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    Afterward, he needed to test how to store it and found small bamboo containers worked best. The only thing he hadn¡¯t done was to find someone to taste it for him. He didn¡¯t know anyone, nor had he any money to hire a helper. He was also confident in his own creation, as well,

    On a regular afternoon, Li Lang set off from the inn, carrying a basket full of the little bamboo containers. He boldly strove onto the main street around the area where other kids hawked their wares and joined them.

    ¡°Refreshing spring water for sale! Five coppers only!¡±

    ¡°Traveling biscuits for sale! Cheap, cheap!¡±

    ¡°Anyone thirsty? Refreshing drinks for sale!¡± Li Lang copied his seniors and yelled out.

    He only had to navigate through the crowd for ten minutes before a rough-looking man with an eye patch gestured for him to come over with his finger.

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°Ten coppers.¡±

    ¡°What? That much? Why is it so expensive for water?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not water, sir. This is a new refreshing drink that you have to try.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡±

    The man made himself scarce, but then a group of three young men approached the young hawker as they overheard the conversation. There was a lanky man with a slumped back, a young and well-dressed teenager who carried himself with a hint of arrogance, and a bulky man who stoically followed behind.

    ¡°Did you hear that, Young Master? This brat is charging ten whole coppers for his so-called ¡®refreshing drink¡¯. I bet it¡¯s just water he mixed with some grass or something!¡± The lanky man sneered at Li Lang before turning back to his companion, sounding like the textbook sycophant.

    ¡°Oh? I think he mixed rice water in it instead. Chou Tang, why don¡¯t we find out? It is only ten copper coins, after all.¡±

    The young master said before he flicked open his fan and started fanning himself. Without bothering to look at Li Lang, he spoke as if he was giving out a command.

    ¡°Boy, give us one.¡±

    The young master then threw down a handful of coins onto the ground as he swiftly snatched a bottle from Li Lang. He was just about to down the drink when he hesitated at the last moment.

    ¡°This is drinkable right?¡±

    ¡°Brat, you better be honest. If this gives Young Master Peng a stomachache or anything, you won¡¯t get out of this unscathed!¡± The lanky attendant, Chou Tang, added.

    ¡°Yes, it is a new drink called soda.¡±

    Young Master Peng glanced at the bamboo container in suspicion as he tried to sniff out its contents. Having found no issues and could only hear some air escaping from the container. He curiously brought the container up to eye level for inspection.

    After giving the drink another sniff and finding no issues, he took a sip.

    He could instantly feel an army of tiny bubbles invading his mouth before they gently burst on his tongue. There was even a faint taste of sweetness, and he quickly took a larger sip this time. He could feel some fizziness as he swallowed the drink, leaving behind a pleasant, invigorating sensation that lingered.

    ¡°Kid, this is really good! What is it called again?¡±

    ¡°Soda, sir.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. Give me another five of these sodas, then.¡±

    Li Lang had wanted to recreate the soft drinks of his world, but due to not knowing the exact recipes and the high price of sugar, he had to settle for a much inferior version of soda, or so he thought.

    For the inhabitants of this world, this was an entirely new drink they had never experienced before. In fact, they rarely even drank sweet substances cold, so this was a novel and memorable experience for the young master who had tried it for the first time.

    It went without saying Li Lang¡¯s first customer wasn¡¯t the only one who found his sodas enticing. After others had seen the young master buying more after giving it a try, others were spurred into action, and they quickly sold out.

    With his stocks depleted, Li Lang scrambled back to the market to prepare for the increased demand when word would inevitably spread.

    Now that should take care of my lodging expenses. If only I could speed up the auto-analyzer with money too¡­

 Chapter 16: Month After Month

    For the past several months, Li Lang had settled on his routine. He would cultivate in the morning before going off to sell his sodas, then he would resupply his ingredients before spending his day making more of his merchandise for the next day. During all other times, he would keep to himself and practice his newfound Qi powers.

    So far, he could only replicate the most simple moves that only involved concentrating his Qi to certain parts of his body. When he concentrated the Qi to his eyes, he would be able to see further while if he gathered it into his feet, he would be able to kick off with more force. However, it took a lot of concentration to do.

    Anytime he tried to do anything more complicated, the result would be a painful backlash. It didn¡¯t do him any serious harm, as it was more akin to touching a boiling kettle for a brief moment.

    If only I could find some cultivation techniques to reference¡­

    He shelved away any idle thoughts and proceeded into Ruby¡¯s artifact space. There were a lot of materials and herbs to analyze. When he read the report, he quickly broke out into laughter.

    ¡°It¡¯s done! All the materials for the Recovery Pill have been identified!¡±

    With all the ingredients analyzed, Li Lang could finally get started reverse engineering the pill recipe for the Recovery Pill. He had all the building blocks. Now he needed to find the method to trim off the excess and be left with the active ingredients.

    From the time he read the results of the first herb he had put into the auto-analyzer, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as he initially thought. The results he got were the final answer, but he now needed to find the process to get there.

    Continuing with the report, he found while he had gotten the material makeup, none of the materials had the same Qi signature as the Recovery Pill he had first analyzed.

    This was a large setback to his timetable, as it meant he was missing something. Something that would change the Qi signature, either the refining process or perhaps a technique of some kind.

    No matter what it was, it would definitely cost Li Lang more time and money.

    To confirm his new direction, he swiftly did a small experiment. Inside his artifact space, he took a small amount of each herb and began mixing them and boiling them. There was no recipe to follow, and he did everything on a whim. He threw the completed mixture into the auto-analyzer and patiently waited.

    A few days later, the results confirmed one of his theories. The Qi signature of his concoction was completely different from that of every material he had used to create it.

    With the path to his goal in sight, Li Lang didn¡¯t shy away from putting in the hard work. He steadily continued his routine for another month, then another and another. During this time, he did add one thing to his routine, which was to carefully test the reaction of herbs mixed together.

    He would start by simply heating the specimen and recording its new properties using the auto-analyzer. The amazing power of Ruby came into play during this time. Every herb that had been recorded could be used endlessly in his experiments, and his only bottleneck was the auto-analyzer to study the results.

    At the same time, he saved up money as he prepared to get a new batch of unknown herbs. He would eventually have to buy another warding talisman in order to do so.

    Months passed by and soon he was able to save up a sizable amount of money. He even felt his body bursting with energy after a cultivation session, which he suspected was his breakthrough to the second stage of Energy Gathering. However, not much changed besides a further increase in his physical strength.

    Having made his breakthrough and some wealth, Li Lang began to ponder how to utilize his resources.

    There¡¯s no point in money if I don¡¯t spend it. I still need to save more money to be able to afford another talisman to replenish my material stock¡­

    Li Lang fetched out his purse and counted a healthy sum there, but it was still a way off from purchasing another talisman.

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    As he worked day in and out, he kept thinking of ways of improving his efficiency, so he had been making more soda to sell now than in his early days.

    However, producing more meant he had to dedicate more time to both production and sales. He had struck a delicate balance that he could manage.

    Maybe I should find people to help me sell my wares, too¡­

    With his war chest filled, Li Lang prepared himself the next morning to head out and had an early breakfast. Sitting inside the first floor of his inn, all the other guests continued about their business without sparing him a glance.

    ¡°Today¡¯s finally the day of the recruitment tests. I wonder how many sects will show up this year?¡±

    ¡°Hopefully more than last year. I hope they don¡¯t recruit enough disciples, so I have a chance to take their special exam.¡±

    ¡°Brother, you should be over twenty by now¡­ I doubt you can handle the tests for your age bracket¡­It¡¯s all usually people who are at the peak of Energy Gathering!¡±

    ¡°...Let me dream, will you?¡±

    The sect recruitment tests taking place today¡­ And with multiple sects, too.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t forget about his goal of making connections to powerful cultivators who could help him save his childhood friends or provide him with useful research data. It was what he had been working toward.

    Seeing such an opportunity before him, he didn¡¯t hesitate to make a last-minute change of plans and go spectate the event.

    Each sect was a huge repository of knowledge, which was why Li Lang wanted to join one if he could. While he had broken through to the second level of Energy Gathering recently, he knew if he participated, his results would be the same as before. There was no way any sect would accept someone with only a grade one aptitude, as it would simply be a waste of their resources.

    It wasn¡¯t hard for him to find the location of the tests, as the entire city seemed to be in a festive mood because of it. Numerous people on the street were actively talking about the event, all heading in the same direction, so Li Lang simply followed suit.

    He soon came before the city walls and found a large stream of people slowly climbing up the stairs onto the walls. When he finally managed to make it up, he instantly knew why they had gathered there.

    On the other side of the walls, where there was usually a large clearing, a group of people gathered on top of a wooden platform. Reinforcing his eyes with his Qi, he was able to tell the majority of the people there were children similar in age to him.

    They were all quietly facing a small crowd of adults at the front. There were several groups of them and it was easy to tell them apart due to their clothing.

    ¡°Mother, is it starting yet?¡± A small child beside Li Lang yelled out.

    ¡°Yes, almost. You must conserve your energy to cheer on your brother when it¡¯s his turn, okay?¡±

    ¡°Mmm, I will!¡±

    ¡°Good boy. As long as your brother does sufficiently well, he should at least be able to choose to join the Violet Sword Sect!¡±

    The test soon began, and a similar scene from his own tests played out. The children were ushered forward to place their hands on a transparent ball to have their aptitude tested.

    Many people cheered in excitement while others who had poor results walked back into the city despondently. Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but think back to his own experiences when both Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei were with him. He let out a sigh as he continued to observe the event.

    He caught sight of several children who were crying in the corner, refusing to leave the area or accept the reality thrust upon them. The people from the various sects ignored them and they continued to carry on their tests until the end.

    The entire event lasted half a day and a powerful cultivator then declared the end of this year¡¯s recruitment. Many people on the walls beside Li Lang did not hide their disappointment when no special recruitment was announced. Everyone began to make their way down the walls and go on with their lives.

    However, the small group of disappointed children still stood in the corner of the clearing, as if their time had been frozen.

    Seeing their crestfallen expressions, Li Lang felt an urge to reach out his hand to them. They were all like him, with no aptitude to cultivate, and he wanted them to join his research for alternatives.

    Even then, his feet remain frozen atop the walls. Li Lang knew if any of them joined him, it would mean they would take part in his experiments. There were too many risks associated with becoming a test subject, especially in an untested field that was starting from scratch. If it was so easy for people of low aptitude to cultivate, then the cultivators of this world wouldn¡¯t have so readily abandoned them.

    If Li Lang accepted the children before him, many of them would definitely perish. Despite his experience in performing human experiments, he was still reluctant to enlist the help of those who were so young.

    He knew they were the best test subjects he could find, which caused an intense internal battle to take place within Li Lang.

    He only stopped wracking his brain on this dilemma when he noticed the odd behavior of one of the children in question.

    A small child had lurched down and repeatedly slammed his head into the ground. It was only because the floor beneath him was dirt that he was still okay, but that may change if he continued with his antics.

    Seeing how none of the other children around moved to intervene, Li Lang sprang into action.

 Chapter 17: Youth Workers

    Even by the time Li Lang descended the walls and made his way out the gates, the boy who failed to be accepted by any sect was still slamming his forehead into the ground.

    Li Lang quickly ran up to the small group of disappointed children who had discovered they only had grade one aptitude, just like him. Their gazes shied when he looked in their direction, which made Li Lang wonder if he would¡¯ve been like them if he didn¡¯t have his previous memories or the support of the Zi siblings.

    He pushed those depressing thoughts aside and held the suicidal boy from further smashing his face into the dirt. The strength of someone in the second stage of Energy Gathering was easily able to overcome the young boy who had yet to become a cultivator.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°L-leave him be¡­ It won¡¯t be easy for him to s-survive anyway if he lost the will a-already.¡± A boy on the sideline, wearing a strange wooden mask, replied with a stutter.

    Li Lang glared at the boy before ignoring him, bringing his attention back to his intended target.

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t have a future anymore.¡± The boy in Li Lang¡¯s arm weakly muttered.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. There are many people with grade one aptitude like us. Hurry on home before your parents become worried.¡±

    The boy blinked blankly at Li Lang for a moment before responding.

    ¡°It¡¯s better if I don¡¯t go back. I¡¯d rather not waste the orphanage¡¯s food on someone like me¡­ who won¡¯t amount to anything.¡±

    ¡°...Are you trying to pick a fight with me? I said I have grade one aptitude too!¡±

    At his words, the boy gave Li Lang a confused look and tilted his head.

    No matter how alluring it is, keep yourself from talking them into being your test subjects, Li Lang!

    Meeting the boy¡¯s gaze, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but shake his head.

    ¡°If you think you¡¯re a burden to your orphanage, then work to earn your keep. I happen to be hiring kids like you to sell stuff, so come back into the city with me.¡±

    Upon reflection, Li Lang realized that it wouldn¡¯t hurt to gain a few helpers. He had been thinking about hiring some helpers, so this was a good opportunity.

    His next venture to harvest new herbs could use the extra help as well. This was especially so, seeing how the talisman¡¯s effect wouldn¡¯t change even when he was accompanied by more people. It would even be better to have some extra hands to better take advantage of it.

    With that thought in mind, Li Lang turned his gaze upon the other despondent children.

    The boy with the mask and stutter was still glaring at him, and he smiled in response.

    ¡°Would you like a job, too?¡±

    <hr>

    In the blink of an eye, over half a year had passed.

    On this day, Li Lang successfully stepped into the third stage of Energy Gathering and his body was gushing with power. However, he immediately felt an invisible force blocking him from further absorbing any more Qi as if he had hit a limit.

    It appears breaking into the mid-stage of Energy Gathering isn¡¯t as easy as just absorbing Qi nonstop¡­I¡¯ll need more information before continuing, or it¡¯ll be too risky to experiment when I know so little.

    Without being able to cultivate further, he had too much free time now. His situation was completely different from the months prior when he had been so strapped for time that he had to hire a group of kids to help him hawk his sodas.

    Still, Li Lang had other things to focus on besides cultivating, such as his research into the Recovery Pill. This new development only allowed him to dedicate even more time and effort to researching the properties of each herb and how they reacted with each other.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    A few weeks after he had stopped making progress in his cultivation, he made a breakthrough in his work. So far, he didn¡¯t have any foreknowledge of the intricacies of alchemy or how anything worked. He had relied entirely on the auto-analyzer to find the material makeup and Qi signature for him to recreate.

    It was a simple trial-and-error method that he was forced to employ, as he couldn¡¯t find a teacher. It wasn¡¯t the best method as it had the drawback of wasting a tremendous amount of resources, but Ruby¡¯s power to recreate the materials within its artifact space completely averted the monstrous expenditure.

    Without the limitation of materials, the perks of such a simple method came into play. Trial and error was a method where sometimes luck played a huge part in the research bearing fruit. He had chanced upon a combination of materials that had a very similar Qi signature to the Recovery Pill he had initially analyzed.

    ¡°Ruby, look! I have succeeded! Do you think my pill works just the same as a normal pill?¡±

    ¡°Master, the auto-analyzer doesn¡¯t lie. If everything is the same, then it should work just the same as well.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­That¡¯s right, but even if I create things in here, I won¡¯t be able to bring it back to the real world with me, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, master. Unfortunately, this space is similar to the simulations that you know. You can¡¯t bring anything out of here.¡±

    Li Lang took a look around the lab at the artifact space generated as he contemplated how he would recreate this pill. He had used various equipment in the lab to precisely measure temperatures and time. He doubted he could easily redo the process in the real world where he didn¡¯t have any precise instruments, despite knowing the process.

    I¡¯ll just have to find a way to substitute the machines for each task one at a time¡­

    An alarm soon broke him from his thoughts, as it signaled it was time to get on with his? next tasks. He quickly exited the artifact space and prepared for the new day.

    He had a hearty breakfast before grabbing a case of the sodas he had made the previous night and made his way outside, stopping just short of the rain.

    ¡°G-good mor-morning¡­ boss.¡± A boy wearing a wooden mask greeted with a stutter, followed by the other kids behind him, who came every morning to help Li Lang sell his merchandise.

    ¡°Good morning everyone. Wei Ping, you distribute the sodas as always. ¡±

    Wei Ping, the boy with the stutter, was handed the case and was then swarmed by the other kids. They quickly divided the sodas they would be selling for the day while Li Lang watched on in the back.

    ¡°B-boss, should I meet y-you here today too, to go b-buy the materials f-for tomorrow?¡±

    Speaking of materials, Li Lang was reminded of the small pile of alchemy materials he had left. Even if he didn¡¯t fail, it was only enough for a few pills at most. He knew his success rate, especially in the beginning, was likely going to be low as he got used to refining them in the real world with the little he had, so his thoughts then wandered towards another foraging trip.

    I should be able to get more if I get a few helpers to tag along.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks for the help. I¡¯ll wait for you here. Oh, and one more thing; tomorrow, tell them all that we¡¯re going out to help me gather some materials from the forest. Be sure they dress appropriately. I¡¯ll teach you all what you need to do tonight after work.¡±

    After seeing his workers off, he wasted no time and set off into the rain to do some shopping. He would need a new talisman to ward off monsters and some baskets for the kids to carry the materials.

    His shopping trip ended uneventfully, and he was able to go over the techniques of how to gather the various herbs tomorrow. The children were unlikely to have learned from his explanation alone, but it was still better than having to start from scratch when the time came to harvest the materials. The expensive warding talisman had a limited duration, after all.

    The next morning, he found the same half a dozen kids waiting for him outside his inn.

    The group of children obediently followed Li Lang out of the city to the curious gazes of the onlookers. That only lasted until they began going off the well-traveled roads into the forest.

    ¡°Hey¡­aren¡¯t there Qi beasts around here? We should turn back!¡± A kid timidly asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a coward! We just have to listen to the leader¡­ I think.¡±

    ¡°I heard even adults stay away from here, though¡­¡±

    Li Lang quickly turned around and clapped his hand to gather everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. What I have here is a warding talisman. None of the Qi beasts will dare come near me once I use it.¡± He held up the paper talisman for all to see.

    His audience stared on with blank expressions as they had little knowledge about the item before them. There were simply too many types of talismans, and they were too expensive. To them, it was an item they hadn¡¯t thought they would ever come into contact with.

    Seeing how they were veering quite a distance from the main road, Li Lang decided not to hesitate and used the talisman. He had learned his lesson from his previous encounter and channeled his Qi into it and the long rectangular piece of paper burned up in golden flames.

    The kids all anxiously stared around for a few moments, but found that nothing had happened. Li Lang could feel all the questioning gazes even from behind and he couldn¡¯t help but clear his throat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You may not be able to see anything, but it definitely works!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The children did not look reassured.

 Chapter 18: Pill Furnace

    Just like how Li Lang planned, his little outing to gather materials had ended successfully without incident. The talisman he had bought at a high price proved to be worth it, as no Qi beast had neared him or his party throughout his time in the forest.

    He led the group of kids back into the city before the effect wore off and had them carry all their gains back to his inn.

    ¡°Thanks, everyone. Here¡¯s your pay for the day. Remember to come back tomorrow on time for the sodas.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± they shouted as they excitedly counted their earnings for the day.

    Having been dismissed, they began to disband. However, before the last of them could leave, Li Lang suddenly thought of something and called out.

    ¡°You! Stay with me for a bit. I have another job for you.¡±

    ¡°Umm, S-sure thing B-boss,¡± Wei Ping replied.

    ¡°You wait here for a second while I put the herbs away.¡±

    ¡°U-understood.¡±

    After stowing his harvest, Li Lang then brought his helper with him onto the commercial streets of Xiang Yang. He brought him along to help him carry the things he would be purchasing.

    Having gathered the herbs, the next step of Li Lang¡¯s plan was naturally to begin crafting the pills. He had spent so much time doing trial and error to figure out how to do it in the lab, and it was time for his efforts to bear fruit.

    However, while he was successful at crafting the pill inside Ruby¡¯s artifact space, it was a different matter when done in the real world. Outside the artifact space, he didn¡¯t have access to any of the technological devices that could precisely control and measure units and temperature.

    As someone who had spent his entire life relying on advanced automated machinery to do the heavy lifting for him, Li Lang finally had to get his hands dirty.

    The first thing he needed to procure was a pill furnace.

    With his soda business supporting him financially, he had a modest war chest. Bringing along Wei Ping, Li Lang headed straight for the pill furnace shops he had previously seen around the Alchemist Guild.

    It was no surprise they were all located near the Alchemy Guild, where most of the cultivators who had taken an interest in alchemy had gathered.

    Walking into the store that the guild recommended, Li Lang navigated through the crowd to reach where the display furnaces were. The first thing he examined was, of course, the cost. The model that was on display in the best area had a small crowd around it, but upon seeing the price, Li Lang quickly moved on to the others.

    The price wasn¡¯t only high; it was in a currency Li Lang didn¡¯t have access to yet. As a store that catered to cultivators, the currency that they charged wasn¡¯t simply the metal coins that were most commonly traded. Instead, it was Qi stones, a type of stone that could aid in cultivation. It was the staple currency in the cultivation world, but was only commonly accessible to true cultivators that were at least in the Foundation Establishment realm.

    For everyone else, they were regarded as mortals and continued to trade with the metal coins.

    The few furnaces in the store that were priced in coins were entirely out of budget, so Li Lang swiftly moved on to the next store.

    Unfortunately for Li Lang, his luck wasn¡¯t better in the next store or the next one, or even the one after that.

    ¡°...All these are charging way too much for just a furnace. How in the world is a beginner-level furnace with no special function so expensive? It¡¯s just supposed to heat things up!¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but hatefully mutter.

    He was staring at the cylindrical pill furnace the size of a large vase through the window of the eighth store he visited.

    ¡°Umm¡­If you o-only need it to heat something, then I-I can s-show you the stores that sell n-normal stoves if you would like. T-the ones for c-cooking,¡± Wei Ping answered.

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    Hmm¡­I only need the furnace as a heat source, so I guess that can work out¡­ I wonder if they¡¯ll be mobile enough for me to carry around, though¡­

    ¡°Yeah, we can go check it out. Lead the way.¡±

    Wei Ping nodded with a satisfied expression and brought Li Lang back into the commercial area near the gates. It was the area that dealt with mundane, everyday items. They navigated through the small streets for some time until Wei Ping stopped inside a narrow street.

    There was a wooden sign hanging above an old musty door depicting a large cooking pot.

    Upon opening the door, stale air gushed out at the duo, forcing Li Lang to scrunch up his nose. He passed by sections with sizable iron cauldrons, heading straight for the kitchen stoves he had spotted from a distance.

    There were neatly lined up kitchen stoves that were basically blocks of stone with holes in them, and a space to put pots and pans above. Those weighed heavily and were too stationary for Li Lang to bother with, so he proceeded to the sections with the smaller stoves.

    Just as he got there and began examining the different models, an old voice called out to him.

    ¡°What are you looking for, you brats?¡±

    ¡°Sir¡­We¡¯re looking for a stove that is easy to adjust the flames with.¡±

    ¡°You young people always want to look for tools that do it all for you, eh? Manning the stove requires some skill and experience, you know?¡±

    ¡°We understand. We want something lightweight too, that we can move around if necessary.¡±

    ¡°So a camping stove it is, then. Here, this one is probably the best one for children like you.¡±

    The storekeeper pointed toward the smallest stove in the store. Li Lang almost found it perfect except for the fact it only had room for one pot, which wasn¡¯t ideal for pill crafting, where one had to handle at least a dozen different materials.

    ¡°...How about this one? It¡¯s small and has room for two pots. I¡¯ll also need tall stockpots, too.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I doubt you¡¯d be able to travel with such a heavy set up though, but it¡¯s your call.¡± The shopkeeper shrugged.

    I only needed to move it around from place to place in case I moved from the inn, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Finishing his purchase, he strained himself to carry it back with Wei Ping. The two lifted the pots and stoves together and occasionally took breaks on the side of the road. However, they didn¡¯t head straight back for the inn, as Li Lang stopped by a blacksmith first.

    ¡°Wait here, Wei Ping. I¡¯ll be quick.¡±

    Unlike the other stores, which had shelves lined up upon entry, the blacksmith shop had a narrow hallway that led further in. It was hard not to hear the clanging produced by a hammer striking something, but as Li Lang approached, the temperature rose.

    He reached the end of the corridor and came upon a forge, where a robust man was hammering away on a small metal piece. There were various tools on the wall behind him, and off to the side was a wide sample of products that ranged from weapons like arrowheads, swords, and spears to everyday essentials like nails and cooking utensils.

    The clanging of the hammer soon stopped as the man noticed Li Lang entering.

    ¡°What can I do for you, young man?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking to buy a large variety of metals from you, whether they be ingots or products. As long as they¡¯re using a different type of metal, I want a sample of it.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s quite an odd request. You¡¯re not looking for a completed product?¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t matter to you as long as I pay, right?¡±

    The man shook his head as he glanced around his workshop.

    ¡°Fine, it won¡¯t be cheap even in small quantities, though.¡±

    Once Li Lang got home with his new haul, he quickly dismissed Wei Ping and went up into the privacy of his room. He immediately took out samples of the metals he bought and had Ruby absorb them into the artifact space.

    He then dove into his lab and began experimenting with the new material.

    ¡°Ruby, help me record the melting point of each of these materials¡­.And the temperature of the materials when the incandescence reaction starts.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Even with the help of Ruby, who acted as the lab¡¯s AI, it still took Li Lang an entire night before he finished recording all the data. It was supposed to be a simple job, but the materials in this world were sometimes imbued with Qi, creating a variable that kept fluctuating the readings.

    When he was finished, the sun had already risen, so he rushed to complete his morning cultivation session. Despite having reached a bottleneck, Li Lang didn¡¯t stop trying to explore how to progress.

    After cultivating, he went on to prepare the sodas for the day and then cleaned himself up.

    ¡°No need to come tomorrow, guys. We¡¯re taking a break day.¡± He said to the kids as they lifted the boxes of merchandise.

    ¡°Oh come on boss, we¡¯ve been making a killing!¡±

    Li Lang directed a commanding glare that cowed the offender. There was no way he would listen to their pleas, as he was anticipating a much more important event. The first official session of pill crafting.

    ¡°No means no. Go take a break.¡±

    ¡°...Understood.¡±

    After the kids left, he rushed up to his room and collapsed onto his bed.

    I hope everything works out okay tomorrow¡­

    With those final thoughts, he quickly fell asleep.

 Chapter 19: First Refining Session

    When Li Lang woke up today, he immediately knew what the day had in store for him.

    After finishing his routine of cultivation, food, and hygienic needs, he quickly moved outside to the small courtyard by the well. The innkeeper had agreed to allow him to store the cooking stove he had bought the day before there. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for travelers to bring along a portable stove with them, but the one he had was a size or two larger than what most people would travel with.

    Li Lang set up the furnace in the corner of the courtyard and readied all the other equipment he would need today. There were containers, materials, tools like tongs, and even a mortar and pestle.

    As he laid out everything, the workers who were using the well all curiously looked on. None of them dared to bother their guest, but they slowed their steps as they walked by to earn themselves more time to view the spectacle.

    Once Li Lang had gotten his makeshift alchemy setup in order, he quickly ran toward the front of the inn to find an unoccupied staff member. He found the innkeeper, the middle-aged lady who had initially greeted him, scribbling on a piece of paper as she worked the abacus.

    ¡°Good morning. Do you think I could buy some firewood?¡±

    The lady looked up and recognized Li Lang before nodding as she smiled at her little guest.

    ¡°Of course.¡± She cupped her hand to her mouth and yelled. ¡°Hong Er, go get some firewood from the kitchen for our guest here.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± a distant voice replied.

    The middle-aged innkeeper then quickly resumed her calculation on the abacus while chatting with Li Lang.

    ¡°So, I heard your little drink business is doing pretty well. Soda, was it? Why don¡¯t you let me give it a try?¡±

    ¡°Hm, are you looking to sell it at your place?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­But our guests usually prefer wine during dinner, and they don¡¯t order too much in the morning and afternoons, as they tend to be in a rush.¡±

    ¡°Give it a try first, then. It¡¯s a good alternative for those who don¡¯t want alcohol. I¡¯ll bring you some later.¡±

    The lady gently smiled at the boy, and before they could continue their conversation further, a young girl stumbled over with a stack of firewood in hand and placed it on the ground. She let out a sigh of relief at having completed the laborious task.

    ¡°Here, Mom. I¡¯ve got to help out in the kitchen now. Bye!¡±

    Li Lang examined the wares and swiftly paid for them after finding no issues.

    ¡°That stupid girl, how inconsiderate of her to just leave it here. Do you need help carrying all that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I got it.¡±

    Li Lang walked over and picked up the firewood to the surprise of the proprietress. His continuous cultivation had gotten him to the third stage of the Energy Gathering realm, the stage where most commoners stopped.

    Every bit of progress after that required a much greater amount of hard work, willpower, and resources. That was because it wasn¡¯t good enough anymore to simply absorb the ambient Qi into one¡¯s body.

    ¡°Oh my, aren¡¯t you strong for such a young boy?¡±

    Li Lang heard her mutter as he took his leave.

    He made it back to his makeshift alchemy area and quickly worked on starting a fire with the new stove he purchased. It was quite heavy and Li Lang wouldn¡¯t have the physical strength to carry it around if it wasn¡¯t for his cultivation.

    As it was new, he paid particular care when eyeing the flame. The most critical part of today¡¯s pill refining session was in controlling the flames.

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    He had no precise measurement tools to rely on, nor the experience to eye the color of the flame like a seasoned blacksmith.

    As he waited for the flame to grow larger, Li Lang reviewed the steps he would need to go through.

    He glanced over at the materials and ran through how he would proceed in his mind. Once the stove got going and no longer needed his constant attention, he began preparing the materials.

    Based on his findings during his time in Ruby¡¯s artifact space, the first step was to grind down the two main herbs, Lighthorn and Bulseed Grass. He took a cleaver and chopped them up before using the mortar and pestle to grind them down further.

    Next, he had to do the trickier part of preparing the Jade Leaves. When he had access to his lab, he simply needed to command the machines to filter out the active ingredient from the leaves, but it wasn¡¯t so simple in the real world without the same machines.

    To address this, Li Lang tested several ways to prepare the leaves using what was available in the city of Xiang Yang. The result of his hard work was discovering that another material by the name of Moonshadow Lotus could be used in an adsorption process with a paste made from Jade Leaves. The results were ninety percent similar to what he got when using his fancy machines in his lab.

    After he had finished processing all the materials in their raw form, he neatly placed them in the order he would need them and went back to attend the fire. The flames didn¡¯t seem to be strong enough, so he took one of the hollow bamboo poles nearby. He used it to blow air into the base of the fire to enhance the combustion.

    Li Lang wiped the sweat building on his brow as the intensity of the fire grew. Once he felt it was nearing the optimal temperature he wanted it at, he took out a piece of metal and gently placed it into the fire.

    He didn¡¯t dare to take his eyes off the piece of metal and before long; it began to light up as it got hotter.

    Using the piece of metal¡¯s color as a guidepost, Li Lang tended to the flame and worked to stabilize it once it reached his targeted temperature.

    ¡°Now then, the easy part is done. The hard part is to keep this temperature consistent.¡±

    As if he were in a race against time, Li Lang quickly placed the pot on the stove while intermittently blowing more air to keep the fire consistent.

    His antics had attracted even more attention from the staff who passed by until one of the older ladies couldn¡¯t take it anymore.

    ¡°Child, what are you doing? Do you need help?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯m just keeping the fire consistent. I can do it myself.¡±

    The old woman shook her head as she flashed a smile at Li Lang.

    ¡°Silly child, you don¡¯t have to work so hard if you only want to keep the flames stable. You just need to adjust the air vents over here.¡±

    The old woman pointed out toward a section on the side of the stove that could be opened up to allow for more air to enter.

    ¡°...Thank you!¡±

    Li Lang was sure his face was red, but he quickly brushed aside his embarrassment as he remembered he was in the body of a child. It was normal for a kid to not know how to properly man the stove.

    His pill-refining session continued after the brief hiccup, and he began throwing the ingredients into the pot, one after the other. At times, he would pour water in while he would sometimes take the pot off the stove and let it rest.

    Following the method he had tested inside Ruby¡¯s artifact space, the final and most vital part soon came. He would have to form the pill quickly before the Qi essence escaped. As he was only refining a mortal pill, meant for cultivators below the Foundation Establishment realm, he didn¡¯t require any special techniques. However, he still needed to get the ratio of binders to ingredients properly for it to settle into a round pill.

    He took one last deep breath before taking the lid off the pot and immediately got to work.

    Unbeknownst to Li Lang, the aroma from the pot escaped at the same time and rushed into the inn. It drew the curiosity of many guests, but thanks to the proprietress, none of them were let through.

    Li Lang managed to swiftly finish the last step within two minutes, completing his very first batch of pills.

    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡±

    He didn¡¯t hesitate to immediately bring one into Ruby¡¯s artifact space and throw it into the auto-analyzer. The machine showed it would take several hours, and Li Lang frowned.

    Exiting from his lab, he stared at the two remaining pills in his batch. He took a deep breath and took hold of the cleaver he used to chop up the herbs before using it to lightly cut his forearm.

    A thin trail of blood dripped down his arm and he swiftly popped one of the pills into his mouth. An overwhelming bitter taste took over his taste buds before he felt a rush of Qi flowing through his body. His body heated up, but what drew his attention more was how the cut visibly started to scab.

    Interesting¡­I can¡¯t wait for the auto-analyzer¡¯s result to see how effective this is compared to the standard Recovery Pill I bought.

    With his work complete, he finally realized that the entire day had gone by, and the fatigue hit him all at once. Seeing he wouldn¡¯t be getting any results for a few hours, he decided to take a meal, go through his nightly routine, and retire early for the night.

    I can¡¯t wait to go to the Alchemist Guild tomorrow to have them take a look at it. It should be enough for them to recognize me as an alchemist, allowing me to buy raw materials from them! Then it¡¯ll actually be profitable to start selling the Recovery Pills!

    Despite feeling giddy from his success, it didn¡¯t stop the fatigue from pulling Li Lang into a deep slumber.

 Chapter 20: Sectless and Masterless

    The next morning, Li Lang headed straight for the Alchemist Guild first thing in the morning. It took him some time to reach the central district where it was located, but even in the morning, there was a large crowd.

    Like his previous trip, Li Lang got into line and patiently waited his turn.

    An hour passed by quickly and he was greeted by an elderly man with a kind smile.

    ¡°How may I help you today, young sir?¡±

    ¡°Um, I have these pills I would like to sell?¡±

    ¡°Oh, and where did you buy them?¡±

    Li Lang placed the bamboo bottle on the counter. It was the same container he used for his sodas.

    ¡°I made them.¡±

    The clerk paused for a brief moment before speedily taking out a pill from the bottle. He brought it up to eye level and carefully examined it.

    ¡°Who is your teacher?¡± the old man asked, somewhat sternly. ¡°The quality is subpar, and just barely acceptable to be sold.¡±

    Li Lang had expected this response, as his auto-analyzer had indicated the same. To be precise, the pill only had 74% effectiveness compared to the one he made using his lab equipment. It may be even lower when compared to what a proper alchemist could refine.

    ¡°Umm, I¡¯m self-taught.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± The old man¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief and only contained himself after realizing the looks he was getting. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re self-taught? What sect are you in?¡±

    ¡°I learned to refine it based on the Recovery Pills I bought. I¡¯m not in any sect.¡±

    The old man was about to shout something but seemed to have caught himself. He cleared his throat before speaking in a more constrained tone.

    ¡°Follow me to a private room please, while I get the paperwork.¡±

    The old man didn¡¯t give a chance for Li Lang to ask any further questions before he began making his way toward the back, expecting him to follow. Left with no choice, Li Lang had to jog to keep up with the brisk pace of an adult.

    They passed by a sign labeled ¡®Consultation Area¡¯ and entered a small room with nothing but a simple desk and chairs.

    ¡°Please take a seat here. I¡¯ll be back with you shortly,¡± the old man quickly said before retreating out of the room.

    Li Lang glanced around and shook his head. With nothing to do, he grasped Ruby in his hands and rested his head on that hand.

    ¡°Do you know anything about what¡¯s going to happen, Ruby?¡±

    ¡°Sorry master, I don¡¯t have any memories of any Alchemist Guilds, but I doubt they¡¯re out to hurt you. You¡¯re still but an insignificant Energy Gathering Cultivator and shouldn¡¯t draw too much attention from these large organizations.¡±

    ¡°Ouch, you didn¡¯t have to give it to me that straight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never lie to you, master!¡±

    True to Ruby¡¯s words, nothing in particular happened and the old man came back shortly with some forms.

    ¡°Here is the application form to become an apprentice alchemist of the guild. Can you read?¡±

    Li Lang nodded, and he continued.

    ¡°You must fill this out and become a member before you can sell to the guild. That¡¯ll also mean you¡¯ll have to take a quick test to prove your pill refining capabilities.¡±

    ¡°That¡­I didn¡¯t bring my st¡ªfurnace.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. We have all that prepared here. Just note that you will have to compensate us for the material costs if you fail the test, so if you¡¯re lying about being able to refine the pills, you should tell the truth now.¡±

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    Li Lang fidgeted around as he searched his pockets and settled down when he found the metal pieces he used to gauge the temperature. He knew a test like this would¡¯ve been likely, but he couldn¡¯t justify lugging around his stove when he wasn¡¯t certain.

    ¡°I¡­Fine, I¡¯m ready to proceed.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. You can follow me to one of our refining rooms as soon as you finish signing the paperwork,¡± the old man urged, as he handed a brush over.

    Li Lang quickly went over the document and awkwardly signed it with the thick brush after finding no problems.

    It¡¯s so hard to use these fat brushes! Where can I get a pen around here?

    The moment he finished signing, Li Lang felt the Qi within him stir, and a force dragged some of it out of his body. He could do nothing but let the Qi flow toward his hand, out into the brush, and then into the piece of paper. His signature gave off a soft glow for a brief moment before everything returned to normal.

    ¡°Was that supposed to happen?¡± Li Lang asked.

    ¡°Hmm? Oh, was that your first time seeing a contract signed? That was normal. The ink used in the brush is specially made by a Brushweaver. It is used in official contracts to bind agreements.¡±

    ¡°So what happens if someone breaks the contract?¡±

    ¡°It depends on the terms and the strength of the Brushweaver and the people who signed the contract, but it can range from just notifying the other party that the contract has been broken to death. In our case, it is the former.¡±

    Li Lang mentally let out a sigh of relief while cursing himself for not being careful enough. There were many things unknown to him in this world, so he couldn¡¯t relax.

    ¡°Now that we are done here, let us be off to the refining room, shall we?¡±

    The elder quickly guided him out of the room with a hop to his step. He was thoughtful enough to check on Li Lang every so often to ensure he kept up, and before long, they arrived in front of a set of heavy-looking metal doors. Two people were waiting before it, a middle-aged man and a young woman. They immediately clasped their hands upon spotting the old man.

    ¡°Vice Administrator Au,¡± they both greeted in unison.

    ¡°Ye Hong, Cao Mei, thank you for coming here so quickly. This here is Li Lang, the person who will be taking the apprentice alchemist test today.¡± He glanced over at the boy in question. ¡°These two are both one-star alchemists and will be overseeing your test, along with me.¡±

    The two both silently gauged the boy while Li Lang greeted them.

    ¡°I am in your care.¡±

    The two alchemists nodded back before deferring to the Vice Administrator Au to proceed.

    ¡°Go on, Li Lang. We will wait for you out here. There should be three sets of ingredients already inside, and you have the room until the sun sets. You simply need to succeed in creating the Recovery Pill once to pass the test. Feel free to let us know if you need anything.¡±

    Li Lang nodded and thanked the elder before he headed for the room. He grasped the metal handle to pull the door open, but it didn¡¯t budge. Even when he used two hands and strained himself, the doors barely opened. Before he could embarrass himself further, the elder had come up behind him and opened the doors for him with ease, using only one hand.

    ¡°...Thank you, Vice Administrator Au.¡±

    The old man smiled. ¡°Go on. We¡¯ll be waiting. Knock if you have trouble opening the door.¡±

    After closing the door behind the strange young boy, the old man gestured to the two alchemists to take a seat in the adjacent room nearby.

    The alchemists respectfully complied while the elder brewed tea off to the side.

    ¡°...Vice Administrator, are you sure it was worth it to fast-track this boy¡¯s exam? From what I could see, he¡¯s only in the third stage of Energy Gathering, so he can¡¯t be that impressive. Does he have a shocking background?¡± the middle-aged man with a mustache asked.

    ¡°Oh no. He told me he¡¯s a sectless cultivator with no master whatsoever. He came to me with a subpar quality Recovery Pill of the mortal grade.¡±

    ¡°What? Forming a proper pill without the guidance of a teacher? Even if the quality wasn¡¯t that good, he must be lying!¡±

    ¡°Or a once-in-a-century genius,¡± the young woman interjected in an emotionless voice.

    ¡°...In that case, should we take a peek as he is refining?¡±

    ¡°Ye Hong,¡± the elder called out calmly, but his words had been enough to make the two alchemists stiffen their backs. ¡°You know the guild rules. We do not pry into the techniques of others without permission.¡±

    The man named Ye Hong swallowed nervously before managing to gather his words.

    ¡°...Apologies, Vice Administrator. I understand.¡±

    ¡°You should learn to temper your curiosity. It¡¯d be too late when you accidentally cross people who you cannot afford to.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Vice Administrator. Thank you for your teachings.¡±

    An awkward silence descended into their room as the old man watched the water boil with his back turned to the other two.

    ¡°Vice Administrator, do you think the boy to be a genius?¡±

    ¡°...Who knows? There are a myriad of possibilities under the heavens. He may have chanced upon an inheritance, have a secret master, or accidentally discovered a new way to refine Recovery Pills specifically. For all we know, he could be in possession of the Pill Sovereign¡¯s sacred artifact.¡±

    The two alchemists could only shake their heads at the mention of such an absurd scenario.

    Before they could lose themselves in their musing further, they heard knocking from the other side of the refining room.

 Chapter 21: Quality and Success Rate

    The first thing Li Lang did when he entered the spacious refining room was to carefully inspect the pill furnace. It was made of a bronze-like alloy that he couldn¡¯t identify that exuded a minute amount of Qi. He could sense that the furnace was also constantly absorbing the ambient Qi.

    He couldn¡¯t find any fuel to burn around the room, so he looked for a button or something similar to turn on the furnace.

    It would be embarrassing going back out as soon as I entered to ask how to turn this thing on. If only I knew a technique to create fire with my Qi¡­wait!

    He quickly placed a hand on the pill furnace and channeled some of his Qi into it. The moment he did so, he could feel his Qi latching onto something within the furnace, and he instinctively realized he had come into contact with the control mechanism.

    A strong fire abruptly lit up within the furnace as Li Lang willed it.

    ¡°Interesting¡­How in the world did they create this control method?¡±

    Seeing that the fire was on, Li Lang gave it some time to heat up while he went to examine the materials. Unlike the ones he had gathered himself, the materials before him were neatly packed and had been cut into neat pieces.

    He paused when he realized one of the ingredients was missing. There weren¡¯t any Moonshadow Lotuses that he needed for the adsorption process with the Jade Leaves. He sighed to himself as he ended up needing to call on the Vice Administrator outside after all.

    The young boy hadn¡¯t wanted to bother him, as the other alchemists treated him with such respect that only a fool wouldn¡¯t be able to tell he was a man of importance. It was also embarrassing that he had to call for help just to open the heavy metal doors.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d have to do it anyway when I was leaving.¡±

    Looking as if he had just swallowed a fly, Li Lang went up and knocked on the doors. Nothing happened for a brief moment and Li Lang wondered if they were still really out there. However, before he could knock again, the doors slowly shifted open toward him.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Um, yes. Can you please bring me some Moonshadow Lotus? Just one should be enough.¡±

    ¡°Moonshadow Lotus¡­That isn¡¯t a particularly valuable material, so that should be no problem,¡± the old man replied while directing a doubtful gaze at the young boy.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Li Lang did an awkward shallow bow as the elder turned around. He knew Moonshadow Lotus wasn¡¯t anything particularly valuable, seeing how it was located in the safer areas where he had gathered before. Still, it was awkward for Li Lang to treat someone with status as an errand boy. He was too used to having the drones and bots do his bidding.

    The Vice Administrator didn¡¯t dawdle and came back quickly to hand over a black bag to Li Lang and closed the door.

    The bag was tied carefully and it took Li Lang a whole minute to untie it.

    Did he really have to tie it so securely? He could¡¯ve just handed it to me without a bag or anything¡­

    Li Lang shook his head as he went to work.

    <hr>

    The pill furnace had proved to be able to control the temperature and keep it stable much better than the lousy stove Li Lang had used, and he instantly fell in love with it.

    However, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the thought of how expensive they were. He really wanted to get his own, but even with the capital from the soda business, he likely wouldn¡¯t be able to afford one for a year or two.

    Giving one last longing look at the pill furnace, Li Lang knocked on the metal doors.

    ¡°You still have two incenses of time before the sun sets. Are you done?¡± The old man asked as soon as the door opened.

    ¡°Yes, here are the Recovery Pills I just refined.¡±

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    Li Lang handed over the culmination of his hard work that was inside the black bag he had received earlier. Empty pill bottles were lying around in the alchemy room, but none of them were big enough to fit the three batches¡¯ worth he had refined.

    ¡°Very well. I will inspect and grade your work with the other examiners. In the meantime, you can rest.¡± The old man clapped his hands a few times and a young boy soon emerged from behind him. ¡°Take this guest to the break room.¡±

    The young man, who was slightly older than Li Lang, bowed and began leading him over to one of the adjacent rooms.

    The Vice Administrator watched the door close behind them before retreating back to the room where the two alchemists were waiting.

    ¡°Here, these are the pills the young boy refined. If you are curious about his techniques, then use this opportunity to legitimately examine his work and figure it out yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ye Hong responded with vigor while Cao Mei politely nodded.

    They wasted no time and immediately pulled out a Recovery Pill from the bag and began scrutinizing it. It didn¡¯t take long before they both wore a frown on their face.

    ¡°As you said, Vice Administrator, these pills are subpar quality at best¡­But they are proper Recovery Pills,¡± the male alchemist carefully said.

    ¡°Is that all you have noticed?¡±

    ¡°¡­Sir?¡±

    The old man said nothing and only directed his gaze to the black bundle of cloth being used as a container for the pills.

    ¡°This bag is made of Dark Wave fiber¡­ It blocks my Qi senses.¡±

    The old man shook his head.

    ¡°Inside.¡±

    Ye Hong was just about to retort with a question but held himself back. He thought there should only be a few other pills in there. He still proceeded to open up the bag and fully unwrapped it to see what the old man was getting at.

    The bag soon untied and turned into a flat piece of cloth with its contents laid bare.

    Ye Hong, as a one-star alchemist, was able to quickly analyze the pills before him. He didn¡¯t find any anomalies, with all the pills being the same, but that was exactly what surprised him.

    ¡°This¡­! There are so many pills here. He should¡¯ve only had enough materials for three batches. Did he succeed every time?¡±

    ¡°Not only that, each pill is of the exact same quality. It was as if they were all from the same batch. There should only be standard-sized alchemy furnaces in the room, correct?¡± Even the female alchemist Cao Mei couldn¡¯t help but interject, directing her question to the old man.

    ¡°That is correct. I believe he refined three separate batches and achieved a 100% success rate.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s only a third-stage Energy Gatherer and a beginner no less. The average success rate for middle-stage Energy Gatherers should be around one in four! And even if he got lucky, that doesn¡¯t explain how his pills appear as if they were from the same batch. Every refining should produce unique results due to the minute differences during refining and the raw materials.¡±

    ¡°Enough, we are getting off track. That is a discussion for another time. For now, are we in agreement that he has passed the test to become an apprentice alchemist?¡±

    The female alchemist, Cao Mei, nodded immediately. Ye Hong, on the other hand, took a second to swallow the words he was about to say before reluctantly nodding as well.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s settled. I will inform him now. Thank you for coming on such short notice, you two.¡±

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, in the adjacent break room, Li Lang, who was the topic of their discussions, was busy stuffing his face with biscuits and drinks. He had spent the better half of the day refining the pills and he was starving, to say the least.

    I am likely going to pass this test, so I¡¯ll have to get the next part of my plan started. I¡¯ll need to start finding subjects to perform cultivation experiments with. However, I will first have to make use of the alchemist guild to purchase more materials to do even more refining to build up my war chest. This may take a while¡­

    Li Lang shook his head, having thought of all the work he had to put in just so he could fund his research to study cultivation with the scientific method. It would be a grand undertaking to establish a new discipline of science.

    He sighed, as he knew it was unavoidable to perform risky human experiments if he wanted to make any progress as a single person. There wasn¡¯t time or resources to take things slow when he was the sole researcher.

    It would help if I could access a sect¡¯s knowledge repository. I could also make connections and learn more about the Abductress to figure out a plan to save Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei¡­There¡¯s so much to be done and so much uncertainty around it. It¡¯s going to take forever¡­

    Am I seriously starting to miss the paperwork and boring meetings I had to sit through for my research funds?

    Someone knocked on the door, breaking Li Lang¡¯s chain of thought as he gazed over as the door opened. The Vice Administrator of the Alchemy Guild, whose name he did not know, strolled in. He met Li Lang¡¯s eyes with a serious expression.

    ¡°Congratulations, you have passed the test. From today onward, you will be recognized as an apprentice alchemist. The ring here is used to identify yourself and should be presented whenever you are doing any official business.¡±

    The old man handed over a ring with a pentagon-shaped bezel with the word ¡®Fire¡¯ inscribed on it.

    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡±

    ¡°Oh, and before you leave. Alchemist Cao Mei would like to speak to you. If you play your cards right, there is a chance she may recruit you into her sect, so do make a good impression.¡±

    What? Maybe I won¡¯t have to wait so long, after all.

 Chapter 22: First Sect

    ¡°Greetings, Senior Cao.¡± Li Lang clasped his fists and bowed to the woman before him. ¡°I heard you had wanted to speak with me?¡±

    The woman had light brown hair and was wearing an olive-green robe. She sat there and stared silently at Li Lang for a few moments before replying.

    ¡°...Yes, congratulations on becoming an apprentice alchemist. I heard you are not part of any sect, nor do you have a master. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    ¡°What grade is your aptitude?¡±

    ¡°...Senior, I only have a grade one aptitude.¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes widened for a split second. Li Lang didn¡¯t fail to miss, but she quickly recovered. She tilted her head and fell into deep thought for a full minute before breaking the silence.

    ¡°Hmm¡­Would you like to join my sect, the Spirit Grove? If you accept, I can guide you in my spare time.¡±

    ¡°Senior, you would truly take me as your apprentice?¡± Li Lang blurted out without being able to hide his excitement.

    ¡°No, not as my apprentice. I will guide you on the basics that you seem to lack and endorse you to take my sect¡¯s special entrance exam to become an outer disciple.¡±

    ¡°...Is there anything you want from me in exchange?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you will work hard for my sect, producing low-level mortal pills for our disciples.¡±

    It was Li Lang¡¯s turn to take a moment. He deliberated the pros and cons of the offer, but he quickly made his decision. His objective wasn¡¯t to become one of the inner disciples of a sect, so there weren¡¯t any major disadvantages to him.

    Accepting would bring him closer to the goal of finding an expert to help save the Zi siblings and his study of cultivation. The offer would help him make an important step toward both goals.

    ¡°I would be honored to accept your offer, Senior.¡±

    The woman nodded appreciatively at Li Lang.

    ¡°Good. I will be leaving for my sect in the morning, three days from now. I will meet you then, so go make your preparations.¡±

    After leaving those words behind, the one-star alchemist took her leave.

    Li Lang wasted no time and returned to his inn after the long day at the Alchemist Guild.

    There was a lot for him to process with everything that had happened. His plans had been upturned, having been suddenly fast-tracked into a sect. While he had yet to take the special test, even just the opportunity to take it was already a huge step forward.

    Li Lang also had to think about what to do with the kids who had been helping him. He would be leaving them behind, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that would be a permanent arrangement or if he would be able to drop by and visit.

    After putting some thought into it, he decided he would start showing Wei Ping, the kid with the stutter, how to make sodas. Despite his speech impediment, he had proven to be diligent and intelligent enough to understand the main points, no matter what he worked on.

    Li Lang knew if he was accepted into a sect, he would likely not need to bother making soda anymore. Having worked in a government institution all his life, he knew the importance of connections. That was why he would go out of his way to pass on his knowledge to Wei Ping. It didn¡¯t hurt to maintain a connection in Xiang Yang when the cost of doing so was low.

    ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯ll be leaving town. If you have the time, please come in the evenings as well, and I will show you how to make sodas.¡±

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    ¡°U-understood.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine keeping the rest of the kids in line, right?¡±

    He nodded and thumped his chest.

    With the matter resolved, Li Lang greeted the innkeeper as well, completing the miscellaneous tasks he needed to take care of before he left.

    For the next few days, Li Lang settled into his routine of cultivating and teaching Wei Ping how to create the sodas. While the recipe was somewhat complicated, the boy at least had ample strength to complete the physically demanding task.

    They mostly spent the time going over how to turn the nahcolite into baking soda. Then, on how to mix it with the vinegar and transfer the carbon dioxide gas over to the drink.

    Li Lang returned to the Alchemist Guild exactly three days after he had passed his test. This time, he brought along all of his possessions, that were neatly wrapped in a large piece of cloth. It wasn¡¯t much as he left his bulky and heavy stove with Wei Ping.

    When he entered the lobby, he saw a figure waving a hand at him as soon as he went in.

    ¡°Li Lang. Punctual, good. Follow me.¡±

    He recognized the voice of the one-star alchemist, Cao Mei, who had agreed to induct him into the sect and complied.

    The two swiftly made their way out of the city. They stopped at a flat clearing just outside the walls.

    Before Li Lang could ask what they were doing, Cao Mei held out a hand and suddenly, a wooden carriage appeared out of thin air. It was a four-wheeled carriage, but there were no animals in sight to pull it.

    ¡°Get in.¡±

    Li Lang boarded the back while Cao Mei took the reins, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat out front. She quickly opened the small window between them once she got settled. Peeking back to check on Li Lang, she nodded and a sizable amount of Qi began emanating from her. Sensing this, Li Lang quickly directed Qi into his eyes and he was soon able to see the carriage being enveloped by the alchemist¡¯s Qi.

    The vehicle then began to move by itself, rapidly picking up speed. Within a second, the carriage lost contact with the ground as it began to soar into the sky. Li Lang swiftly moved the blinds out of the way to look out the window on the side.

    ¡°Have you ridden on a Skyrunner before?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­just once.¡±

    She nodded.

    The duo continued their trip in silence until Li Lang couldn¡¯t take it anymore.

    ¡°So¡­How long will the trip take?¡±

    ¡°Not long, half a day.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    As if she could detect Li Lang¡¯s thoughts, she quickly followed up with an enticing offer.

    ¡°With nothing to do, why don¡¯t I go over what to expect once we get there?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ please do enlighten me, Senior.¡±

    ¡°Your entrance test won¡¯t be much different from the general test. You will be tested on various topics, including talent, combat proficiency, mental resilience, crafting, and an interview.¡±

    ¡°...There are quite a few things on that list I¡¯m not confident in.¡±

    ¡°No need to fret. They are mainly for show. As long as you prove you are capable of refining pills, you will pass.¡±

    ¡­Then why even bother, anyway?

    ¡°So will I be able to visit Xiang Yang again once I¡¯m accepted?¡±

    ¡°As an outer disciple, you can leave as long as you receive permission from an elder or take on a request from the Mission Hall. However, as an alchemist, you should be able to leave if you have legitimate business with the guild as well.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡±

    The woman examined Li Lang¡¯s expression for a few moments before advising him.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t too strict on outer disciples. That means you will have to decide for yourself how to spend your time and make use of the opportunities the sect offers you. I advise you to make use of your access to our library to learn more.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any suggestions?¡±

    The two continued to chat as they made progress on their trip. By the time the sky started to darken, they approached a colossal tree that towered high above anything in its surroundings. The branches threatened to extend into the clouds, and their Skyrunner only made it up to the tree¡¯s midsection.

    Peeking through the gaps in the tree branches, Li Lang could spot numerous people down below. The buildings integrated seamlessly with their environment, making the place appear like an elf village.

    He could spot people and other Skyrunners flying around here and there, but they otherwise had the skies to themselves. Their carriage flew unceasingly into the sect, heading straight toward the giant tree at the center.

    It entered through a large hole in the trunks and landed in a clearing beside a set of heavy-looking doors.

    Cao Mei quickly stowed her Skyrunner away once Li Lang had disembarked.

    ¡°Welcome to the Spirit Grove. I¡¯ll get someone to show you to your room. Your test should start tomorrow after I¡¯ve made my report. Wait here.¡±

    The woman swiftly disappeared, leaving Li Lang alone. With nothing to do, he could only examine the wooden interior of the giant tree he found himself in.

    This place is simply amazing! I would love to investigate how they managed to build it!

 Chapter 23: Spirit Grove

    Not long after the one-star alchemist, Cao Mei, left Li Lang behind, a young boy came in and led Li Lang out of the gigantic tree building to one of the sect dormitories. It was a one-story wooden building, with several tiny rooms that could barely fit a single bed and a desk.

    Once Li Lang finished stowing his luggage away, he couldn¡¯t stand being cooped up in the tiny room and walked out to the common area. There he found several young boys around his age, in the middle of a discussion about the books in their hands.

    Li Lang¡¯s presence was instantly noticed, and they all turned toward him skeptically.

    ¡°You. We haven¡¯t seen you before. Do you have business here?¡± the shortest boy in the group asked.

    ¡°Yes, my name is Li Lang. I¡¯ve been assigned to live here.¡±

    ¡°Now? So late? Impossible.¡± the boy stood up and aggressively approached Li Lang while the others all watched on.

    ¡°Who are you really? Are you from the other dorms, here to sabotage us before the tests?¡±

    ¡°No, I just arrived at the sect today.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± He spat on the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare lie to your Senior Yang here!¡±

    Li Lang had enough life experience to know it would be difficult to get words through this boy¡¯s head. He also knew people who liked to flaunt their superiority often feared their superiors as well.

    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I just arrived with Elder Cao Mei and she got someone to bring me here.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    The color from the boy¡¯s face drained at the mention of the elder. Li Lang decided to do a quick retreat lest he embarrass the boy and start a feud.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m starving. Do you know where I have to go to get some food around here?¡±

    The boy furthest in the back, who was a bystander until now, swiftly answered, giving detailed directions. With that information, Li Lang immediately set off. As he left, the group of young cultivators immediately gossiped about him.

    ¡°Who do you think that boy with the large head is? He said Elder Cao personally brought him into the sect.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but judging from his appearance, he should have a unique physique that caught the Elder¡¯s attention. It is better to befriend such a person rather than antagonize. Yang Quan, you were too reckless there.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t want to eavesdrop further and picked up his speed. He found the dining hall and was able to get food by simply joining the line. He didn¡¯t get a choice on the menu, but he wouldn¡¯t say no to free food when he was hungry.

    Not wanting to stand out too much, Li Lang decided to call it early and returned to his room right after he ate. Before he slept, he did his usual cultivating and checked in on things in his lab.

    The next morning, not long after the sun had risen, the same boy that had led him to his room returned. After a short greeting, he guided Li Lang out into a large clearing near the enormous tree in the middle of the sect.

    The alchemist-cum-elder, Cao Mei, was already there when they arrived. Beside her was a middle-aged man with a long beard that came all the way down to his chest.

    ¡°This is Li Lang, the boy I was talking about,¡± Cao Mei informed the man.

    He stroked his beard as he examined Li Lang with a piercing gaze before nodding.

    ¡°I see. I am Elder Wang.¡± He turned back to Cao Mei. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, we should begin right away. I wouldn¡¯t want the juniors to call me slow on top of being an old fart.¡±

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    Cao Mei nodded in agreement and glanced over at Li Lang.

    ¡°Li Lang, are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The first test they did was the aptitude test. While Li Lang had reported his aptitude level, the sect still had to perform the test in an official manner to record the results. To no surprise, the talent orb glowed red when Li Lang placed his hands on it.

    The old man then moved near Li Lang and placed a hand on his wrist. He stroked his beard as a floating brush beside him scribbled down the results.

    ¡°Next test, combat.¡± Elder Wang flourished his sleeve and a wooden humanoid puppet appeared. ¡°Fight this combat doll. I will limit it to the third stage of Energy Gathering, just like you.¡±

    Li Lang could only take a deep breath at the mention of combat. As a scientist who holed up in his lab all his life, he didn¡¯t have a single experience of getting into a fight. There were soldiers for that, and he was clever enough to steer clear of any conflict, but he doubted he could get away from it now that he was in this world.

    Still, even if he was determined, it didn¡¯t change the fact he didn¡¯t have any skills in combat. He didn¡¯t even have a weapon on him, so he could only imitate a boxing stance he had previously seen.

    The wooden puppet clattered to life. It had the dimensions of a human and was unarmed as well. As it slowly approached Li Lang, he tried to bounce on the ball of his feet and launched a jab at the doll.

    While it seemed simple, with the cultivation of the third stage of Energy Gathering, Li Lang¡¯s fist could easily shatter bricks.

    Just as Li Lang thought his fist would make contact with the puppet, his vision suddenly rotated and, before he knew it, he was facing the sky. He could hear the sigh coming from Elder Wang, and it was then that he realized he had been knocked down.

    Am I really this weak? I¡¯m going to have to work on this if I want to survive in the future¡­

    ¡°Your stance is unorthodox, to say the least. It leaves your entire lower body undefended. I must say, you may not have a talent for martial arts. Hopefully, when your cultivation reaches the next stage, you¡¯ll find that you¡¯re more gifted in Qi arts.¡±

    Fortunately, everyone knew the tests today weren¡¯t based on combat or aptitude. Li Lang quickly brushed off the dirt on him and they began moving on to the next test.

    They moved to an area further from the colossal tree and took a path that led underground. Atop the tunnel¡¯s entrance, there was a large wooden sign with the word ¡®Crafts¡¯ on it.

    It was apparent the tunnel led underneath the trees, as their roots could be seen all around the path. At the end of this path was a giant set of stone doors that easily reached ten stories high.

    It was already open and the circular space inside could be seen. It was so spacious that it could easily fit a thousand people. The walls and floors were all decorated with murals of people performing their crafts. It ranged widely from blacksmithing to construction work.

    There were many people gathered in this spacious hall, all chatting away or reading a book in the corner where several benches were. Others used it as a meeting point with their companions.

    On the opposite side of the hall were five different paths. Each path had yet another sign hanging above it. They were labeled with the five elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, and Metal.

    The two elders wordlessly led Li Lang down the ¡®Fire¡¯ path.

    They soon arrived at a lobby where several disciples manned the reception counters. Elder Wang flashed his token and was swiftly handed a key. The trio then went further in, where numerous hallways branched off, each with dozens of rooms. It wasn¡¯t long before they entered one of them.

    ¡°Your next test, as recommended by Elder Cao here, is alchemy. I have the materials for refining Recovery Pills here.¡± After another wave of his hand, a pile of materials appeared on the table.

    The two elders took a moment to inspect the alchemy room before leaving Li Lang to his own device.

    Time to refine another batch. I wonder if I can get some other pill so I can start expanding my repertoire? And can I even make money while I¡¯m at it?

    As someone who had to be mindful of his research funds all his life, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but steer his thoughts toward securing funding.

    Unfortunately, he previously didn¡¯t have the foresight to ask these questions, so he would have to save it for later.

    He got to work refining the pills once more.

    After several hours working away in the alchemy room, Li Lang emerged and was immediately greeted by the elders, who appeared from nowhere.

    He handed the fruit of his hard work with a smile, as he was confident of the results. After having refined the same pill several times, he believed he was starting to get the hang of it.

    Elder Wang accepted the bottles with a frown before turning to Elder Cao.

    ¡°Three bottles.¡± He opened them each and inspected the contents. ¡°Subpar quality, but he has succeeded in all three attempts yet again, as you reported. Is this a coincidence?¡±

    Cao Mei didn¡¯t bother to respond to her fellow elder and instead stared at Li Lang.

    ¡°Since you are joining our sect, why don¡¯t you tell us? Is this a fluke, or are you a genius, or is it something else?¡±

    Being glared down by two Violet Core cultivators who didn¡¯t bother to restrain their aura, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down his spine.

 Chapter 24: A Simple Test

    Li Lang¡¯s mind went into overclock mode as he contemplated how to answer the two elders before him. The two had suddenly pressed him regarding how he succeeded in every single one of his pill refining attempts.

    Is this not normal? Have I shot myself in the foot or can I get away by posing as a genius? But they¡¯ll easily find out once they spend more time with me¡­

    Unsure of the norms or implications of the question, Li Lang decided to mix truths with lies.

    ¡°This¡­is normal for me. I get this intuition that nudges me in the right direction while I refine pills I¡¯ve succeeded in before. That¡¯s why I rarely fail in my refining.¡±

    ¡°I see. A rare talent for alchemy indeed. I¡¯ve heard many great alchemists have similar abilities, but that is when their cultivation has reached a much higher level. Still¡­it is a shame about your aptitude¡­¡±

    ¡°He will still be a valuable boon to our sect¡¯s many disciples.¡± Elder Cao added.

    ¡°Right, right. Let us finish the tests, then. Little Lang, do you have any experience with the other crafts?¡± Elder Wang¡¯s voice became much more cordial after having found out about Li Lang¡¯s talents.

    ¡°Other crafts?¡±

    ¡°Brushweaving, Formations, Woodcrafts, and Forging. It is fine if you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Apologies Senior, I do not have experience with any of them.¡±

    ¡°Very well, then the last test will be an interview with the Guardians.¡±

    The name spooked Li Lang, but he didn¡¯t really have a choice. The trio exited out of the massive network of underground tunnels and back to the surface. This time, they went even further away from the massive tree than before.

    Li Lang could even make out a transparent barrier in the distance that he only spotted due to the barrier blocking the rustling leaves from entering.

    They went into one of the tall towers by the edge of the barrier and entered a small room. There was nothing in it except for desks and chairs. The door soon opened behind them, and an imposing woman in light brown robes strode in.

    ¡°Li Lang, was it? I will be asking you several questions. I ask that you do not break eye contact with me throughout this entire process.¡±

    Her questions weren¡¯t anything Li Lang expected. It wasn¡¯t a quiz on his knowledge or about his past. There were random questions such as what his favorite color, food, or weather was. The mundaneness of the questions made the interrogation feel much longer than it actually was.

    ¡°I am done here. Elder Wang, I found no issues or traces of hypnotism or anything related to the demonic cultivators.¡± The woman didn¡¯t even wait for the elder¡¯s response before she impatiently walked out of the room.

    The elder didn¡¯t seem to mind and turned to Li Lang.

    ¡°Congratulations little Lang. You have passed the special admission test. You are hereby an official outer disciple of the Spirit Grove. Work hard, and there may be an opportunity for you to redeem Ascension Pills with merit points so you may make full use of your talents.¡±

    Elder Cao simply nodded toward him instead of giving out any congratulatory words.

    ¡°If you would follow me,¡± Elder Wang said. ¡°We¡¯ll go prepare your sect token and I¡¯ll introduce you to the deacon who will be in charge of you from now on.¡±

    Li Lang was once again led through the grounds of Spirit Grove, but this time, he did so as an official member of the sect. The elder was used to his job and quickly prepared a metal token that served as the sect¡¯s identification token.

    The token didn¡¯t appear anything special at first glance, with its only unique feature being the engraving of a colossal tree. Upon closer inspection, it had a faint aura of Qi.

    The elder then completed his job by dropping off Li Lang at the three-story building belonging to the alchemy department.

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    ¡°Li¡­Lang was it? I¡¯m Yu Xue, I¡¯m one of the deacons overseeing the alchemy needs for the outer disciples. You can call me Deacon Yu or Senior, whichever is easier for you.¡±

    ¡°Greetings Senior Yu. I am Li Lang. I look forward to your guidance.¡± Li Lang clasped his fist and respectfully greeted.

    He had suffered one too many times working under an unpleasant senior researcher in his younger days, so he wanted to make the best impression possible to avoid all the drama.

    ¡°Good. I hear from Elder Wang that you can help us refine pills. You can come for the materials and drop off the pills to me as well once you¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°Senior Yu¡­may I ask a question?¡±

    ¡°Of course, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Do I get paid for refining pills?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it depends. For the pills you refine with the sect materials, you will be awarded contribution points. You can trade these contribution points for Qi stones or the regular coins people use if you wish. Or you can purchase the materials from the sect yourself and you can do what you want with the pill.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the clarification, Senior Yu.¡±

    ¡°No problem. It is still your first day in the sect. Here is an introductory booklet with everything you need to know. It even has a map. You should take the day to familiarize yourself with the sect.¡±

    ¡°Should I come find you in the morning, then?¡±

    ¡°That is up to you to decide. Outer disciples are mostly free to do as they please. However, I recommend you start off by going around and see what you can spend your initial contribution points on first. You¡¯ll be able to quickly grasp their value that way.¡±

    So this is like a university, where we are responsible for ourselves. I guess it makes sense, considering outer disciples are people they don¡¯t care too much about. If we are talents they want to cultivate, we wouldn¡¯t be an outer disciple in the first place.

    After thanking the deacon, Li Lang listened to his suggestion and read through the introductory booklet he received. He mainly went over the map and list of facilities. Now that he was officially in a sect, he wouldn¡¯t waste this opportunity to dig up information regarding cultivating.

    As a man of science, he needed to study the path to immortality systematically. Having become a sect disciple was a minor but important step toward uncovering the mechanics of cultivation.

    While the map wasn¡¯t especially detailed, it was enough to help Li Lang navigate to the five-floor pagoda that was the cultivation library for the sect. There were several adult members of the guardians by the entrance in light brown robes.

    As expected, the guards didn¡¯t just let Li Lang pass by unhindered. They checked him for his sect token before he was able to enter.

    The moment he entered, he was greeted with dozens and dozens of bookshelves that were all filled. He glanced around curiously, taking in the new sight. There were only a few people here, and the quietness reminded him of the libraries of his world.

    ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯re here, boy?¡±

    Li Lang turned in the direction of the speaker and found an old lady with a head full of white hair smiling in his way from behind the counter by the door.

    ¡°Yes, senior.¡± He replied with a palm holding his fist. ¡°My name is Li Lang. It is indeed my first time here.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, let me know if you have any questions. As a new disciple, you can browse through the first floor freely, and can take the manuals out as long as you have the contribution points.¡±

    At her words, Li Lang grasped onto his sect token and reminded himself that he currently only had one hundred contribution points. He told himself he couldn¡¯t waste them, and he had to be mindful of how many he had as he didn¡¯t know how to check his balance yet.

    He dove straight into the books and skimmed through the titles. On each bookshelf, there was a wooden sign with the amount of contribution points required to check out the book.

    The first few shelves he went through were all martial arts. The cheaper ones had simple moves of how to coordinate the Qi to boost your movements, whereas the more expensive ones involved more complicated Qi manipulation.

    They all had boastful names like ¡®Meteor Kick¡¯ or ¡®Explosive Fists¡¯ that only made Li Lang more skeptical of them, as they were most likely low-level techniques if all the outer disciples had access to them. The few that had boring names like ¡®Force Palm¡¯ also didn¡¯t attract Li Lang¡¯s attention.

    Not being able to come to a decision, Li Lang moved on to the next category, which was Qi arts. These techniques were far beyond him as they required at least a cultivation of the middle stages of Energy Gathering, so he went to the next set of shelves.

    The next category was cultivation techniques. He remembered being taught about them back when he was living with the Zi family. Cultivation techniques were the basis of all cultivators, but it was known that they only became vital once one broke through into the Foundation Establishment realm.

    For the Energy Gathering realm, the only difference was the speed at which cultivators absorbed the ambient Qi.

    However, what caught Li Lang¡¯s attention was how cheap the cultivation techniques were compared to the others and how few of them there were. It only took a moment to read through the titles before his eyes settled on one.

    It was titled ¡®Spirit Grove Basic Cultivation Technique¡¯.

    As an unexplored discipline of science, starting from the basics is a must. I wonder what the difference is between a proper cultivation technique and the one I made up¡­

 Chapter 25: Cultivation Techniques

    With a decision made, Li Lang quickly decided to check out the basic cultivation technique he found.

    He took out his sect token and placed it on the counter by the entrance, along with the book. The old lady at the counter took hold of the items for a few seconds before returning them with a smile.

    ¡°I have deducted five contribution points. You have ninety-five left.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Senior.¡±

    The old lady raised an eyebrow at the strange kid.

    ¡°There is nothing to thank me for. Work hard, child.¡±

    Li Lang nodded, and wasted no time, heading straight back to his room where he could read in silence. While there was a lot more to explore and various ways he could spend his contribution points, his thirst for knowledge had won out.

    His lifelong obsession was to find a way to attain immortality. Having found such an outlandish method to reach his goals, he was determined to dissect its mechanics using the scientific method.

    The room he was assigned wasn¡¯t large enough for him to pace around, so he shifted and turned while reading on the bed. The Spirit Grove Basic Cultivation Technique wasn¡¯t particularly long, just like all the other cultivation techniques at the library, so he quickly finished it.

    A lot of the content was filler text that went on about nature and the cycle of life, and the main point was simple. It taught the reader that the cultivation techniques in the Energy Gathering realm simply affected how cultivators absorbed Qi.

    The absorption of Qi relied on the power of imagination, and Spirit Grove¡¯s manual went into detail on how to do so by picturing yourself as a tree, absorbing nutrients from the ground.

    The simplicity of it was the reason why cultivation techniques weren¡¯t that valued in the Energy Gathering realm. Cultivators didn¡¯t spend much time absorbing Qi as they reached their limit quickly, and if they persisted, they would feel sharp pain, followed by other, more serious conditions.

    Having a top-class cultivation technique in this case would only save several minutes of time during each session at most unless you were a genius with shockingly high aptitude.

    While the contents weren¡¯t that helpful to Li Lang personally, they clarified a lot of insights Li Lang had accumulated in the matter of cultivation.

    That was well worth the contribution points.

    However, just learning about the cultivation technique wouldn¡¯t satisfy Li Lang. Every respectable scientist had a thirst for knowledge and the habit of testing out new knowledge to verify them and Li Lang was no different.

    He immediately crossed his legs, got into a lotus position on his bed, and began cultivating using the new technique. Imagining himself as a tree that sucked the nutrients and water out of the earth.

    The Qi entered into his lower body before he willed it to merge with him. The flow was slow and steady. It was especially difficult to increase its speed, as it felt like he was trying to force an overfilled suitcase closed.

    He wasn¡¯t able to stay in such a state for long as a sharp pain rang throughout his body.

    Li Lang had cultivated already this morning, so he was already close to his limit. Still, he attained the results he desired, having gauged how effective Spirit Grove¡¯s technique was. Once he was done, he took his red gem and placed it against his forehead.

    ¡°Ruby, were you able to observe my cultivation session just now?¡± Li Lang eagerly asked, as he wanted to digest his findings by conversing with someone.

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    ¡°Yes, master! I was able to feel the flow of your Qi. Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°No, but I wanted to confirm that the intake of Qi this time was much slower than usual, right?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, master. Your intake was less than half of your usual speed.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I had been using the concept of black holes to draw the ambient Qi in, so I guess it¡¯s a given that it isn¡¯t the norm. I doubt people here even know what black holes are.

    With the investigation into basic cultivation techniques done, Li Lang shelved all matters pertaining to it for another time as it wasn¡¯t vital to his current progress. What he needed the most right now was test subjects to do cultivation experiments with. He wasn¡¯t sure how exactly he would find these subjects, but he knew getting lost in several research directions wasn¡¯t the right way.

    He left his room when the sun was high in the sky and continued his tour of Spirit Grove, his new sect.

    On his way out, He spotted one of the young boys from the previous day who had questioned him.

    ¡°Hello again. I am Li Lang. Do you remember me?¡±

    He looked up from his book for a second before giving Li Lang a slight nod.

    ¡°Yuan Quan.¡±

    ¡°So, Yuan Quan, I was wondering if you have any suggestions about where I should go?¡±

    ¡°Where you should go? You¡¯re free to go wherever you please.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know, but I¡¯ve been told I should take a tour around the sect and learn all the ways I can make use of my contribution points.¡±

    He looked up at Li Lang as if he was stupid, but just as he was about to say something, he shook his head and sighed.

    ¡°If you are serious about cultivation, you should only spend your contribution points on things that would either help you earn more points or aid you in cultivation.¡±

    ¡°I see. Any idea where I should start?¡±

    ¡°If you know a craft, then work on that to earn points. Otherwise, go to the mission hall. Once you have enough, spend them on what you need to cultivate, whether it be Qi stones, pills, talismans, artifacts, or new techniques you would like to learn.¡±

    Having mentioned crafts, Li Lang was instantly reminded that his auto-analyzer was currently idle.

    He had previously used it to examine his blood samples to see his condition after cultivating. However, the results remained consistent, where he needed to rest for about half a day, so he had stopped.

    It was a vast waste of his resources, so his next destination was set.

    He headed for the alchemy building that Elder Wang had led him to before and went straight to one of the idle counters.

    ¡°I would like to buy a pill. Can I see the list of what you have for sale?¡±

    The disciple wordlessly took out a piece of paper and placed it on the counter. It only took Li Lang a second to read through the list of mortal pills. The most expensive of them cost a hundred contribution points, while their cheapest cost five.

    It wasn¡¯t challenging for Li Lang to decide on which one to buy as his needs were clear. He planned to analyze the pill so he could refine it himself, so he picked the ones that were most common and had a steady demand.

    ¡°Give me one Qi Replenishment Pill,¡± Li Lang said as he placed his token on the table.

    The Qi Replenishment Pill was just as popular as the Recovery Pill. The latter was for wounds, while the former was for quickly recovering Qi. Both were essential to any cultivator¡¯s survival, and it was safe to assume any cultivator would keep some on them for emergencies.

    After losing another ten contribution points, Li Lang decided to finish what he started earlier. He traveled back to the sect library and browsed through the various martial arts and Qi arts he previously set aside.

    After a whole hour of skimming through the titles of numerous manuals, he settled on three martial arts.

    He knew he was a complete blank canvas in terms of fighting, but he needed to at least be able to defend himself. That meant he must learn how to defend, dodge, and retaliate. The Qi arts techniques were passed over as they all required at least a cultivation of the fourth stage of Energy Gathering or higher.

    Each of the martial arts had cost five contribution points, so he was now left with seventy.

    By the time he finished checking out the books, he was starving, so he returned to the same food hall from the day before returning to his room.

    Instead of diving straight into his new techniques, Li Lang first placed the Qi Replenishment Pill into his auto-analyzer within Ruby¡¯s artifact space before working on devising a new schedule for himself.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just spend all day cultivating or I¡¯d just become another forgettable outer disciple except worse, with my grade one aptitude. If I want to excel with my talent, then¡­I need to start testing out my theories on cultivation. I should try to accumulate more wealth to hire willing subjects¡­if those even exist.¡±

 Chapter 26: Ascension Pill

    Several days had gone by since Li Lang had settled on his new routine as an outer disciple of Spirit Grove. He would cultivate during the morning and nights, while he split his time between training his martial arts and alchemy in between.

    With three martial arts to train, he would spend the latter parts of the morning training the movement art called ¡®Earthbound Steps¡¯. It allowed the practitioner to maintain balance while dodging out of harm¡¯s way. Li Lang selected this so he could run away without fear of tripping when he encountered any threats.

    Then, after lunch, he would head over to the underground crafting rooms to produce Recovery Pills. He had gotten to the point of using several furnaces at once to produce several batches at once, but the most he could handle were three furnaces at the same time.

    In the afternoon, he would alternate each day between training his defensive martial art and the offensive one.

    It was a day when Li Lang was training in the defensive martial art called ¡®Ironhide Art¡¯, that he received a visitor.

    ¡°Li Lang, have you gotten settled into the sect yet?¡± A woman in olive green robes asked emotionlessly.

    ¡°Elder Cao! Yes, I have, all thanks to you. To what do I owe the visit?¡±

    ¡°As I promised, I will guide you when I have some time. Are you done with alchemy for the day already?¡±

    ¡°I have refined a batch, but we can go back anytime. I think the refining rooms are rarely full. I¡¯d be honored to have your guidance.¡±

    ¡°No need. We can do that another day. I don¡¯t have that much time today¡­ so why don¡¯t we go over what you¡¯re already working on instead? I believe you have quite a shallow background in cultivation due to your aptitude, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Elder. I didn¡¯t have many opportunities to come into contact with cultivation-related material besides the basics.¡±

    ¡°Understandable. Cultivation knowledge is the pillar of any sect. Tell me, do you know why sects normally only recruit people with grade two aptitude or above?¡±

    ¡°Because those with lower aptitude would take too long or cost too many resources to break through to the next realm¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. Even discounting demonic cultivation, it is still very possible for those of lower aptitude to advance, but the cost would be much higher. Cultivation is to go against heaven¡¯s will, even if it seems insurmountable. However, the resources required for those of lower aptitude to produce the same results are just too wasteful.¡±

    ¡°If I may be so bold to ask. Then why do Ascension Pills exist? They must be wasteful of valuable materials to help someone break through to the Foundation Establishment realm.¡±

    ¡°They are, but they are also an example of a cultivator accomplishing what seems impossible. A talented alchemist created the recipe a long time ago to help his loved ones live longer. As you say, they are too wasteful to employ on a large scale, and also have many detriments for their users.¡± She glanced at Li Lang to give him a chance to answer, but continued when he just blankly stared.

    ¡°Cultivators who used an Ascension Pill are defective. They may have the cultivation, but they cannot exert their powers. That means they are useless in combat and find it almost impossible to advance to the next realm themselves unless they ingest a higher-quality Ascension Pill.¡±

    ¡°So they produce useless cultivators that only have the benefit of a long life-span¡­¡±

    ¡°Not quite. They may be useless in combat, but they can still be somewhat effective in crafting professions such as alchemy. That is the reason why I decided to recruit you to the sect. You may not have the talent as a cultivator, but you do as an alchemist.¡±

    ¡°So¡­You¡¯re willing to give me an Ascension Pill?¡±

    While that is great, I¡¯d rather not take a defective solution myself, but I¡¯d love to study how it works to see if it could be applied to the orthodox method.

    ¡°Not yet, maybe in the future. You need to earn it first, and it is too wasteful to expend multiple Ascension Pills on you as you are now. Even the lowest quality Ascension Pill is an Earth-grade pill, after all. It is better for you to cultivate to the peak of Energy Gathering first, so you only require a single pill.¡±

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    ¡°...And how long will that take?¡±

    ¡°For someone of your aptitude, it is hard to say. The commoners generally say each stage takes double the time from the previous level, but the reality is different. From the third stage to the fourth stage of Energy Gathering, you must first learn to control your Qi on top of absorbing enough of it into your body. Then, from the sixth stage to the seventh stage, you must be able to control Qi even when it is no longer in contact with your body. These bottlenecks may stump people for months, years, or decades.¡±

    And I only have a limited lifespan, so it¡¯s not like I have unlimited time¡­

    The two continued to chat about the intricacies of cultivation. Elder Cao kindly explained each bottleneck he would encounter and the methods to overcome them.

    ¡°That is a lot to digest¡­I will have to work hard at cultivation, then.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we all must.¡± Elder Cao then glanced up at the sky for a moment. ¡°It is time I return. I will visit you again, but it may be weeks before that happens. Hopefully, next time, we can talk about the basics of alchemy instead.¡±

    The Elder then vanished in a blink of an eye as if she had never been there.

    With her gone, Li Lang went back to his training for the next few days. His routine was only broken when he overheard the other disciples talking.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t dare dream of first place, but the reward for the top ten that allows me to choose any mortal-grade pill doesn¡¯t sound bad. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to prepare a Dao Foundation Pill for my eventual breakthrough once I reached the peak of Energy Gathering!¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding? Might as well aim for the top three for a chance to become an inner disciple!¡±

    Li Lang continued to walk by them but was stopped when the young boy named Yang Quan, who had given him advice on his first official day, called out to him.

    ¡°Li Lang, correct? I see that you¡¯ve been working hard over the past week. Would you like to train with me for the upcoming sect competition?¡±

    ¡°Sect competition?¡±

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t know about it yet? It¡¯s the annual test where we have a chance to become an inner disciple! If you are talented enough for Elder Cao to personally induct into the sect, then this will definitely be your chance to shine.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Li Lang remained silent as his mind raced to account for the new variables.

    From what he overheard, there was a chance to win an Ascension Pill which he was eager to put into his auto-analyzer. However, unlike what Yang Quan had thought, Li Lang wasn¡¯t a talented genius, and he doubted he could place well in the competition.

    Li Lang knew if he wanted the prize, he would need to make drastic adjustments and accelerate his progress.

    ¡°When is the competition?¡± Li Lang abruptly asked, startling everyone.

    ¡°...In two months.¡±

    Having heard his answer, Li Lang sprinted out of the door and went straight for the Alchemy Hall. He rushed inside and searched for the Deacon Yu who was nominally in charge of him.

    ¡°I need a way back to Xiang Yang quickly, and exchange for some coins as well!¡±

    ¡°...Come again?¡± The young man stared blankly at the sudden request.

    ¡°I¡­need to make preparations for the upcoming sect competition, so I have to go to Xiang Yang.¡±

    ¡°...Li Lang, you will require the permission of an elder or take a mission from the sect to leave. In this case, I think it would be better for you to take on a mission from the Mission Hall.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I doubt the elders will respond well to your request¡­Even if they do, it may take some time as it isn¡¯t an urgent matter to them. There should be a few simple requests in the Mission Hall that will save you some trouble.¡±

    ¡°...Understood. Thank you!¡±

    Li Lang ran off to the unexplored part of the sect without hesitation.

    He came into a spacious hall where a large wooden board was placed in the back, where several fellow disciples gathered. He joined them in inspecting the contents of the board. With a destination in mind, Li Lang was able to skim through the majority of the requests until he settled on a few in the area of Xiang Yang.

    Copying as the other did, he was able to take on the request by talking to the disciples manning the counter.

    ¡°Outer Disciple Li Lang, you have officially taken on the request. Please report to the Sky Berth outside with your sect token. There will be a Skyrunner heading in that direction in the next hour.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Oh, and how can I exchange contribution points for money?¡±

    ¡°For Qi stones, you can go to that counter over there.¡± He pointed off to the side. ¡°For mundane currency, you can exchange it at the Sky Berth.¡±

    Having heard all that he needed, Li Lang wandered out to the large open clearing next to the Mission Hall. There was nothing there but wooden platforms, but it only took a few minutes until he realized what they were for.

    He looked up as a wooden carriage sailed through the air at surprisingly high speeds. It circled around Li Lang as it slowed down until it landed perfectly on one of the wooden platforms nearby.

    If you ignore their working principles, they¡¯re almost the same as the flying cars from my world¡­

 Chapter 27: Skyrunner

    Glancing around at the scenery of the Sky Berth, Li Lang had to take a moment to recollect himself. He found it shockingly similar to the air lots from his old world, where flying vehicles filled the skies except the familiar vehicles became replaced by wooden carriages.

    He watched as one of the Skyrunners landed straight down like a helicopter, and another took off speedily, like a fighter jet. However, as expected of carriages, there weren¡¯t any loud engine noises.

    When Li Lang focused Qi in his eyes, he was able to see each vehicle contained an immense amount of Qi.

    How in the world do these carriages work? I am so curious about them¡­I almost want to go dismantle them to see how they work... Contain yourself, Li Lang! Don¡¯t let the urges win out!

    As Li Lang closed his eyes and fought an intense internal battle against himself, one of the sect disciples responsible for managing the Sky Berth spotted the strange child with an abnormally large head just standing in place.

    ¡°You there. Are you okay? Are you in need of the bathroom?¡±

    Li Lang opened his tightly shut eyes at the sound of the voice. He found a teenage disciple looking at him worriedly.

    ¡°Err¡­apologies. I was just looking for where I? need to go to report in.¡±

    ¡°I see. In that case, you can simply call out to any one of us here with the yellow armbands who are responsible for managing the Sky Berth. Where do you need to go for your mission?¡±

    ¡°Around Xiang Yang. Here is my token.¡±

    The older disciple received the token and examined it before nodding.

    ¡°Understood. Head to berth seven in thirty minutes. Inner disciple Hei is heading in that direction, so he will pick you up in his Skyrunner.¡±

    ¡°...And where can I find the counter for exchanging metal coins?¡±

    ¡°Right over there at the pavilion in front of the entrance to the berths.¡± He pointed at a hollowed-out tree refitted as a pavilion.

    ¡°Thank you for your assistance, Senior.¡± Li Lang clasped his fist toward the man.

    ¡°Just doing my job. Good luck out there, Junior.¡±

    Leaving the helpful guide behind, Li Lang swiftly made his way to the pavilion and couldn¡¯t help but feel up the exterior of the building. It felt exactly as it looked, a dry and coarse bark.

    He peeked inside and found a few people there.

    Few sect cultivators bothered to carry these metal coins anymore because, at their level, they traded with Qi stones instead. However, the people Li Lang planned to deal with were sectless commoners.

    Time flew by quickly after Li Lang had exchanged some of his precious contribution points for coins used by the outside world. Exactly on time, a Skyrunner landed on berth number seven, and Li Lang boarded it along with two others.

    He found the carriage a lot more spacious than it appeared, with a total of six seats inside, and room for two more beside the driver. When he stepped in, he found three other disciples were already inside. They all had their eyes closed, and they meditated in silence, so Li Lang and the other newcomer silently took their seats.

    The driver, a young man who was the supposed inner sect disciple, wore an olive-green robe that was distinctively darker than the outer disciples. He gave an annoyed look at the back before commanding the Skyrunner to take off.

    The trip was exciting for all of the first ten minutes, as the Skyrunner accelerated into the sky, but then quickly settled at a pace. Li Lang made use of the idle time by holding up Ruby to his head, so he could delve into his lab to perform some experiments with all the materials he had gathered thus far.

    The auto-analyzer was still in use for the Qi Replenishment Pill, but he settled for mixing various herbs and materials he had access to, and to see if there were any interesting results.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    After half a day of traveling, Li Lang arrived back on the outskirts of Xiang Yang. He quickly disembarked after receiving instructions on where to wait in a week''s time for his return trip. However, Li Lang wasn¡¯t too scared of missing the deadline, as Spirit Grove had a branch office in the city that he could contact as well.

    Instead of heading to the small villages where his mission was located, he didn¡¯t hesitate to make his way straight into Xiang Yang as soon as he got off the Skyrunner.

    The gate guards swiftly left Li Lang once he presented his sect token, and he was once again back on the bustling streets. He immediately glanced around for the gang of kids who sold sodas for him.

    As always, there was a large crowd on the main road, with numerous hawkers and vendors around. He spotted a few kids running around here and there, but to his surprise, even after half an hour of searching, he couldn¡¯t find any familiar faces.

    Where did those kids normally hang out around again?

    The kids had always come to him, so he had no clue where to find them. Left with no choice, he navigated his way back to the inn he had stayed at to get settled first. The mission had a time limit of ten days, so he planned on making full use of it.

    Li Lang was met with the familiar middle-aged lady, who was the innkeeper, as soon as he entered the establishment.

    ¡°Hi there. Can I get a room for six nights?¡±

    ¡°Oh, welcome back! Yes, of course. Here is the key. Oh, and your friend left a letter for you as well.¡±

    Li Lang quickly snapped up the letter and opened it there on the spot as he fell into his bad habits, and allowed his curiosity to take over. Inside the letter was a brief message from Wei Ping, with an address included.

    ¡°Umm¡­Sorry, can you tell me how to get to this address here?¡±

    ¡°Of course, son.¡±

    Li Lang immediately headed out after receiving his room.

    The place listed on the address wasn¡¯t far, but it was on one of the narrow streets in a rundown residential area. Arriving before a decrepit shack, Li Lang cautiously knocked on the door. A few seconds later, he could hear someone running around on the other side. The wood creaked as someone stood behind the door, peeking out before it suddenly swung open.

    ¡°...B-boss, you¡¯re back a-already?¡± A familiar voice came out from the mask-wearing boy with a stutter.

    ¡°Yeah, for a week or so. I had something I wanted your help with. How is the business, by the way? Can¡¯t you afford to find a better place than this?¡±

    Wei Peing looked to the ground and shook his head as he answered.

    ¡°Boss, c-come in first.¡±

    He closed the door behind Li Lang and led him to a modest living room area and took seats around a flimsy table. Wei Ping waited for Li Lang to get fully settled before speaking.

    ¡°Boss, t-the business with the s-sodas is gone. Some y-young masters stopped us from doing b-business because we o-offended them. They w-wanted to know how to make the s-sodas, but I didn¡¯t g-give them the recipe, though. Rest assured.¡±

    I guess that was a forgone conclusion sooner or later when a bunch of kids began raking in the cash. They¡¯re defenseless and easy targets of jealousy¡­

    If I was a hot-blooded youngster, I would definitely go seek revenge, but there¡¯s no point as it¡¯s no longer important to me. My priority is my research.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have another¡­job for you, anyway. And if it works out, you may be able to start cultivating, too. You¡¯ll gain the power to protect yourself.¡±

    ¡°C-cultivating? I have grade one aptitude. It w-would be a waste of resources for us.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it for now. It won¡¯t be right away. I¡¯ll need you to start gathering people so I can test out these methods first.¡±

    With the allure of an Ascension Pill on the line, Li Lang had been motivated to take action. He would proceed with his plan of experimenting around with cultivation, so he may produce some results for himself to perform better in the upcoming sect competition.

    ¡°You w-want me to kidnap people?¡±

    ¡°No, I need people willing to cooperate with me.¡±

    ¡°Boss¡­that¡¯s n¡ªnot an easy request. People won¡¯t agree s-so easily to help you out.¡±

    ¡°Here, I¡¯ve got just the right incentives.¡± Li Lang slammed down a bag full of coins onto the table.

    Wei Ping swiftly moved to inspect its contents. He had masterful control of his facial expression, but Li Lang could see his eyes had glowed for a moment when he saw the coins.

    The money in the bag had cost Li Lang a total of thirty contribution points, but it had enough money for several regular families to live free of worry for a decade. It really highlighted how the difference in value between cultivators and regular folks was when the disparity in wealth was so high.

    ¡°A-are your e-experiments dangerous, boss?¡±

    Li Lang looked him straight in the eyes.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then it w-will still be hard to find a-anyone unless we lie to them a-about the r-risks.¡±

    ¡°If you went up to a normal person in their prime, then yeah, but I¡¯m thinking of something a little different. The first few experiments I do will be the most dangerous, so I¡¯m thinking of finding the group of people who are most unafraid of these risks if sufficient reward is on the table.¡±

    ¡°W¨Cwhat kind of people are you talking about, boss?¡±

    ¡°People with nothing to lose.¡±

 Chapter 28: Recruiting Subjects

    A young malnourished boy navigated around the backstreets of Xiang Yang with ease. He had grown up here and knew all the shortcuts in the city. He soon arrived at one of the poorer neighborhoods to chase after a rumor.

    The young boy easily avoided the less savory people hanging out in the back alleys and arrived at the address he had gotten. He knocked at the flimsy wooden door and within a few seconds, a middle-aged woman answered.

    ¡°Yes, boy? What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Hi there, I h-heard someone in y-your family is very sick and I wanted t-to help.¡±

    The woman put a hand on her hip and glared at the little boy.

    ¡°Who told you this? We don¡¯t appreciate being disturbed if that¡¯s all you have to say.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    Before Wei Ping could continue, a man¡¯s voice called out from behind the woman.

    ¡°Dear,¡± the man coughed violently as he appeared from behind his wife. ¡°What has got you so worked up?¡±

    The two adults exchanged looks before glancing down at the young boy.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Wei Ping. I-I wanted to talk about the c-condition of the person who is s-sick in your family.¡±

    ¡°Dear, why don¡¯t you go take care of little Yun while I talk to this young man?¡± the man said with a gentle smile.

    His wife sighed and gave him a knowing look before disappearing into the house.

    ¡°Now then, Wei Ping.¡± He broke out into a coughing fit once more before recollecting himself. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m the one you¡¯re looking for. What did you want?¡±

    ¡°I heard your c-condition is terminal. I¡¯d like to o-offer something that may be a-able to help your family.¡±

    The man furrowed his brow at the strange offer from a boy who appeared no older than twelve..

    Wei Ping went on to explain how he would be offering a handsome sum of money in exchange for the man¡¯s participation in some cultivation experiments. The man patiently listened, but once the boy had finished, he sighed as he continuously shook his head.

    ¡°No, please leave me alone. I want to spend my remaining time with my family in peace.¡±

    ¡°...U-understood.¡±

    Left dejected at his first failure, Wei Ping made his way back to where his boss was. This was the only case he currently knew of that fit his boss¡¯s criteria for recruiting subjects. His boss had gone into detail about who he was willing to hire, and the stringent criteria made Wei Ping tap into all the connections he had built up throughout his life. It was because of all these connections that he had found out about the terminally ill man so quickly.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m b-back.¡±

    ¡°Judging from your expression, it didn¡¯t go so well, right?¡±

    Wei Ping nodded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯ll get used to it. I just found clues about several potential candidates. Maybe we can go visit them together while we get used to it?¡±

    Wei Ping was instantly taken aback by his boss¡¯s words. He knew Li Lang was new to the city, yet he had made progress in finding not just one but several candidates when he had only found one. Wei Ping decided there was no point in asking, as it would only annoy others. This was especially true with his stutter, so he silently followed his boss toward their new destination.

    Just like before, they found a small house in one of the poorer neighborhoods and knocked on the door. An old man answered this time, who smelled heavily of liquor.

    ¡°What do you want, brats?¡±

    ¡°Are you Zhou Lun? We¡¯re here because we wanted to offer you an opportunity to earn a large amount of money for your family.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°...Go scam some other foolish elder. My son may be at work right now, but even I¡¯m still strong enough to deal with brats like you two, who are still wet behind the ears.¡±

    ¡°No, sir. We¡¯re serious.¡± Li Lang held out some coins for the man to see, then dangled a bag of coins.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll hear you out, but make it quick.¡±

    Li Lang began to give his spiel on what he needed the old man for. He had gotten his information from a doctor in the area who was all too happy to discuss the clients he believed weren¡¯t doing too well in exchange for some money.

    This meant Li Lang knew all the details of their conditions, and the old man before him in particular was also suffering from his drinking problem. The doctor indicated he had a year or two at most because he stubbornly refused to change his habits, which prompted Li Lang to visit.

    ¡°You¡¯re seriously giving me this much for an old life like mine?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we can sign a contract at the merchant guild if you would like. I can also give you a ten percent advance as well.¡±

    ¡°...Yes, we can do that,¡± the old man looked downcast for a moment before a tear welled up in his eyes. ¡°Give my son the advance, not me. I¡¯d just spend it all on wine. I¡¯ve been a burden on them long enough. I may not be able to win out against my urges, but I still want to do something during my last years.¡±

    With their first successful recruitment, both Li Lang and Wei Ping were reinvigorated. After dealing with their first recruit, they moved on to the other houses the doctor had given them information on. They were met with some failures and some success.

    ¡°You got the hang of it real quick, Wei Ping. Very good! I can leave it to you once I return to Spirit Grove. I¡¯ll try to come back as often as I can.¡±

    ¡°T-thank you for your trust. And are you s-sure you can afford to hire ten people in t-total?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I should be able to earn it back in the sect very soon. Ten people are just the start. I¡¯ll need more soon enough, so I¡¯ll have to rely on you.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll¡ª¡± The young boy¡¯s eyes widened as he reached out his hand to Li Lang. ¡°Watch out!¡±

    He quickly dragged them back the way they came. It took a second for Li Lang to realize it was because of the group of people waiting for them at the end of the narrow alleyway they were in. However, when they turned around, they found another group of ruffians blocking them in.

    ¡°We¡¯re s¡ªsurrounded¡­¡±

    In hindsight, I should¡¯ve known the dangers flaunting wealth around could bring, but they sure came quickly¡­I wish I could offload tasks like these to others, like in the past and just do my thing in the lab.

    ¡°Wei Ping, you¡¯re only at the first stage of Energy Gathering, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Stay close behind me. We¡¯ll brush through the front toward the main street.¡±

    ¡°But t¡ªthere¡¯s two of them in the way.¡±

    ¡°I can tell they are only in the second stage of Energy Gathering. If they underestimate us, I should be able to get them out of our way.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re adults, your b¡ªbuilds are too d¡ªdifferent.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better than doing nothing. Besides, I¡¯m a disciple of a proper sect. I should be able to hold my own against regular folks.¡±

    Li Lang tried his best to reassure his friend. However, what Wei Ping didn¡¯t know was that Li Lang was somewhat looking forward to this fight.

    He had recently been working nonstop at learning several martial arts moves and he had been getting curious about how it would work out in a real scenario. This was the perfect opportunity for him to test it out.

    The two groups of men on both ends of the alley began slowly closing in on the two young boys. After taking a deep breath, Li Lang signaled for Wei Ping to sprint toward the group behind them.

    The men laughed upon seeing this as they could not fathom these two children being able to escape from their grasp. The men they were running away from didn¡¯t take them seriously and continued closing the gap at a snail¡¯s pace. This gave Li Lang even more time than he thought to deal with the two men he was charging toward.

    ¡°Ha, what¡¯s the hurry, big-headed brat? We heard you¡¯ve been carrying quite a sum on you, so why don¡¯t we go shopping together?¡±

    Li Lang ignored the man¡¯s words and continued to charge at him. The man scoffed and prepared to restrain the boy, moving his hands to hold him in place. Just before his hands made contact with Li Lang¡¯s robes, the young disciple ducked down so fast it was as if he had fallen over.

    Common sense dictated that the boy would lose his balance and fall on the ground when he changed his momentum in such an abrupt manner, but Li Lang proceeded forward while maintaining his balance as if it was a small matter.

    To the man¡¯s surprise, Li Lang stepped right into the man¡¯s space and took on a proper stance before driving his hips behind a punch to the gut. The punch landed squarely in the center of his torso.

    Everyone froze for a split second upon the scene, only to be thawed when the man realized it hadn¡¯t hurt as much as he thought and resumed trying to capture the boy. Li Lang reacted just in time by jumping to the side. The man continued to swipe at him, but he kept dodging in awkward poses, yet could still somehow retain his balance.

    While dodging, Li Lang¡¯s brain was working overtime, analyzing the fight. He realized that despite having the form, his attack had no substance as a nerd like him was not used to getting physical.

    I should¡¯ve studied a fist martial art as well!

    Realizing his mistake, Li Lang wasted no time and stepped in toward the same man again. Wei Ping was still watching from a few steps behind, while the other two men were getting closer every second.

    I guess it¡¯s time to try out the offensive technique I¡¯ve been working on for real. Let¡¯s hope it lives up to its name and sends this guy flying¡­

 Chapter 29: Skysoar Kick

    Inside a narrow alley in the city of Xiang Yang, two children found themselves surrounded. On both ends of the street, a pair of adult men were closing in on them.

    One of the boys with an abnormally large head was currently trying to break through on one end. After having exchanged a round of blows with one of the adult assailants, he realized his punches were too weak despite having a higher cultivation. He wasn¡¯t to be blamed, as the difference between the beginning stages of the Energy Gathering realm was marginal. This was especially so when their body size was factored into the equation.

    The adult ambusher and his companions were completely confident they had everything under control. The allies of the man whom Li Lang was fighting watched the fight with a grin or were leisurely sauntering over from the other end of the alley.

    However, after exchanging a few moves with the boy, the attacker realized what he thought was an easy target had more teeth than he thought. Unfortunately for the children, the man wouldn¡¯t back down from just that.

    The attacker had the boy¡¯s back against the walls and was prepared to finish this farce and stop playing around.

    His friends had received news that these kids had been going around their area, carrying a large sum of money around them, so he thought it was inevitable they would be targeted. He thought it was better that he did it rather than the more ruthless thugs around.

    Combined with the prospect of an easy payday, the grown man jumped into action. He lunged out at the boy, who had gotten passive since his tiny fist had proven ineffective against him.

    Just like before, Li Lang dodged out of the way with awkward and unpredictable movements that surprised everyone with how he could still maintain balance. Despite having seen this before, the man couldn¡¯t help but be caught off guard.

    Taking the opportunity offered to him, Li Lang stepped into his attack range again. Instead of preparing a punch this time, he turned around while pivoting on one leg. As he turned, he raised his other leg and prepared to kick out.

    Li Lang had practiced this technique for the past week, and it was his first time using it against a real person. He executed the move exactly as he had done in training and soon felt his feet come into contact with something solid.

    It didn¡¯t last long as he sent the full-grown man flying into the wall behind him.

    It did send him flying, so I guess the Skysoar Kick lives up to its name¡­

    Everyone in the narrow alleyway froze for a moment at the unbelievable scene. A small boy around the age of ten had managed to launch a full-grown man.

    Li Lang and Wei Ping recovered from this shock immediately. They exchanged a quick glance before sprinting past the remaining man who stood in their path. Luckily, the man hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock, letting them run by while he stared dumbfounded at his companion.

    The two children ran away at full speed, weaving through the narrow streets to break the line of sight. Unfortunately, Li Lang wasn¡¯t particularly fast and was dragging back Wei Ping. His abnormally large head affected his balance too drastically for him to have the speed needed to outrun their adult pursuers.

    Once they caught up, it wasn¡¯t difficult for them to tackle down the two out-of-breath children. The man whom Li Lang had kicked caught up to the group last.

    So it wasn¡¯t powerful enough after all¡­I can¡¯t use the excuse I¡¯m a noncombatant anymore if I want to survive in this world. I need to train up my fighting skills a lot more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be getting away from this in one piece after that stunt you pulled,¡± the man said as he nursed his chest.

    He grabbed Li Lang by the hair and winded up his arm to punch the brat when suddenly, a figure leaped down from the roof. The sound of robes fluttering drew everyone¡¯s attention as the newcomer landed squarely on the man holding down Li Lang.

    The adults stared at the young girl, who had abruptly appeared with their mouths agape. She appeared no older than Li Lang and had a petite figure that complimented her straight black hair. The girl exuded a powerful aura that made it unquestionable that she had the highest cultivation among the people present.

    ¡°Scram! Unless you guys want me to take action,¡± the young girl declared as she kicked over the man at her feet.

    The other men exchanged glances with each other before quickly turning tail. With the assailants escaping with their tails between their legs, the girl then turned to Li Lang and Wei Ping.

    ¡°Pathetic people like you make me regret having joined the same sect.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Right after she spoke, she vanished as abruptly as she had appeared. Li Lang wasn¡¯t even able to react before she swiftly climbed back onto the roof.

    Seeing they were now alone in the alleyway, the duo awkwardly exchanged glances before getting up.

    Meanwhile, the young girl who had just saved them was quickly moving from roof to roof. She then leaped into a sea of people on the main road and entered a lavish restaurant. She navigated through the building without hesitation toward one of the private rooms.

    She didn¡¯t bother to knock and went straight into the room, where a portly man who was dressed like a rich merchant was eating alone. The man didn¡¯t bother glancing toward the newcomer taking a seat beside him, and continued enjoying his food.

    ¡°Senior Brother Jian, your disguises look especially ugly this time.¡±

    ¡°Come now, don¡¯t bully me, Junior Xue. Quickly make your report so I can head back.¡±

    <hr>

    Time passed by in the blink of an eye, and Li Lang¡¯s time in Xiang Yang was running out.

    Over the past week, he and Wei Ping had brainstormed various methods to reach out to candidates for the first round of experiments. They visited many areas of the city, searching mainly for terminally ill patients or others who had a high tolerance for risk. They made slow progress, but any progress was still better than none.

    Before heading back to the sect, Li Lang first needed to complete the request he took on from the Mission Hall or risk taking the contribution points penalty.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave recruiting to you, Wei Ping. I¡¯ll probably be back in a few weeks, so we¡¯ll start our first round of experiments, then.¡± Li Lang fetched out his money pouch. ¡°Here, keep this as well, in case it takes me a while to return.¡±

    Wei Ping took a quick look at the contents of the pouch, and his eyes widened.

    ¡°T-that¡¯s a lot of m-money. Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s no use to me in the sect, anyway. I¡¯ll bring more the next time I come, so recruit as many people as you can find.¡±

    ¡°...Understood!¡±

    Li Lang kept the parting brief as he began leaving the city of Xiang Yang. He headed in the direction of a nearby village and refreshed himself on the task at hand. Despite being called nearby, it still took Li Lang a few hours of walking to reach his destination.

    ¡°Investigate what destroyed the fields of Yong village,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    What am I, a detective? This better not lead to a Qi beast because that¡¯s way more than what I can currently handle.

    Li Lang¡¯s mind was preoccupied with the experiments he would be doing with his new subjects. He wasn¡¯t interested in the mystery of the mission at all. As a result, he rushed into the village and did the bare minimum required of him by mechanically following the guidelines set by the mission hall.

    He spoke to the villagers and inspected the fields. His auto-analyzer was busy with the Replenishment Pill, so he simply sketched down the prints found around the scene.

    His body was mechanically completing the task, while his mind was elsewhere. The mission passed by in a blur and he soon found himself on a Skyrunner returning to the sect.

    When he returned to the sect after an entire week, the atmosphere had drastically changed. Everyone was busier than ever, as they all busied themselves with the preparations for the upcoming sect competition.

    ¡°Did you hear? There¡¯s this freak among the independent cultivators that made it past the qualifiers that have been constantly beating people with higher cultivation. I heard he only has a grade two aptitude like me too!¡±

    ¡°Really!? Are we sure he isn¡¯t a demonic cultivator then?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­The elder in charge allowed him to proceed to the main competition, so probably not.¡±

    While the name of Spirit Grove¡¯s sect-wide competition may imply it was exclusive to their disciples, that wasn¡¯t the case. Sectless independent cultivators were welcome to join after passing through a preliminary round. It gave them a chance to show off their skills for a chance to join a sect or win rewards.

    Occasionally, they would be upstarts that surpassed everyone¡¯s expectations as well. When this happened, the news would make its rounds, which naturally meant Li Lang caught wind of this as well.

    ¡°Is that true? You say there¡¯s a young independent cultivator around my age in the seventh stage of Energy Gathering who is easily defeating others who are one or two stages above him? He even has a grade two aptitude?¡± Li Lang tightly held onto one of his dorm mates when he overheard their conversation.

    The outer disciples that Li Lang ambushed were completely stunned at the sudden interrogation and at a loss for words.

    Thankfully, coming to their rescue was the nearby Yang Quan, whom Li Lang had previously spoken with.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Calm down and let him go first. I¡¯ll tell you what I know.¡±

    Oops, I lost control of myself again. But the news of someone making such progress with low aptitude sounds like great research material!

    ¡°...Oh, sorry. I lost control of myself there. Please excuse me.¡±

    As Li Lang retreated, Yang Quan stared at his back the entire time.

    However, Li Lang was completely oblivious to this, as he was in a rush to go about his schedule. He had to cultivate his martial arts techniques and then refine pills. Every time he turned in a batch of pills, he would gain a contribution point for every pill.

    In contrast, the mission Li Lang had completed only netted him ten points.

    He steadily built up his points as he prepared for another outing to Xiang Yang to finally begin his experiments.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the Mission Hall will temporarily stop issuing non-urgent missions,¡± the disciple in the Mission Hall replied.

    ¡°What? How long will this last for?¡±

    ¡°Until the sect competition ends. This is to ensure no issues arise during this important event as all disciples are required to participate in some fashion.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    Li Lang was immediately dejected at hearing the news. He had been thinking long and hard about his experiments, but now he was forced to wait for over a month.

    ¡­In a way, it¡¯ll give me more time to refine my ideas some more. Maybe I can take some inspiration from the event as well¡­

 Chapter 30: Sect Competition

    Before it was time for Spirit Grove¡¯s annual sect competition, Li Lang received another visit from Elder Cao.

    ¡°Li Lang, I heard you¡¯ve successfully learned to refine the Qi Replenishment Pill.¡± The elder said as soon as Li Lang exited from the refining room.

    ¡°That is¡­ correct, Elder.¡±

    ¡°Good, good, good. May I see your latest work?¡±

    ¡°Of course, elder.¡± Li Lang handed a bottle of freshly refined pills over. ¡°Here it is.¡±

    Elder Cao carefully examined the new pills she received before wearing her signature frown.

    ¡°Li Lang, these are also subpar in quality, just like your Recovery Pills. Can you really not put a little more care when refining them? Or are you struggling with the Qi flame control techniques?¡±

    ¡°...Elder, my method for refining is special, so I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re referring to.¡±

    ¡°Oh dear me, I forgot that you are a new disciple¡­and one that is only in the third stage of Energy Gathering. You won¡¯t be able to make use of any Qi flame control techniques at that level, so maybe that¡¯s why¡­¡±

    Li Lang decided to stay quiet as the elder contemplated. He didn¡¯t really want to go into detail about how he refined pills as it may touch on the secret of Ruby, so he decided to let the elder come to her own conclusions.

    The elder then proceeded to mouth off on a long rant, highlighting the basics of alchemy to Li Lang. She went into detail from the very first step to the last. Halfway through, Li Lang began paying serious attention to her words when he found many steps he was completely ignorant of.

    It turned out that alchemists usually monitored the contents of their furnaces throughout the entire process with their Qi sense. They would use their power to adjust how the materials fused together and other reactions.

    The more Li Lang listened, the more he began to understand why his pills were always considered subpar. His method was perfect for mass production, but quality was entirely sacrificed when formulating his production method. It was inevitable when he tried to make a method that succeeded every time.

    Once Elder Cao was finished with her lengthy retelling of the basic pill refining process, she swiftly took her leave when she saw the time.

    However, Li Lang barely noticed, as he was busy mumbling to himself while he contemplated ways he could address the weakness in his refining method. When he came to it, he was already alone, with only a few other disciples in the distance staring at him with strange looks.

    Ignoring their gazes, Li Lang put himself on autopilot, making his way back to his dorm while he got lost in his own thoughts.

    This caused even more disciples to witness the strange scene of the young child walking around while staring at the ground with a hand on his chin. Many steered clear of his way, as he was completely oblivious of his surroundings.

    This continued until the young boy encountered several disciples who were equally oblivious, as they were busy arguing. They blocked the path to Li Lang¡¯s dorm, which resulted in him colliding directly into the back of one such disciple.

    ¡°Who dares push me?¡± The young disciple shouted as he turned toward his assailant.

    It was only then that Li Lang woke up from his deliberations. He looked up to find a dozen disciples glaring at him. There were also a few faces he recognized as his dorm mates further in the back.

    Did I interrupt something?

    ¡°Oh sorry, didn¡¯t see you there.¡±

    ¡°...How dare you? Are you belittling me?¡± The young boy stood tall and loomed over Li Lang.

    ¡°What? No. I just wasn¡¯t looking where I was going and accidentally ran into you since you¡¯re blocking the entrance.¡°

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    ¡°So it¡¯s my fault now? Ha, someone has dared put the blame on me. If I don¡¯t teach you a lesson here, then how will my Sun family still have the face to be in the sect?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡±

    ¡°Sun Pang, are you trying to break sect rules and inflict violence on your fellow disciple in front of all these witnesses?¡±

    Coming to Li Lang¡¯s rescue, Yang Quan strode forward from within the dorm. He gave Li Lang a quick nod before bringing his attention back to their common adversary.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yang Quan, I wasn¡¯t done with you yet! It seems like the Feng Shui here is no good. The people who reside here are all tactless barbarians. It is up to me to teach you people a lesson.¡±

    Sparks between the two boys could almost be seen, but just as they were prepared to take action, each of their companions held them back.

    After some whispering among each group, both parties decided to back down, but not without parting words.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you go with a warning for today, but you won¡¯t be so lucky during the sect competitions.¡± Sun Pang sneered.

    ¡°You took the words right out of my mouth,¡± Yang Quan retorted.

    Sun Pang¡¯s group quickly took their leave and Li Lang decided to do the same, returning to his room.

    After that day, it became much more peaceful for Li Lang. Everyone was busy preparing for the competition while Li Lang focused on breaking through to the fourth stage of Energy Gathering.

    The gap between the third stage and fourth stage of Energy Gathering was special. It represented the first minor bottleneck in a cultivator¡¯s journey. No longer could the practitioner advance by simply gathering and absorbing Qi. They now had to learn to control their Qi even when it was outside of the cultivator.

    The signature ability of a mid-stage Energy Gatherer was how they could envelop their skin in a protective Qi, the most basic Qi technique that manifested outside of the body.

    The time it took for a cultivator to overcome this bottleneck varied greatly, with those with higher aptitude much better off. For those with grade one aptitude like Li Lang, Elder Cao mentioned the fastest recorded case to her knowledge was two years, but it was normal to expect around five years. In comparison, those with grade two aptitude had a much easier time, with one year being the average.

    While the elder had explained what he needed to do to break through, Li Lang had no idea why he needed to externally manifest his Qi to break through. He was dying to investigate the underlying reason, but he was cut off from his willing test subjects back in Xiang Yang.

    Without being able to make any progress in his research, Li Lang obediently cultivated and slowly explored ways to control his Qi.

    Time flew by as Li Lang fumbled his way around his cultivation, to no avail.

    Almost two months had passed since his return from Xiang Yang and the time for the sect competition had arrived.

    All the outer disciples gathered on the spacious training grounds that had been transformed into a coliseum. They each organized themselves by the dorm they were from and swiftly got seated around the colossal arena.

    The bustling crowd was so loud that the people present could only converse with their immediate neighbors.

    It was only when a lanky old man took the stage that they began to quiet down. The old man wore a kind smile like any grandfather would when facing their grandchildren, but he had an unmistakable aura of authority that was hard to ignore.

    He only needed to clear his throat once to completely silence the entire venue.

    ¡°Disciples of Spirit Grove, I, Gong Tai, the Vice Sect Leader of Spirit Grove, will once again be managing the sect competition this year. Some of you may have heard this before, but for the new disciples, listen carefully. The sect competition is meant to foster a positive environment to motivate you to grow. While competition is good, be mindful of how far you take it. Poison is in quantity. Always keep that in mind.¡± The Vice Sect Leader paused as he took a moment to glance at the position of the sun. ¡°The time is now. I officially declare the start of this year¡¯s sect competition! Disciples, follow your senior¡¯s lead, while visitors should wait in place until someone gets you.¡±

    As soon as he was done with his speech, the old man suddenly vanished from the eyes of thousands of outer disciples. The ground then violently shook as a platform was raised from the ground until it reached ten stories high. Atop the platform, the lanky Vice Sect Leader reappeared along with two other elders, sitting comfortably in their seats.

    ¡°New disciples taking part in the combat section go to the yellow area by the arenas. Your fights will take place in arenas one through nine.¡± Several teenagers shouted out.

    Li Lang glanced down at the arena below and found dozens of platforms made of light grey stones, each labeled with a number. They were only elevated a meter, but having visited here before, Li Lang was surprised at how much the once-empty training ground had transformed.

    The arenas were further separated by the colored lines beneath the platforms.

    Right in front of Li Lang, he spotted stairs that led from the spectators¡¯ stands down to the arena floor. On the ground level where the platforms were, there were even tunnel entrances that numerous other disciples made use of. One of these tunnels in particular had a fireplace before it, producing red smoke.

    ¡°Li Lang, it is time. Let¡¯s go teach Sun Pang a lesson.¡±

    Li Lang glanced up to find Yang Quan staring at him with eyes of determination and nodded in a friendly manner his way. In response, Li Lang scratched his cheeks as he replied.

    ¡°Umm¡­I won¡¯t be joining you.¡±

 Chapter 31: Only Child

    ¡°What do you mean you won¡¯t be joining? All disciples have to participate.¡± Yang Quan said with a strained voice.

    ¡°I will be participating, just in another event. I¡¯m more of an alchemist than a fighter.¡±

    ¡°What? Wait¡­¡± A look of realization hit Yang Quan. ¡°Is that why Elder Cao brought you into the sect?¡±

    ¡°Exactly so.¡±

    The young boy grimaced at the news. He had known Elder Cao as a formidable fighter first before her identity as an alchemist, which caused the misunderstanding. Embarrassed, he quickly departed from the stands, diving headfirst into the arena below.

    Li Lang scratched his head as he wondered how any of this even mattered, but before he could dwell on it, the seniors in the sect shouted out once more.

    ¡°Disciples participating in the crafts event please gather at the tunnel entrance with the red smoke!¡±

    There were several tunnel entrances to the arena floor, and one of them had a small fire going. The fire produced red fumes, which Li Lang had been wondering about, but now the mystery had been resolved.

    He joined the rest of the crowd and made their way down the stairs from the spectator¡¯s area to the floor below. It didn¡¯t take long, as all the disciples with higher cultivation opted to directly jump down instead.

    There was a disproportionate amount of participants in the combat event compared to the crafts event. Mastering a craft was not easy and these numbers exactly demonstrated that. However, one craftsman could service numerous cultivators, so if that ratio was taken into consideration, there were more craftsmen than combatants.

    Li Lang was soon guided into the tunnels along with the other participants towards the interiors of the coliseum building. While walking, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but notice he was drawing many gazes, and from what he overheard, it wasn¡¯t because of his abnormally large head.

    It didn¡¯t take long before he realized all the other participants around him were at least a year older. Thankfully, as a competition for youths, there were no adults either.

    ¡°This youngster should be new to the sect¡­Is he really participating in a craft competition at such a young age? He probably can¡¯t even use Qi sense yet.¡±

    ¡°Of course not! I can feel that he is only in the third stage of Energy Gathering¡­What is he doing? Is he lost?¡±

    Li Lang knew there was no point in telling them otherwise, as he was experienced enough to know that most people wouldn¡¯t change their initial perception of somebody until proven otherwise. After all, action spoke louder than words.

    They soon exited the coliseum itself and trekked through the sect ground until they reached the underground facility Li Lang had visited previously. They arrived at the spacious underground hall where there were many paths that split off, each labeled with one of the five elements.

    Five people waited there for the group and from their demeanor, everyone could instantly tell they were sect elders.

    ¡°Split up into your crafts. You will be brought to your respective profession¡¯s area by these esteemed elders here.¡±

    Li Lang stared at the elder positioned in front of each path for a moment. They read, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.

    The disciples quickly dispersed and Li Lang headed for the elder before the ¡®Fire¡¯ path that represented alchemy. Once they were grouped, the elders began leading them down the paths behind them until they arrived in the Alchemy hall.

    A dozen disciples were participating in the alchemy competition.

    ¡°The first round of competition is simple. Craft as many Mortal-grade Recovery Pills as you can. Each room is well stocked with ten sets of materials. You will continue to refine pills until the materials run out.¡± The elder explained.

    ¡°Elder Ma, how is the evaluation weighted? Does the final number of pills matter more or quality?¡±

    ¡°Of course, both. I won¡¯t disclose the exact details, but as proud alchemists, you must hold yourself to higher standards. Do not slack off, always strive for the best.¡±

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    While all the disciples looked excited or determined to place well in the competition, Li Lang was completely listless.

    The Ascension Pill¡­If only I was a better fighter, I would have a chance to attain it. Why can¡¯t this alchemy competition have it as a reward as well? It¡¯s a pill, for goodness¡¯ sake! I can feel the secrets of cultivating, eluding me!

    By the time Li Lang snapped out of it, all the other disciples had already entered into their own refining room.

    ¡°Junior, you have waited until everyone else left. Tell me, what do you require? I¡¯ll be sure to keep it a secret.¡±

    ¡°Umm...That¡¯s right.¡± Li Lang faltered for a moment at the sudden question. ¡°Do you have any Moonshadow Lotus?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will bring it to your refining room. You can go on in.¡±

    Seeing how the elder answered so earnestly, Li Lang complied and entered his assigned refining room. He took stock of the materials and carefully examined the equipment within. By the time he was done, a knock resounded, and he found a bag of Moonshadow Lotus just outside the door.

    ¡°Okay¡­I have all the materials I need and more. Time to get to work.¡±

    As Li Lang worked on refining three batches of Recovery Pills concurrently as he was used to, his mind couldn¡¯t help but wander to Elder Cao¡¯s teachings.

    She had opened up a new realm of pill refining to him, one where the alchemist carefully monitored the pill¡¯s conditions throughout the process. However, it required the alchemist to use Qi sense, something that he wasn¡¯t able to do yet. He explored ways he could address this with his current method but found it incompatible.

    My approach is based on the mass production method, where I ensure all my inputs are consistently the same to allow for a repeatable process. The ¡®proper¡¯ way Elder Cao showed requires paying attention to each pill throughout the entire refinement process, an artisan¡¯s way that is on the other end of the spectrum¡­

    As Li Lang worked on the pills, he inadvertently displayed one of the advantages of his mass production method. Even while his mind was elsewhere, the refining was a success. While for other alchemists, the tiniest distraction could cause their furnace to blow up.

    With the entire refining process mastered, Li Lang was able to complete his assignment without failing once. As expected of someone who refined three furnaces concurrently, he was the first one to come out, despite being the last one to start.

    ¡°Is there a problem? Perhaps you need more Moonshadow Lotus? If so¡­while I can¡¯t comment too much on another alchemy technique, but isn¡¯t it a little too wasteful?¡±

    ¡°...No, Elder Ma. I am done. Here are my Recovery Pills.¡±

    ¡°So quickly?¡±

    The elder swiftly snatched up the bottle in Li Lang¡¯s hand, but quickly caught himself in the act just before he opened it. There were procedures to follow, which meant he had to wait until everyone else was done before he evaluated it before all the contestants in a show of fairness.

    The elder was left wondering to himself how Moonshadow Lotus could possibly accelerate the refining process of something as elementary as Recovery Pills. For a moment, he thought Li Lang may have lied, but the scent from the bottle was unmistakable for a veteran alchemist like him.

    ¡°...Elder, is it okay if I went to the washroom?¡± Li Lang asked.

    ¡°Yes, yes. It will take some time before the other participants are done. Just make sure you¡¯re back before then.¡±

    With Li Lang gone, the elder was left alone while he pondered the ways of alchemy. It made time pass quickly, and soon, all the other contestants exited their refining rooms. They neatly lined up in front of the elder, and Li Lang came just in time for the evaluation to begin.

    ¡°You have all done well. We will now be grading your results. Are there any volunteers who would like to be graded first?¡±

    Instantly, several hands shot up as the competitors glared at each other.

    Elder Ma chuckled wistfully at the youthfulness of the disciples and randomly pointed at one of them.

    ¡°Introduce yourself and present me with your work.¡±

    ¡°Elder Ma, I am Tong Baixuan. Here are the Recovery Pills I have refined.¡± The man said as he presented his pill bottle.

    Elder Ma proceeded to take the contents out and inspected each one carefully.

    ¡°Average quality, decent quality, good, subpar, subpar, decent¡­¡±

    As the results were announced, the remaining competitors began chatting amongst themselves.

    ¡°This Tong Baixuan is not bad for his age. I believe he succeeded in about fifty percent of attempts.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s much better than the standard one in three tries for pills at his level. Do you think he is just that talented, or is it his technique?¡±

    ¡°...Now this is getting me nervous to show my results. At the very least, I don¡¯t want to have the worst showing.¡±

    ¡°Ha, as if that would happen with that brat here.¡±

    Li Lang returned their glances with a polite smile. He wasn¡¯t here to show off or make enemies. Despite the alchemy competition not having Ascension Pills as a reward, Li Lang still wanted whatever reward he could get.

    The others didn¡¯t press him too hard either, as they were all his seniors.

    One by one, the grading continued.

    ¡°Song Lan, four batches successfully refined out of ten. Two of average quality, one subpar, and one good quality batch of Recovery Pills.¡±

    ¡°Next! Li Lang!¡±

    Instantly, everyone looked over at the boy with an abnormally large head.

 Chapter 32: The Second Round

    ¡°Next! Li Lang!¡±

    The entire room immediately gazed at the youngest contestant present. Some sneered or looked worried, while some were indifferent.

    As Li Lang made his way up to Elder Ma, the other participants conversed openly.

    ¡°I feel relieved I won¡¯t be last place at least¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on, are you really going to compare yourself with a new disciple? I just can¡¯t believe the sect would allow a beginner to participate and waste our precious resources.¡±

    ¡°I wonder what this kid was doing in the refining room for so long? He came out last, right?¡±

    ¡°Hey, Tong Baixuan, want to make a bet if this kid even managed to refine a pill with me?¡±

    Amidst all the chattering, Elder Ma paid them no heed as he received the pill bottle from Li Lang.

    He slowly took out the first pill and immediately, everyone else quieted down.

    ¡°...He actually successfully refined a pill!¡±

    ¡°How is that possible? At such a young age with his cultivation¡­There¡¯s no way he can even use Qi sense yet!¡±

    ¡°Is he blessed by the heavens in the way of alchemy?"

    This time, the elder cleared his throat to silence the crowd before he announced his verdict.

    ¡°Subpar quality!¡±

    ¡°That¡­is to be expected. It is already amazing he could refine a pill without Qi sense.¡±

    The other participants all turned their gaze at Li Lang again. This time, they weren¡¯t patronizing and contemptuous gazes, but one of respect and curiosity. However, they collectively gasped when they heard the next words from the elder.

    ¡°Next pill, subpar as well¡­¡±

    ¡°What? He succeeded twice, too?¡±

    ¡°Shush! Look, the elder is still going.¡±

    ¡°Subpar, subpar, subpar¡­.subpar. Li Lang, ten batches successfully refined out of ten. All of subpar quality. Despite the quality, it is safe to say Li Lang has the highest success rate and the fastest as well.¡±

    ¡°What? Elder, I thought Li Lang was the slowest?¡±

    The kind elder slowly shook his head with a smile.

    ¡°No, he was the first to come out. He simply went to the washroom while he was waiting for the rest of you.¡±

    The room collectively gasped and was stunned into silence as no one let out a word. Even the elder took a moment to process the results himself before he informed the participants of the next step.

    ¡°The first test is now over. The top half will be proceeding to the second test. I will now be announcing the names.¡±

    No one was surprised when Li Lang¡¯s name was called out first. Some smiled when they heard their name, while those who knew they hadn¡¯t performed well didn¡¯t even seem to be bothered by the results and only stared at Li Lang in curiosity.

    ¡°...and those are all who have passed. I thank you all for your hard work, even if you didn¡¯t perform up to your expectations. The pills you have refined will be much appreciated by the disciples participating in the combat events. I will come back to commence the second test once I have delivered the pills, so those who passed should stay here while the rest of you may leave.¡±

    Despite the elder¡¯s declaration, none of the losers had left. They all stayed for the same reason: to watch the next round. They didn¡¯t bother to hide that they paid special attention to Li Lang in particular.

    Elder Ma swiftly disappeared from view. The tension in the room dialed down with his absence. One of the sharper participants immediately took the opportunity to approach Li Lang.

    ¡°Greetings, Li Lang.¡± He held out a fist with his other hand in greeting. ¡°I am Song Yun. I believe you have only recently joined the sect, so please feel free to come to me if you need anything.¡±

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    ¡°Yes, nice to meet you. I will be in your care.¡±

    Li Lang responded in kind. Behind Song Yun, several others were also eyeing a chance to greet him as well. If someone who wasn¡¯t in the know stumbled in, they would definitely find the scene strange, as several teenagers were taking turns to greet the youngest child here as if he was their grandfather.

    This is getting out of hand¡­I can barely remember their names, too¡­

    Thankfully, the elder hadn¡¯t taken too long and soon returned.

    ¡°Disciples, I hope you are ready for the second round, because we will be beginning right away. For the next round, we won¡¯t be refining anything. Instead, you will be tasked with analyzing a pill. You will have to identify the pill and the materials used to refine it. Please come receive your pill bottle when I call your name, but don¡¯t open it until you enter into your own refining room. You will then have one hour.¡±

    With only half a dozen people left, Elder Ma handed out all the pills in no time at all.

    Li Lang raced into his room as soon as he received his pill and immediately took out Ruby.

    Good thing I haven¡¯t been putting anything into the auto-analyzer that would take days recently.

    ¡°Ruby, can you take this pill into the artifact space right away?¡±

    ¡°Master¡­are you sure you want to bring it into my artifact space? It¡¯ll disappear.¡±

    ¡°The elder didn¡¯t say anything about having to return it, so why not?¡±

    ¡°Master, you should know how long it usually takes to analyze a cultivation pill. At the very least, it¡¯ll take days.¡±

    ¡°You can just give me the incomplete results after an hour.¡±

    ¡°Very, well, master.¡±

    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t pass this round, at least we got a free pill to analyze. It¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    Knowing there was nothing else he could do, Li Lang began practicing his cultivation techniques to pass the time.

    An hour for a cultivator was only nothing at all. One by one, the remaining participants exited out of their rooms, each wearing a different expression. They soon all stared at the last remaining room belonging to the youngest contestant.

    ¡°He still isn¡¯t out yet? I did all I could, but after half an hour, I already knew I had reached my limit.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible he has a great grasp of pill analysis considering his shocking success rate with refining.¡±

    The crowd didn¡¯t get to gossip for long as Li Lang came out just as the hour ended.

    Elder Ma gave him a knowing nod before proceeding.

    Just like before, Elder Ma picked one of the volunteers to come up first.

    ¡°Song Yun, please tell me the results of your investigations. You have each received a different pill, so please feel free to go into detail as much as you want.¡±

    ¡°Yes, elder. I believe the pill I received was a mortal-grade Vitality Pill that uses an unorthodox formula. Unlike the common type that focuses on helping cultivators replenish their blood and nutrients, this one focuses more on curing illness for low-level cultivators. The materials used should be Lighthorn, Jade Leaves¡­¡±

    Li Lang listened attentively as he memorized everything said. He may have the auto-analyzer, but it didn¡¯t hurt to compare notes for when the time came for him to deal with the same pill.

    ¡°Very good. You have missed several ingredients and the name of the pill is actually Harmony Restoration Pill, but you are mostly right on the other things. Eighty-four points out of a hundred!¡± The elder declared.

    The next disciple wasn¡¯t so lucky, as they only got several ingredients right. They scored a measly thirty-five points.

    ¡°You need to work on your Qi sense technique if you want to make it far as an alchemist.¡± Elder Ma shook his head. ¡°Next!¡±

    The others that came after had mixed results, but none did better than the first contestant, Song Yun.

    ¡°Sixty-nine points. Next!¡±

    Finally, it was Li Lang¡¯s turn.

    Everyone in the room immediately focused on the young boy with the deformed physique.

    Li Lang sighed and walked up to the elder once again at the anticipating eyes of the others. The losers from the previous round chatted and yelled out words of encouragement.

    ¡°What score do you think he will get for this round?¡±

    ¡°Someone who can refine so quickly without using Qi sense should be quite knowledgeable in the way of alchemy. He even spent the full hour carefully studying the pill. It is hard to say, but it should be close to ninety points¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, after all, good things come in pairs. I¡¯m sure he isn¡¯t only talented in refining, but analyzing too.¡±

    ¡°Show them how it¡¯s done, Li Lang!¡±

    With both hands behind him, Elder Ma stood up a little straighter as he received the boy.

    ¡°Go on, Li Lang. Tell me what you have discovered about the pill you received.¡±

    ¡°Elder, I¡­¡± Li Lang glanced around at the expectant eyes of the audience and took a deep breath. ¡°There should be Jade leaves¡­¡±

    Li Lang listed several common auxiliary herbs used. At first, everyone listened attentively and figured he was getting the easy things out of the way. However, his voice soon slowed down before he was entirely silent.

    ¡°That¡¯s all I know¡­¡±

    ¡°What? That was all you figured out after spending the entire hour? Were you too afraid to show your face?¡± one of the other contestants cried out.

    ¡°Silence!¡± Elder Ma authoritatively silenced the crowd with his eyes. ¡°Well, considering Li Lang can¡¯t use Qi sense, it isn¡¯t too surprising you are at a disadvantage when it comes to pill analysis. Tell me, what method did you use?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­by eating it?¡±

    For the second time that day, the room was stunned into silence as they all stared dumbfounded at the young boy.

 Chapter 33: Spectator

    ¡°What, you ate the pill?¡± Elder Ma asked with a stern expression immediately after he recovered from his shock.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. I only figured out the few herbs I know from the taste and effects.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­a very dangerous thing to do! What if you couldn¡¯t handle the pill or if it was poisonous?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m not sure what to say.¡±

    ¡°And you came out of the room so confidently¡­¡±

    All I did was respectfully nod your way¡­

    ¡°Elder, I apologize if I have broken any rules. I have never been formally trained as an alchemist.¡±

    ¡°Elder Ma, we can¡¯t be too harsh on Junior Li. We are expecting too much of someone so young and new to alchemy. As his seniors, we can¡¯t really blame him for his deficiencies, but should help him improve instead,¡± Song Yun spoke up from behind.

    ¡°...You are right, but that is for another time¡­ I declare the second round of the alchemy competition over. The top three know who they are. Please prepare for the third and final round after a short break. I can tell you the next round consists of refining a pill you¡¯ve never seen before, so prepare yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Yes, elder!¡± The three who moved on to the finals replied in sync.

    ¡°For the rest of you. You may have failed in the second round, but the sect still recognizes your efforts. You will each be rewarded with fifty contribution points.¡±

    The elder swiftly took hold of their sect tokens and returned them. With that, the alchemy competition was over for Li Lang. While he could stay, he wouldn¡¯t be able to spectate the bits he was curious about, the actual refining session that took place within the refining room.

    It was at times like these that he cursed how conservative the alchemy community was for keeping their techniques so close to their chest.

    He shook his head as he made his way out of the building. However, he didn¡¯t even make it very far before someone called out to him.

    ¡°Li Lang, would you like to go take a look around to see how the other competitions are going with me?¡±

    The young man strode confidently toward Li Lang. He had a friendly demeanor, but he also gave off an air of naivety that was characteristic of a sheltered upbringing.

    ¡°You are¡­Senior¡­¡±

    ¡°Tong Baixuan, sixteen years old!¡±

    ¡°Apologies, Senior Tong¡­ A lot of people introduced themselves to me just now.¡±

    ¡°It is fine. Anyway, as I was saying, want to check out the other competitions with me?¡±

    ¡°...Sure, I didn¡¯t have anything particular in mind anyway, but is there a reason you¡¯re inviting me in particular?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just wanted to get to know you. It¡¯s not every day I see someone as young as you, being skilled enough to refine a pill already.¡±

    While Li Lang was unsure if his senior had any ulterior motives, he felt that it shouldn¡¯t hurt to tag along with someone knowledgeable.

    ¡°I see¡­Well, okay.¡±

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll take the lead then!¡±

    The duo soon made their way back to the spacious room where they had split off from the other crafts professions. There were several people lingering around as well, contestants who had been eliminated in their respective competitions.

    ¡°Hmm, would you prefer checking out the Brushweavers or Artificers?¡± Tong Baixuan asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about either, but I¡¯d prefer something we can actually see them in action. The reason I left the alchemy competition behind was because I wouldn¡¯t be able to see them refine.¡±

    ¡°Then Brushweaver it is. Their techniques lie in Qi manipulation, so we can watch them work on their talismans.¡±

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    Tong Baixuan nonchalantly led the way to the hallway with the word ¡®Water¡¯ above it.

    They soon spotted the reception desk for the Brushweavers and were swiftly let in after a few questions.

    They were easily able to spot where the competition took place as several spectators gathered in the main lobby, right outside the private rooms. Just like with the Alchemy competition, a majority of the losers remained to watch the procession.

    The two alchemists silently went off to the side to join the other spectators.

    In the middle of the hall were two dozen rectangular desks. Only five of them were currently occupied, while an elder walked along the aisles as they monitored the disciples.

    ¡°Do you know anything about Brushweavers, Junior Li?¡± Tong Baixuan asked, having noticed Li Lang¡¯s wandering gaze.

    ¡°No, not really.¡±

    ¡°Well, most people don¡¯t know much about them either, besides the fact that they craft talismans. What you should know is that they work closely with Artificers as well to craft artifacts. I doubt we¡¯ll get to see much of that here today, though.¡±

    Talismans like the warding one I used when I previously went to gather in the forests¡­ Interesting. Wait, no. I have enough projects already. I can¡¯t divide my attention further or I won¡¯t be able to get anything done.

    Reining in his growing curiosity, Li Lang continued to listen to Tong Baixuan¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°Look, they¡¯re crafting talismans right now. Seeing their strained expressions, they must be crafting something they aren¡¯t familiar with.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. I have been to a talisman store before. I believe there is quite a large variety of talismans out there,¡± Li Lang added.

    They watched on as each disciple by the desk was carefully holding onto a brush. They wrote at a dramatically slow pace, but everyone could feel the Qi from their actions.

    A nascent talisman one of the disciples was working on soon began to shine brightly, drawing the eyes of all the spectators. They could feel the talisman sucking in the air around them as a small breeze swept over them.

    While one talisman only had a minor effect, when it happened to all the other talismans, the entire hall was stirred. However, it didn¡¯t last long as each talisman soon ceased all activity, becoming a motionless piece of paper.

    ¡°Very good. Please bring your work up one by one for me to examine.¡± The elder in charge declared.

    The entire process wasn¡¯t much different from Li Lang¡¯s own experience with the alchemy competition, and the elder soon went through each disciple¡¯s work and graded them.

    However much it ignited Li Lang¡¯s curiosity and stirred his impulse to investigate the new mysterious profession, he was still able to rein himself in the end.

    Nevertheless, after the event ended, he quickly urged his companion to leave for the next event.

    ¡°Where did you want to go next?¡± Tong Baixuan asked as they got back into the main hall shared by the five professions.

    He glanced at the other paths labeled ¡®Metal¡¯, ¡®Earth, and ¡®Wood¡¯ and turned to Li Lang.

    ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ go check out the combat section outside.¡±

    ¡°Oh, want to go to the main event already. Sure, why not?¡±

    Li Lang was curious about the other crafts, but that was exactly why he decided not to go view their events. It would only urge him to delve into those crafts when he didn¡¯t have the time to afford to do so.

    The two soon made their way back to the coliseum erected specifically for the sect competition and returned to the spectator stands. There were already numerous other disciples there, cheering on their fellow disciples.

    There was even a flat clearing toward the central spectator platform where many elders and deacons could be seen. They were sitting around sipping tea or playing mahjong while occasionally glancing down at the competition below.

    Li Lang and Tong Baixuan soon got into seats themselves and both channeled Qi into their eyes to get a better view of the fighting below.

    ¡°Did you have any friends you¡¯re searching for?¡±

    ¡°Not particularly. I just want to see skilled fighters for my own reference. How about you, Senior Tong?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, my acquaintances aren¡¯t combat-inclined, so they should have been eliminated by now. In your case, if you are looking to learn, it is better to spectate the fights around your level. You won¡¯t be able to learn much from the flashy fights between the older disciples as you are now.¡±

    The two alchemists directed their gaze at the new disciple section. It wasn¡¯t long before they were both drawn to a fight in particular. It was because of the numerous disciples crowding below the arena, where two young women were about to fight.

    The deacon in charge shouted out at the spectators to quiet down before he gathered the two contestants at the center of the ring to explain the rules to them.

    One of the contestants was a slender woman of average height. She drew the eyes of many spectators thanks to her exquisite skin, feminine figure, and beautiful features.

    Standing next to her opponent, they contrasted each other significantly. It wasn¡¯t because the other girl was unattractive, rather her charm came from her valiant demeanor and imposing figure. She stood over six feet tall with an athletic build and kept her hair short.

    After a short while, the deacon in charge signaled the start of the new round and the two ladies immediately sprang into action.

    They both charged at each other despite their different builds, but the next thing Li Lang saw stunned him into silence. The slender young woman effortlessly blocked a high kick from her opponent before launching a palm strike that sent her target flying off the arena.

    ¡°Winner, Ling Xue!¡± the deacon declared.

    The match was over as soon as it started, and the surrounding crowd¡¯s cheer rang out thunderously.

    However, the splendid display of martial prowess wasn¡¯t the only thing that shocked Li Lang. It was because he recognized the woman as the one he had encountered with Wei Ping on the streets of Xiang Yang the other day. It was the woman who had saved them.

 Chapter 34: Ling Xue

    Li Lang stared at the familiar girl who was currently being cheered on the stage. As she stepped off, Li Lang reminisced back on when she had saved him from the hoodlums after him and Wei Ping.

    When she got off the arena, her eyes snapped to Li Lang and locked gazes with him despite being so far apart.

    ¡­Was I staring that hard?

    He reflexively looked away, embarrassed at the fact he had been caught red-handed.

    ¡°Junior Li, what did you think of that fight just now? It may have only lasted for a moment, but it properly displayed the disparity there can be even between cultivators with the same cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Senior Tong, her techniques were executed with such ease that it was as if she wasn¡¯t even using a martial technique at all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Despite only being in the third stage of Energy Gathering, that girl¡¯s techniques are well-practiced. Unless you¡¯re blessed by the heavens, I recommend you find a select few techniques and hone them to that level rather than practice multiple techniques.¡±

    Same cultivation, he says¡­but she must be a newly accepted disciple while I started cultivating a year ahead¡­

    The two alchemists then searched around the newcomer section of the arena for another match to watch. It didn¡¯t take long for one to catch Li Lang¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Senior, I have an acquaintance fighting in that arena over there,¡± Li Lang said as he pointed.

    The disciples at the arena Li Lang pointed out were already in the midst of fighting. There were two young boys, and Li Lang could recognize them both. On one side was Yang Quan, the outer disciple from the same dorm as Li Lang. His opponent was Sun Pang, who was the one Li Lang had bumped into and antagonized their entire dorm.

    They were locked in a battle of attrition as both parties seemed fatigued as they struggled with their breathing while they continued to unleash their attacks against each other.

    Sun Pang, being the taller of the two, tried to keep his distance and took advantage of his reach, employing kicks. However, Yang Quan always managed to duck under it just in time. It was almost like a cat-and-mouse game and was evenly matched.

    ¡°Junior Li, your friends there are not bad, but there is quite a gap compared with that girl we saw earlier. They both seemed to be practicing a wide selection of techniques already, which isn¡¯t uncommon with new disciples. They¡¯ll soon realize a technique is useless until they have mastered it.¡±

    While Tong Baixuan lectured, Yang Quan had managed to corner Sun Pang in the arena. Just as he was about to close into range, Sun Pang leaped into the air and front-flipped directly over his adversary.

    This gave him the opportunity to reverse the position where Yang Quan was instead cornered. He swiftly unleashed a side kick that Yang Quan blocked with crossed arms, but the force of the attack lifted his entire body off the ground, sending him out of the arena.

    ¡°Winner, Sun Pang!¡± the deacon acting as the referee declared.

    ¡°Well, they both still fought well for their age.¡± Tong Baixuan noted.

    Li Lang nodded in agreement as they continued watching the next fight.

    Fewer and fewer competitors remained, and before they knew it, the finals took place between the previous girl who had dominated her opponent and another boy who managed to edge out a victory against Sun Pang.

    However, among the spectators, many already had an idea who the winner was before it even started.

    Just as they had presumed, the fight ended swiftly when the girl dodged out of the boy¡¯s opening flurry of attack and swiftly sent him out of bounds.

    ¡°The winner of the newcomers¡¯ competition is Ling Xue!¡±

    As the surrounding disciples cheered, many turned their attention to the remaining matches from the older disciples instead. Others left to go about their own matters and exited the coliseum.

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    Li Lang decided to see through the entire event.

    The fights between the older disciples were a lot flashier, as their cultivation was higher. He witnessed Qi techniques where one empowered their wooden training swords to the point where it damaged the stone of the platform they stood on.

    Some even shot out powerful Qi attacks at their opponents that created craters. It meant after every match, a Formation Master would have to repair the arena.

    The person who caught Li Lang¡¯s attention the most was one of the guest participants.

    ¡°Semi-finals, between disciple He Xiang, and guest Ri Xin. Begin!¡±

    The guest cultivator wielded a wooden pole and instantly took action as soon as the deacon declared the start of the match.

    He thrust out his weapon even when his opponent was a distance away, launching an invisible Qi strike attack from range.

    The disciple facing this attack made the wrong decision and decided to block it with his training sword, allowing the force of that attack to push him back several steps.

    While he staggered, Ri Xin didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately closed the distance to unleash a series of thrusts until his opponent was overwhelmed.

    Despite the win, the crowd¡¯s reaction was lackluster, as an outsider had won.

    ¡°Senior Tong, that guest cultivator is the one from the rumors, correct?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve heard of him too. Yeah, that Ri Xin, the genius despite only having grade two talent. He has a unique physique called Transcendent Roots. It is what allows him to cultivate as fast as our inner disciples, reaching the upper stages of Energy Gathering at such a young age.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­I would love to speak to him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d advise against it. The elders won¡¯t like seeing our disciples buttering up to an independent cultivator for advice.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Besides, I think you¡¯ve got someone waiting for you.¡±

    Senior Tong pointed over to the stairs to the arena. Yang Quan was walking briskly over to the two alchemists.

    ¡°Junior Li, I think I¡¯ll take my leave here. It was a pleasure talking to you. I¡¯ll see you around the Alchemy building.¡±

    Tong Baixuan swiftly left and was shortly replaced by Yang Quan.

    ¡°Li Lang, we need to talk.¡±

    ¡°...Sure.¡±

    Yang Quan wordlessly began to walk away, expecting Li Lang to follow. He soon led him back to their dorm and into his room.

    ¡°Did you try to fool me when we first met? You carried yourself like you were my equal, but you¡¯re really just a phony with grade one aptitude!¡±

    ¡­What is he on about? When did I ever lie to him?

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make up excuses. I¡¯ve done my research into you. Elder Cao only recruited you to ease the burden of our alchemists from the tedious job of refining low-level pills!¡±

    ¡°I never lied to you or anything. I try to treat everyone nicely. I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re upset.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! You should be a servant or caretaker at best. I can¡¯t believe our sect let someone like you become a disciple.¡±

    Does finding out about my low aptitude really change that much?

    ¡°You can not like me, but my business is my own. If you don¡¯t have anything else to say, I have things to do.¡±

    Li Lang got up and exited. Yang Quan didn¡¯t try to stop him and only glared at him.

    As soon as Li Lang walked out of the room, he put the entire incident behind him. He¡¯d seen enough jealousy in his old research lab and knew it was a waste of time to deal with it. Ignoring everything had worked, despite earning him a reputation for being low in EQ.

    The alternative of having to deal with it every time would lose too much valuable research time. Life was short as it was, and Li Lang didn¡¯t want to waste any of it the second time around.

    He didn¡¯t hesitate to head straight for the Mission Hall to select another task. Now that the competition was over, he should finally be able to return to Xiang Yang, find Wei Ping, and begin his long-awaited experiments on cultivation.

    It wasn¡¯t hard for him to pick out a suitable mission, as most disciples were resting, and the Mission Hall was quite empty. He swiftly gathered his things, exchanged some coins to be used in Xiang Yang, and waited for the next Skyrunner heading out into the city.

    There always was someone heading to a large city like Xiang Yang as that was where the various guilds were located. Each sect even had a small office there for diplomatic purposes, as well as to support their members.

    After waiting for an hour, a large Skyrunner with delicate carving soon landed on the berth before him.

    The elder at the helm only spared Li Lang a brief look before glancing over toward the Mission Hall.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t dare to bother the unfamiliar elder and quietly boarded the carriage and waited patiently for them to depart. Just as he was starting to feel impatient, he noticed someone else approaching.

    ¡°Sorry, Elder Gong. The Vice Sect Master wanted to speak with me, thus delaying my departure.¡±

    ¡°No problem, Little Xue. Several minutes are nothing when you have been cultivating for as long as I have.¡±

    As the woman boarded the Skyrunner, Li Lang could only stare dumbly at her.

    She was Ling Xue, the winner of the newcomer¡¯s combat tournament, and the woman who had previously saved him in Xiang Yang.

    ¡°Umm, hi again. And thank you for saving me last time.¡±

 Chapter 35: Let the Experiments Begin

    ¡°Umm, hi again.¡± Li Lang awkwardly greeted the strongest cultivator among the new disciples.

    Ling Xue ignored his greeting and took the seat furthest away from Li Lang.

    ¡°...I just wanted to say thank you for saving me the other time in Xiang Yang.¡±

    ¡°Hmph,¡± she turned her head away disdainfully.

    Li Lang scratched his cheeks at the awkward silence, with the two being the only ones in the carriage, but thankfully, the Skyrunner soon took to the sky.

    With the girl ignoring him, Li Lang soon lost himself in his own thoughts as he prepared for the first round of experiments he wanted to do.

    There were a lot of questions about how cultivation worked, but the most urgent one for Li Lang was how to compensate for his low aptitude. According to common knowledge, aptitude was innate and affected the number of spiritual roots and how much Qi one¡¯s body could handle before overdosing.

    The only onset symptom of an overdose was the sharp pain one felt. After that, if one persisted in absorbing Qi, it could lead to fatal results. In order to prevent this, one had to take a break. The generally agreed duration for these breaks was a full day to be on the safe side because it varied somewhat from person to person.

    So far, Li Lang used his auto-analyzer to examine his body. He had discovered that his cells were destabilized from all the stress when he absorbed too much Qi, but he didn¡¯t have a solution for it. The only good news was it only took him a bit over eleven hours to recover.

    People with higher aptitude could make much more progress in the same amount of time as one with lesser aptitude, which meant they could make much more progress with each cultivation session. And that didn¡¯t account for the heavenly resources one could use to speed that up further.

    If Qi overdose is similar to what I have in mind, then there should be a way to overcome it. However, I¡¯ll need to experiment with it first to confirm my idea¡­carefully, too.

    As Li Lang deliberated on the intricacies of cultivation, the Skyrunner made decent progress toward their destination.

    The elder¡¯s Skyrunner was of much higher quality than the one Li Lang had previously ridden on. Coupled with the elder¡¯s immense cultivation, they soon arrived above the skies of Xiang Yang.

    The elder let his passengers off in a small clearing next to the gates.

    ¡°Take care, Little Xue. Contact our branch office in Xiang Yang and I¡¯ll come pick you up when your business is done.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Elder Gong!¡± Ling Xue replied respectfully while clasping her fist.

    The elder quickly took off once they disembarked without sparing Li Lang a glance before flying back to the sect.

    This left the two Spirit Grove disciples alone, awkwardly walking together toward the city of Xiang Yang silently.

    Without exchanging a single word, they soon arrived at the gates. Ling Xue strode straight past the long line at the gate, flashing her sect token as she passed by, and no one dared to stop her. Instead, the guards saluted her respectfully.

    Seeing how effective it was, Li Lang swiftly emulated her and received similar treatment.

    By the time he made it into the city, the figure of Ling Xue had already disappeared into the sea of people.

    Now then¡­Where did Wei Ping live again?

    Li Lang casually strode down the busy street of Xiang Yang and noticed some familiar faces among the children who were hawking his sodas. It seemed like the matter with the young masters had been settled.

    It didn¡¯t take long before Li Lang found Wei Ping¡¯s residence again in a back alley.

    ¡°B-boss? You¡¯re b-back! It¡¯s been a month!¡±

    Hearing the familiar voice of his assistant, Li Lang smiled.

    ¡°Yes, it took longer than I expected because of the sect competition, but I¡¯m back. How has the recruiting been going?¡±

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    ¡°I-I only got a f-few more before s-starting to run low o-on funds, so my h-hands were tied.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I brought some funds again.¡± Li Lang hefted up the sack of coins he exchanged before leaving the sect.

    He had been tirelessly refining pills for the sect and, coupled with the prize for the competition, he had ample contribution points to exchange for some coins.

    ¡°But before that, call up all the people you¡¯ve already hired. It¡¯s time to start up the first round of experiments before we recruit more. Get them to meet me at my usual inn tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, boss!¡±

    The next morning, Li Lang woke up extra early as he double-checked the equipment he bought yesterday. He had bought them after his talks with Wei Ping to make the experiments go a little smoother. He laid them all out in the outdoor clearing where the well was and began thoroughly examining them.

    Before him was a pail of water, a thick metal needle, and a bottle of Recovery Pills that he had personally refined using the materials he redeemed with contribution points. He even had a stove going off to the side.

    Li Lang wasn¡¯t able to spend as much time on his inspection as Wei Ping showed up with the test subjects earlier than planned. There were a total of eight people following him, each with a determined look in their eyes.

    ¡°Good morning, everyone. As you should already know, today we¡¯ll be carrying out some experiments that you have agreed to in exchange for a handsome sum of money. Before I begin, I wanted to see if any of you had any questions or were having second thoughts?¡±

    Instantly, an elderly lady spoke out.

    ¡°Young boy, are you the one who will be in charge of this? Shouldn¡¯t there be someone else?¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t worry. I have received careful instructions from someone about what to do. They are even monitoring us as we speak and will intervene if needed.¡±

    Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but lie to the first questions to put his test subjects at ease. He completely understood how strange it was that they placed their lives at the hands of two children, especially one that had an abnormally large head.

    By alluding to a powerful cultivator nearby, and that the children were only the attendants, it swiftly reassured everyone present.

    ¡°Any other questions?¡±

    A moment passed in silence before a middle-aged man, one of the youngest of this cohort, stepped forward.

    ¡°You said there were considerable risks involved in the experiments before, but now that we¡¯re about to start them, can you tell us exactly what those risks are?¡±

    Li Lang took a second to regard the man. He had a well-groomed mustache and had a sturdy build. If one didn¡¯t know any better, they would think he was a healthy individual.

    ¡°No¡­I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°What? How can¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let me finish,¡± Li Lang held up a hand to the man. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the exact risks involved because I don¡¯t know. We will be testing ways to increase the amount of Qi one can absorb beyond the limit imposed by their natural aptitude.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­possible? All the cultivators say aptitude is heaven¡¯s gift and decided at birth¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying to suddenly increase your talent, but using other means to increase your Qi tolerance.¡±

    The group took a moment to digest the news, but many still wore confused expressions. That only lasted until one of the older men spoke out.

    ¡°Everyone. I¡¯m here with the determination to lose my life. I have decided that the money offered is worth these old bones that don¡¯t have much time left anyway. If you¡¯re here, then I think you should be in a similar situation.¡± He took a moment to stroke his beard and glanced over at Li Lang. ¡°If you are still hesitant, then as our employer mentioned, now is your time to back out.¡±

    The old man¡¯s words had instantly cut through the fog in many of their minds. From the glint in their eyes, many of them visibly renewed their determination, while only one old lady thought otherwise.

    ¡°Apologies everyone. It seems I don¡¯t want to go through with this after all. I can¡¯t lie to myself anymore. I¡¯d much rather spend my last days peacefully with my grandchildren.¡±

    ¡°No problem. All the best to you.¡± Li Lang quickly signaled Wei Ping to escort her away.

    No one said anything to the old lady as she walked by. No insults, and no encouragement, as they all understood the reasoning behind the decision.

    With only seven participants left, Li Lang grinned at his test subjects as he prepared to get started.

    ¡°To start things off, I want you to each form a line in front of me. I will be taking blood samples from each of you.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s plan for the experiments was to first get an estimate of the maximum Qi capacity each participant had.

    He had been cultivating while analyzing his own blood samples to monitor the level of cellular destabilization, but not even his advanced lab equipment could measure something as fantastical as Qi.

    His unit of measurement would be the time it took for his subjects to reach the point where they began to experience the sharp pain. To keep it consistent, he asked them to use the same imagery when absorbing Qi.

    ¡°Great, now I need you all to divide yourselves into groups according to your cultivation and inform me of how many spiritual roots you have.¡±

    The seven elderly test subjects quickly split off into four groups, ranging from no cultivation at all to stages one to three of Energy Gathering.

    Hmm¡­A third stage Energy Gatherer. It¡¯ll take hours to analyze his blood since he has the same cultivation as me¡­

    Li Lang started with the two non-cultivators first.

    ¡°You two. You should know how to cultivate, right? I want you to listen to me exactly, and draw in the surrounding Qi by sucking it through your mouth¡­¡±

    What the test subjects hadn¡¯t known at the time was how absorbed the little child researcher before them could get. However, they would soon learn, as they would be asked to stay deep into the night.

 Chapter 36: Sacrifices of Science

    A week had passed since the start of the experiments. Each subject had been given instructions based on their aptitude, and all that was left was for them to cultivate as instructed over a period of time.

    The first weekly check-in with the subjects was completed smoothly and the collected samples were awaiting analysis in his lab. It would require more data and time before Li Lang could draw any conclusions.

    However, Li Lang didn¡¯t have the time to wait around. He still needed to complete his mission before heading back to the sect, as his time was running out.

    This was why Li Lang was currently explaining the basics of the experiments to Wei Ping since he would be the one overseeing it while Li Lang was gone. He was responsible for collecting the blood samples and properly storing them while Li Lang was gone.

    ¡°As you know, we¡¯ve given them all instructions on how to cultivate. We gave them the same method in order to keep it consistent and lower the variables. It¡¯s not perfect, but few things ever are.¡±

    ¡°Yes, b-boss. I¡¯ll make s-sure they know.¡±

    ¡°Good, that¡¯s fine, but don¡¯t tell them about the details of the experiment. It¡¯s better they don¡¯t know or else it may affect the results.¡±

    ¡°But they a-already know we¡¯re looking to i-increase how much Qi w-we can absorb beyond our limit.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but not the details of how we will do that. My current theory is that there is a way to develop a higher tolerance to Qi by having the body endure up to its limit for a prolonged time. Kind of like developing muscles.¡±

    Li Lang noticed the confused expression of Wei Ping and decided to elaborate. There weren¡¯t any educated individuals he could find to be his assistant, so he would have to patiently work with what he¡¯s got.

    "When you lift weights, do pushups, and eat appropriately, you gain muscle because mechanical tension stimulates muscle fibers, metabolic stress creates an anabolic environment, and proper nutrition provides the necessary building blocks for growth. To understand it, you¡­"

    It took a while for Wei Ping to understand the concept of muscle hypertrophy, but even when he did, he simply nodded silently.

    ¡°So we¡¯re starting off by seeing if this is true for cultivating as well. We¡¯re testing if we can train our body to tolerate more Qi like those who have higher aptitude.¡±

    ¡°...I see, s-so that¡¯s why you¡¯re making t-them cultivate even when it hurts.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but they¡¯re in danger of overdosing on Qi. That¡¯s why we tested their blood samples previously to gauge where their limit is at.¡±

    ¡°And h-how do you know that?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ You don¡¯t have to know for now. Just know that the method I used wasn¡¯t perfect. We simply estimated how many seconds of cultivating they could last until it was fatal from the onset of sharp pain. We can¡¯t measure Qi precisely, so danger is still high... though I¡¯m sure you already know that.¡±

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    The two took a moment of silence as they thought back to early in the morning when they had their first check-ins with their subjects. Six of the seven showed up, and when they went to check in on the last participant, he had already passed away.

    There was then an awkward conversation with the family about the deal the old man had made with these strange kids. It took a toll on both Li Lang and Wei Ping when they tried to explain the situation and get a sample from the old man¡¯s remains. It only worked out in the end as they fetched the contract with the Merchant Guild and presented the big payout they would receive.

    ¡°Make sure you keep reminding them about staying consistent. If they accidentally absorb too much Qi, they may have adverse effects, while absorbing too little would make our experiment worthless.¡±

    ¡°U-understood!¡±

    ¡°Good, then it¡¯s about time I take my leave. I¡¯ll be back in a few weeks as long as nothing pops up. Take care now.¡±

    Leaving the boy behind, Li Lang exited the city and began heading down one of the well-traveled roads. While he traveled, he recalled the mission he had taken.

    He had a free pick on which task to take from the Mission Hall this time, as he was one of the first to be there after the sect competition.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    This allowed him to select the one he was most interested in, collecting herbs.

    Yellow Wind Flower wasn¡¯t a particularly high-quality material, but it only grew in the wild. That was why, instead of farming it, the Mission Hall occasionally sent their disciples to gather this vital material used by Brushweavers.

    It wasn¡¯t that far from Xiang Yang. Li Lang was able to reach the Everflow Mountains before the sun even reached the zenith.

    During the entire trip, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but think about the first fatality of his experiments.

    It¡¯s not my first, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to this feeling¡­I know I shouldn¡¯t be second-guessing my hypothesis while the results aren¡¯t in yet, but¡­

    Thank you, Lian Gui. I will make sure your sacrifice isn¡¯t in vain.

    Sacrifices were common in advancing science. It was why such strict procedures were in place in his old world, but he didn¡¯t have the luxury to follow them now. It would bog down his research too much, and as the only researcher he knew of, he couldn¡¯t afford such delays. Otherwise, by the time he had results, he may already have died from old age.

    Still, that didn¡¯t stop Li Lang from remembering each and every single person who had sacrificed themselves for the sake of progressing his research projects.

    Li Lang¡¯s mulling ceased as soon as he entered the wilderness as he put up his guard and got to work.

    He knew the Qi beasts rarely left the forests or drew near the Everflow Mountains. That was because the mountains were known as the home to Sunstride Bears, a species of Qi Beasts who were all at least as powerful as a seventh-stage Energy Gatherer.

    Thankfully, these beasts stayed near the peaks, and the sect kept track of their irregular hibernation cycle.

    It was only for this reason that Li Lang was bold enough to stride into the territory of such fearsome beasts.

    Li Lang voraciously gathered any herbs and materials new to him on his trip around the foot of the mountains. It didn¡¯t take him long to spot his target, the Yellow Wind Flowers.

    Humming could be heard as the strange child with a large head happily sauntered around and harvested anything that caught his eye. It only stopped when a thunderous roar resounded throughout the entire area.

    Shit, did the Sunstride Bears wake up? I thought the sect kept track of them! ¡­Or did something wake them up?

    Li Lang glanced at his basket and found that his harvest should be sufficient and decided to make himself scarce.

    He turned tail and ran back toward the main road, but unfortunately for him, he was too late.

    Another roar reverberated, and much closer this time. Li Lang swiftly stuffed his hand where his warding talisman was, ready to use it.

    He found that these warding talismans were quite cheap, as they could be bought with coins. Ever since he had become a disciple, he found the value of coins had drastically decreased. It was too easy to exchange for them in the sect, so he always had one at the ready.

    However, before he could use it, he heard the voice of a human shouting out from the direction of the bear.

    ¡°Polaris Strike!¡±

    Enhancing his eyes, he turned to find a young man charging toward the three-meter bear with a spear that was glowing black and white.

    The two parties quickly collided, kicking up a storm of dust from their impact.

    When the dust settled, a young man stood valiantly above the corpse of the bear. As if having noticed Li Lang¡¯s gaze, he quickly snapped in his direction.

    The man nodded amiably toward him before directing his attention back to his spoils.

    Li Lang immediately lowered his guard when he recognized the man as Ri Xin, one of the guest participants he watched during the sect competition.

    It¡¯s him! The guy who is as powerful as inner disciples despite having only grade two aptitude. I should be able to talk to him out here, right?

    The glint in Li Lang¡¯s eyes instantly ignited as he stared curiously at the young man. He would love to invite the independent cultivator to join his experiments, but he knew that wasn¡¯t realistic. However, he could at least talk to him.

    ¡°Hey, there. You¡¯re Senior Ri Xin, right? I¡¯m Li Lang, a disciple of Spirit Grove.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see that from your robes. Apologies for startling you with my hunt here.¡± The man replied with his back turned to Li Lang, but still sounded respectful.

    He continued to skin the beast while Li Lang watched on in fascination. Sensing his gaze, Ri Xin couldn¡¯t help but break the silence.

    ¡°...Is there something you want from me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I just wanted to ask you some questions, if that¡¯s okay with you.¡±

    ¡°...Sure, I don¡¯t mind while I deal with this thing.¡±

    ¡°I was curious about how you managed to reach the upper stages of Energy Gathering as fast as the inner disciples, despite your aptitude.¡±

    ¡°You have heard about my unique physique, yes?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­I believe it was called the Transcendent Roots.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is what allows me to cultivate quickly.¡±

    I¡¯ve heard that before from Senior Tong. I¡¯m more curious as to how it accomplishes that.

    ¡°How does it do that, exactly?¡±

    Ri Xin took a moment to cut through a particularly tough part of the carcass before responding.

    ¡°My physique is one that allows me to train my spiritual roots. I may not have as many as the more talented cultivators, but each of my spiritual roots is much more powerful.¡±

    His words made Li Lang¡¯s spine tingle as a profound revelation struck him like a bolt of lightning.

    So that is possible too! I should look in this direction as well!

 Chapter 37: Courting

    After having spoken to the independent cultivator Ri Xin some more, Li Lang gathered all the Yellow Wind Flowers he could and brought a sample of every material he came across into Ruby¡¯s artifact space. He then made his way back to Xiang Yang as he thought about the things he had learned from the conversation.

    Li Lang lamented at the fact how unlikely it was for him to see Ri Xin again, as he was touring the entire Violet Isles with his master. Someone with a rare unique physique was a valuable specimen to study, but Li Lang had to make do with a short conversation instead.

    It had broadened his horizon on different factors that affected cultivation, where he had previously thought aptitude was everything. During the entire journey back to the city, he fell into deep thought about the correlation between the strength of one¡¯s spiritual roots and aptitude, and how it could be measured.

    As he entered the city, he made his way straight to the branch office of Spirit Grove. He hadn¡¯t corresponded with anyone on getting back to the sect, so he had to set foot in the branch office for the first time to arrange transportation.

    It was located deep in the center of Xiang Yang, in a prime location near where various guilds like the Alchemist Guild were located. Spirit Grove¡¯s branch office was a splendid estate that you would expect a rich merchant to have, but otherwise looked like a normal residence.

    The gates were wide open, and anyone could walk straight in. After going through a short path flanked by a splendid garden, the main hall came into view with several servants toiling around inside.

    Li Lang was immediately noticed with his unique appearance combined with the robes that gave away his affiliation as an outer disciple.

    He strode down the hall straight toward where a woman sat in the back with perfect posture, enjoying some tea. As he made his way toward her, he couldn¡¯t help but notice another girl beside the woman, with her back turned to him.

    ¡°Outer disciple Li Lang greets senior.¡± He introduced himself, holding a fist with his other hand, and bowed.

    ¡°I am Deacon Bing. How can I help you, Junior Li?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for transportation back to the sect.¡±

    ¡°I see, well you¡¯re in luck. A Skyrunner is scheduled to come here soon. You should head out to the gates with Ling Xue here. An elder is personally coming to pick her up.¡±

    It was only then Li Lang lifted his head. He made eye contact with the familiar-looking girl with whom he had traveled to Xiang Yang just a week prior.

    The girl had the same icy expression as always, so he simply nodded amiably in her direction and nothing more. At the urging of the deacon, they soon found themselves traveling together in silence as they made their way to rendezvous with the Skyrunner outside the city.

    During the entire trip back to the sect, Li Lang and Ling Xue didn¡¯t speak a word to each other. While they didn¡¯t speak, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it really was a coincidence that they returned at the same time.

    In the first place, sect disciples had everything they needed in the sect to cultivate. The only time they would need to go to the city besides for grand auctions or events with the other righteous sects was for missions.

    The mission time limits were often associated with the distance from the sect, so her missions should have been similar to his. However, if she was also returning to the sect at the last moment, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but let his speculations run wild.

    Maybe she was visiting family in Xiang Yang?

    Despite being curious about what she had been up to, Li Lang knew she didn¡¯t want to be spoken to. Her demeanor said all that needed to be said, so he quietly kept to himself.

    They soon peacefully arrived back at the sect as the gigantic tree came into view once they passed the sect¡¯s guardian formation.

    ¡°We have arrived, little Xue. I have some business to attend to, so I¡¯ll see you later.¡± The elder explained before swiftly departing from the Sky Berth as soon as the two disciples had disembarked.

    As a gentleman, Li Lang gestured for Ling Xue to exit the berth first. What he didn¡¯t expect was several disciples awaiting them. There were three young men in total, standing just below their Sky Berth, who all appeared only a few years older than Li Lang.

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    The three of them all varied in physique, with a lanky one, a round one, and one with a medium build.

    ¡°Welcome back Junior Ling! Why didn¡¯t you call me if you were leaving the sect for a mission? I would¡¯ve been more than willing to accompany you.¡± The lanky boy greeted.

    ¡°Hmph! Dream on, Pei Fong! It won¡¯t be your turn to accompany Miss Ling when I am here. Only a talent like I, Zhang Bai, is fit to accompany someone as talented as Miss Ling here.¡± A boy who resembled a ball retorted with his thick arms crossed.

    ¡°Shut up, both of you! You may have some small skills, but you both lack the refinement and finesse to accompany someone as elegant as Lady Ling.¡±

    ¡°Lu Hong, you¡­!¡± The two other young masters glared back in unison.

    The young man last to speak, Lu Hong, was average in appearance but had the demeanor of a snobbish noble. He fanned himself as he disdainfully looked down at the others with his nose. When he turned back to Ling Xue, his attitude immediately changed as he fawned over her.

    ¡°Lady Ling, forget these fools and let me accompany¡ª¡±

    It was at this moment that Li Lang attempted to walk by the bothersome group and the three young masters all glared his way in surprise.

    ¡°...Lady Ling, may I ask who this is?¡±

    Instead of replying, Ling Xue snorted in disdain before pushing past the men surrounding her. The three of her pursuers were helpless as she left, not daring to stop her lest they earn her ire.

    Instead, they all directed their hateful gaze in the direction of their scapegoat, Li Lang, before exchanging glances with each other. They wordlessly came to a tacit agreement to form a united front.

    ¡°You there, you seem new to the sect. Why don¡¯t you introduce yourself to your seniors?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m Li Lang. I have just returned from a task from the Mission Hall, so you¡¯ll have to excuse me as I turn in the materials before they go bad.¡±

    Li Lang quickly walked away, but unfortunately, the three formed a wall, blocking his path.

    ¡°Come on, Junior Li. You can surely spare us a moment to get to know each other.¡±

    ¡°Pei Fong is right. It¡¯s not every day your seniors bother to take the time to instruct you.¡± The roundest of the three proudly declared as he nodded his head up and down.

    Li Lang could only inwardly shake his head at the misfortune befallen him as he gathered his words.

    ¡°Seniors, I believe we have a misunderstanding. I am not related to or acquainted with Ling Xue. We just happen to be in the same Skyrunner. I don¡¯t think I can answer any of your questions.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Lu Hong frowned as he scrutinized the young boy before him.

    ¡°Yes. Now if you¡¯ll please excuse me. The Yellow Wind Flowers I gathered really will spoil if I don¡¯t take them back soon.¡±

    When Li Lang tried to slip past the three musketeers this time, they didn¡¯t block his path.

    They only stood in place as they silently watched him leave.

    ¡°What do you think, brothers? Is this boy a threat?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the same age as Lady Ling, so I believe he is.¡±

    ¡°...Zhang Bai, that kid doesn¡¯t seem to be the charming type with that strange oversized head of his. I doubt Junior Ling would pay him any heed.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll keep an eye on him first. If he acts up, we¡¯ll just have to beat him down a notch.¡±

    The three nodded in unison as they stared at the back of Li Lang.

    Li Lang was completely unaware of what his seniors were plotting as he had already forgotten about them the moment he arrived at the Mission Hall. The disciples there quickly received the flowers and gave him fifteen contribution points for his work.

    He swiftly made his way to the alchemy building to stock up on materials before settling back into his routine of cultivating and refining.

    There was so much to do, but Li Lang knew better than to rush things. Haste made waste, and he had lived for long enough to have experienced those words himself.

    He continued such a routine for a whole week before he sighed out in frustration.

    I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m making any progress in my cultivation at all¡­I have no idea how to get started with Qi manipulation. Maybe I should return to Xiang Yang early to focus on my experiments first. No¡­patience is a virtue. I still have almost a year until the next sect competition to win an Ascension Pill.

    His patience paid off after another two weeks when Elder Cao finally decided to show up.

    ¡°Li Lang, how have you been?¡±

    ¡°Elder Cao.¡± Li Lang clasped his fist in greeting. ¡°I have been doing well thanks to you, but I did want your guidance on something.¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­having issues with making any progress to the fourth stage of Energy Gathering. Can you explain to me in detail how to control my Qi?¡±

    ¡°Ah yes. A common enough question. We didn¡¯t have time to get to it during our last conversation, I believe.¡± She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Listen well, disciple. There isn¡¯t one answer, as everyone finds the difficulty of various methods to vary. However, I can still give you the general direction to explore.¡±

    Li Lang perked up his ears and listened attentively, like he was back in school.

    ¡°Controlling Qi is very similar to absorbing it, but is one step further. You must feel the flow and be able to direct it. The key part here is to master the method to direct it. It is unlike anything you have experienced before. You will have to discover this new¡­ ¡®muscle¡¯ that can manipulate Qi. The common methods are¡­¡±

    Hmm¡­ I am kind of wishing I still had my implant to record all this for me¡­

 Chapter 38: New Direction

    A lone child was sitting with crossed legs atop a tree stump, sweating profusely. He had his eyes closed and was concentrating so immensely that his expression was that of pain.

    If one watched carefully, one would be able to see one of his fingers giving off a soft but unstable glow. The glowing was a sign that he had successfully expressed his Qi externally.

    The boy took in a deep breath as he tried to force more Qi out and envelop his skin with it. The harder he tried, the more his Qi wavered.

    Just as he believed he was about to succeed in stabilizing his Qi, a wooden stick came flying from behind him. Having been caught completely off guard, it landed squarely on his back. The attack immediately broke his concentration as he flinched from the pain, disrupting all the progress he had made so far.

    ¡°Not good enough. You¡¯ll never master it if you need to concentrate so hard to control just a sliver of Qi.¡±

    The boy opened his eyes and turned to the speaker.

    ¡°Elder Cao, I¡¯m already trying my best. I just can¡¯t get the hang of controlling my Qi when it leaves my body.¡±

    ¡°...I guess you¡¯re already doing well for someone with grade one aptitude. With only five spiritual roots, your sensitivity to Qi must be much lower. With that into consideration, your progress is already impressive after only ten months. However, it is not nearly enough if you want to win that Ascension Pill in the sect competitions.¡±

    ¡°How did you know that, Senior?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t very hard to guess with the contents of our discussion. Anyway, I don¡¯t think it¡¯d do you any good if you continue to proceed as you have been. Cultivation isn¡¯t so easy that you can succeed by just holing up somewhere. I believe the key to your breakthrough is to gain experience in combat. You may not be able to win the Ascension Pill this time around, but I recommend you take part in the combat section of the sect competitions.¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you saying cultivation was meant for combat in the first place and I have neglected it?¡±

    ¡°...Not exactly. Cultivation doesn¡¯t have one singular purpose, but the stimulation and urgency of combat definitely help one gain the inspiration they need. There is a reason why cultivators are so prone to duels and fights. It is the whetstone that hones themselves.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you for your guidance, elder.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve contributed significantly to the sect¡¯s supply of low-level pills, so you deserve at least this much, even if I hadn¡¯t promised you my time before.¡±

    Hmm, I see the elder and possibly the sect won¡¯t treat me badly as long as I continue to benefit them. However, I have no intention of taking an Ascension Pill to become a full-time alchemist. I¡¯ll have to start thinking about what to do in the near future¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s it for today. I won¡¯t have time to spare until the sect competitions are over. I bid you good luck.¡±

    Once Elder Cao disappeared from view, Li Lang began making his way back to his dorm. He would only cultivate outdoors like this when Elder Cao was around, as it wasn¡¯t convenient for her to guide him in his room.

    For the past ten months, he had been cultivating, refining, and checking in on the experiments that he had left with Wei Ping.

    There hadn¡¯t been much progress except that he got slightly taller, and they had recruited even more test subjects to take part in his cultivation experiments.

    Thankfully, no one else had died from the experiments, although one did get too sickly to continue.

    The data they had gathered so far wasn¡¯t that encouraging, but Li Lang still persisted.

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    I wanted to gather data for at least a year before exploring the other ideas, but I think I can start now¡­ Maybe it¡¯ll help me before the sect competition starts.

    By now, almost every other disciple in his age bracket had at least broken through to the middle stages of Energy Gathering. Rumors had been spreading about his low aptitude, and few disciples bothered to approach him, but he didn¡¯t care. Li Lang refused to simply give up on an Ascension Pill no matter how abysmal the chances were.

    With that said, Li Lang knew his limits. If he followed the current course, he knew he didn¡¯t stand a chance.

    There was a huge gulf between those in the lower stages of Energy Gathering and those in the middle stages. The ability to control Qi outside their body greatly empowered them, allowing them to not only strengthen their skin but also the weapons they wielded.

    It was practically useless for Li Lang to wield a weapon in the competitions if he couldn¡¯t break through. His opponent would easily demolish any weapon he wielded. He would literally be fighting unarmed if things continued.

    Maybe I should aim for two birds with one stone and take a combat mission around Xiang Yang and hope it is enough to stir me toward a breakthrough.

    With a plan in mind, he did just that.

    It was quite difficult for Li Lang to find a mission to fight a Qi beast that even he could handle because their threat level was so low, it wouldn¡¯t have become a request in the first place.

    That was why the mission he took was not for hunting down any particular beast, but a whole pack of them.

    However, before Li Lang got to the mission, the first stop was Xiang Yang to oversee the experiment.

    ¡°Wei Ping, how are our subjects doing?¡±

    ¡°B-boss, welcome back. I w-wrote down everything like y-you told me to.¡± Wei Ping replied, as he handed a booklet over.

    Li Lang took his time reading over the reports while Wei Ping went off to brew tea to welcome his boss into his abode.

    Inside the booklet was the recorded information from every test subject they had up to date, including any feedback they had while they cultivated. The longest any subject consistently cultivated as instructed was only a month because, after that, the auto-analyzer showed all their bodies showed signs of deteriorating in some fashion.

    Many were even bedridden but recovered after some time, while serious cases were rare, but not entirely absent.

    After a full ten months, there had been just over a hundred test subjects now which barely satisfied Li Lang.

    However, the preliminary findings from the experiments all pointed to one thing. Despite all the effort the subject had put into cultivating despite the sharp pain, they did not gain any measurable benefits from it.

    ¡°B-boss? Are you o-okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just trying to parse this and decide on our next direction. I knew going into this it wasn¡¯t going to be so easy or else someone else would¡¯ve figured it out by now. Give me a few minutes.¡±

    So either it isn¡¯t possible to increase someone¡¯s Qi tolerance through training, or that they hadn¡¯t been subjected to enough stimulant¡­However, their bodies all show severe signs of cell destabilization for some reason, so that shouldn¡¯t be true. Nothing showed up on their blood tests too¡­

    ¡°Let us go check out the latest round of subjects who had fallen ill.¡±

    ¡°Understood, t-they¡¯re ready to have t-their blood drawn.¡±

    The two soon exited Wei Ping¡¯s house and arrived at the home in the back streets of Xiang Yang. The lady who answered the door stared at them with unkind eyes.

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    She didn¡¯t say anything and made it clear she wasn¡¯t fond of them.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, as we discussed. We¡¯re here to see Grandpa Chu.¡± Wei Ping respectfully declared.

    She stepped out of the way, which the two took as a gesture of acknowledgment, and stepped inside. The woman walked them further in and pointed at a room before taking her leave.

    Opening the door, the two children arrived at the bedside of an elderly man who was sleeping with labored breaths.

    As Wei Ping got ready to draw the old man¡¯s blood, Li Lang suddenly stopped him.

    ¡°...We won¡¯t be taking his blood this time. Let me try something else. Get ready to feed him a Recovery Pill.¡±

    Li Lang shook his head as he beat himself over having done this so late. He knew the process of cultivation involved Qi burrowing space in one¡¯s flesh to hold the Qi itself, so he should¡¯ve taken samples of that much sooner.

    He went ahead and cut off a small piece of flesh from the old man, and Wei Ping quickly shoved a pill into his mouth. The bleeding instantly stopped, and Li Lang discreetly commanded Ruby to take the piece of flesh into his lab.

    Now then, let¡¯s see if something shows up here. My only other direction is strengthening the spiritual roots, but I have no idea how to get started on that without a unique physique.

 Chapter 39: Toxins

    It didn¡¯t take long for the auto-analyzer to finish processing the small piece of flesh from the bedridden test subject. Li Lang only took a brief glance at the results before he frowned.

    ¡°These results¡­The flesh itself is poisoned by a strange toxin, but it couldn¡¯t figure out how the toxins infiltrated the body at all. Is it possible for Qi to carry toxins?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea, Master. I wish I could help, but I don¡¯t remember anything from before meeting you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m just voicing out my suspicions.¡±

    There were no other reasons that came to Li Lang¡¯s mind, so he tentatively concluded that Qi overdose was when Qi somehow carried poison into the flesh itself.

    ¡°So if these new toxins are the cause of death from Qi overdoses, then does that mean we can eliminate Qi overdosing entirely if we can find an antidote¡­?¡±

    The new revelation shocked Li Lang into quickly analyzing his own flesh next. He felt fine, but he wanted to see if these toxins were built up in everyone who cultivated.

    The auto-analyzer often examined his blood, but it was the first time it was analyzing his flesh, so it took longer than usual. As his flesh was infused with the same level of Qi as himself, it naturally took several hours.

    By the time night fell, the results found were entirely consistent with the previous results.

    Li Lang¡¯s flesh also had trace amounts of the same toxin, but at such a negligible amount that it wasn¡¯t considered a health hazard yet.

    I¡¯ll need to run a few more tests to be sure, but this most likely means cultivating will slowly infect your flesh with these toxins¡­How did it take so long for me to come to this conclusion? Is this young brain still affecting me? Never mind that for now. Focus!

    The preliminary results kept Li Lang up all night, dwelling on them.

    It had a wide range of implications on the process of cultivating and how aptitude came into play.

    Li Lang suspected that the reason people with higher aptitude could cultivate much faster was either due to their bodies being more tolerant of the toxins or they somehow incurred less of it over the course of cultivating.

    With some time left before he had to finish his mission and return to the sect, Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to investigate all his test subjects again the next day.

    Many of the newer subjects had a lower cultivation than him, so the tests went much faster than his own. It only took two days for him to finish analyzing all his current test subjects.

    As the data was neatly laid out before him in Ruby¡¯s artifact space, a trend could easily be observed. Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but smile at the breakthrough he had reached. He memorized the results and quickly jotted them down on a piece of paper in the real world and showed it to Wei Ping.

    ¡°It seems our research is finally paying off.¡±

    Wei Ping took a moment to read over the new information, and a look of realization quickly hit him as well. He had proven to be a smart boy who was a quick learner.

    ¡°A-are you sure the r-results here are accurate? How d-did you even g-get them?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Just know that those numbers are accurate.¡±

    ¡°...Then d-does that mean people w-with higher aptitude h-have higher tolerance o-or do having m-more spiritual r-roots help filter out these toxins?¡±

    Li Lang beamed at his partner¡¯s astute observations.

    The sheet he had written had all the information pertaining to the subjects and the amount of toxins present inside their bodies.

    After several tests, Li Lang found that cultivating caused the practitioner to absorb a minute amount of waste and toxins as well. It was spread out evenly throughout one¡¯s flesh, and could normally be flushed out by the body after some time. This was shown when Li Lang tested the bedridden subject again the next day and found his toxin level had gone down.

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    From the data collected, one could surmise that the amount of toxin within their subjects¡¯ bodies was directly correlated to how much time has passed since they last cultivated. The consistent results were telling, and they concluded the act of cultivating absorbed some residual toxins into the body as well.

    ¡°Not bad. We¡¯ll have to figure out if those with higher aptitude either have better tolerance or if they absorb less of it somehow. However, we can work on that later. For now, our next step is to figure out how to deal with these toxins first so we can cultivate as fast as those of a higher aptitude. This means we¡¯ll be looking into how to deal with these toxins.¡±

    ¡°B-boss, if we could do t-that, then aptitude wouldn¡¯t e-even matter anymore!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that. I don¡¯t think we can eliminate all the toxins without consequences. We¡¯ll just be dealing with the symptoms, and things may change in other realms of cultivation. I don¡¯t have enough information to make any conclusive statements, but from what I heard, aptitude will still matter a lot in the other realms.¡±

    ¡°...That is t-too far off f-for us to think about r-right now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. First things first. Dealing with this toxin. It¡¯s a kind I¡¯ve never seen before, but I¡¯m confident we can find a way to deal with it.¡±

    Li Lang grinned at the next obstacle they faced in their research to speed up their cultivation despite their low aptitude.

    Discovering ways to combat toxins was just in his ballpark. As a biodefense researcher, Li Lang had ample experience dealing with pathogens, vaccines, and various measures to keep humans healthy. It was a vital part of how humanity had conquered the stars so quickly, without succumbing to strange diseases.

    For the next few days, the cultivation experiments were paused as Li Lang brought forth his full expertise in the matter. He gathered as much information as he could about this newly discovered toxin before his time in Xiang Yang came close to running out.

    ¡°I should be able to formulate a working drug prototype by the time I return. Then we can start the clinical trial next time.¡± Li Lang confidently declared as Wei Ping saw him off.

    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­a little q-quick for such an i-important medicine.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    Li Lang simply flashed a confident smile before departing from the city to accomplish his sect mission. He didn¡¯t bother to elaborate, as it wasn¡¯t something he could explain.

    How could I even explain that the secret artifact I possess gives me access to my old lab, and I happen to specialize in dealing with various biological threats like toxins?

    As Li Lang exited the city and got on his way to complete his task, he quickly reined in his excitement. He was close to figuring out a way to break past the limit his aptitude had imposed on him, but he knew from his talks with Elder Cao that cultivating wasn¡¯t that simple.

    He currently faced a bottleneck that couldn¡¯t be addressed, even if his research succeeded. Elder Cao¡¯s advice about how live combat could stimulate his ability to manipulate Qi hung in his mind.

    It was the reason he had even taken this beast extermination mission he was currently headed for.

    The young boy walked down the road while occasionally checking in with his map. He traveled for half a day before arriving near his destination.

    ¡°The maps say it should be in this area¡­How should I find these Garb Wolves?¡±

    Li Lang glanced around the woodland area the road had cut through, searching for any clues. Travelers had reported a pack of Garb Wolves were terrorizing the route, which was quite common the further one got from any town.

    Alone in the woods, Li Lang carefully investigated the area in a daze until the sky began to dim.

    ¡°I should set up camp for the night and search again tomorrow morning. The sect says this area is thin in Qi, so there shouldn¡¯t be any powerful Qi beasts.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t hard for Li Lang to spot an outcrop in the area where he swiftly set up camp. He was alone, so he didn¡¯t dare to sleep, but resting by a fire was much better than not. Once he settled down, he took out a pill and consumed it.

    It was one of the pills he refined that he learned by analyzing the pill he had received in the previous sect competition. It was a variant of a Nourishment Pill, called the Stimulant Pill. It not only replaced meals, but also allowed them to stay awake throughout the night without getting drowsy.

    He leaned against the rock and glanced around. It was quiet, with only the sound of wind and crackling of fire. With his mind still sharp, Li Lang took this time to think about his future plans.

    Considering my research bears fruit, how do I deal with the sect? Do I give them my research results?

    Despite never having cared about politics, Li Lang was still mindful of the implications of his research results. He had always kept an eye out to avoid losing his research funds due to political maneuvering, but this time, it could affect his life.

    No one was sure if the sect would be happy to discover a way for people of low aptitude to cultivate through the Energy Gathering realm at similar speeds to geniuses. After all, the demographic of powerful cultivators was heavily skewed toward those with heaven-gifted aptitude, and they may not want to see the rise of those they looked down upon.

    Before he could count his chickens, he also had to consider how resource-intensive it was to craft this hypothetical antidote.

    If Li Lang had a choice, he would definitely share his results, as that was how science prospered. Throughout history, societies that promoted selfishness, keeping findings to oneself, all eventually stagnated or even declined when met with setbacks.

    As he struggled with this dilemma late into the night, a howl suddenly rang out from a distance.

    Hmm¡­Should I go to them or wait until morning?

 Chapter 40: Garb Wolves

    As the sound of wolves howling rang out once more, Li Lang was forced to make a decision. He could either engage his targets in the dark of night now or wait until morning.

    I should be able to handle them¡­That¡¯s why I chose this task in the first place.

    Garb Wolves were typically low-level Qi beasts. They were weak enough that even those without any cultivation could defeat them if they were properly equipped. However, that was only in a one-on-one scenario, and wolves never fought alone.

    Their numbers and shrewdness gave most normal folks a run for their money, which was why a request was sent out to the Spirit Grove.

    Concentrating his Qi into his eyes, Li Lang swiftly tidied up his camping grounds and began to head off toward the sound of the wolves. The Qi not only allowed him to see better at a distance, it enabled him to operate in the dark as well.

    Having practiced the control of his Qi for months, Li Lang was no longer the same person he had been when he encountered those thugs in Xiang Yang. His ability to manipulate the flow of his internal energy had greatly increased, allowing him to seamlessly direct his Qi into his legs when he ran, or to his fists when punched, without any delay at all.

    As Li Lang raced across the woodland, he soon heard several growls in the distance. He adjusted his course and was soon able to spot two dozen wolves chasing a pair of elks.

    The scene gave him pause as he readjusted the image of his opponent. It was his first time seeing this species of wolves, and he was already on full alert simply due to the fact that these Garb Wolves were a full size larger than what he expected.

    Once he composed himself, he pushed aside all idle thoughts and charged from the side of the pack.

    One of the wolves instantly spotted him and howled to alert his pack to the newcomer. Half a dozen wolves quickly split off to deal with Li Lang.

    The six oversized wolves soon collided against the lone unarmed boy. Just before impact, Li Lang suddenly picked up speed and jumped up to unleash his only offensive martial arts, the Skysoar Kick. His small figure sailed through the air before it connected precisely with the leading wolf.

    It all happened so suddenly that the remaining five wolves couldn¡¯t even react and ran past their target. When they turned around, they found their prey standing above their companion, unleashing several more kicks toward their collapsed ally.

    They all growled and charged at Li Lang once more.

    I know this is for training and all, but it feels so stupid fighting wolves with my bare hands¡­ I can¡¯t wait to break through and learn how to coat a weapon in my Qi to fight with.

    While mundane weapons existed, the point of this mission was for Li Lang to practice his Qi control in a real combat scenario. It was the most common method to stir breakthroughs for cultivators, as one truly had to muster all they had when they felt their lives were at risk.

    This was why Li Lang opted out of procuring a weapon, as fighting with one would not be conducive to his training.

    He prayed his attacks were enough to bring the first wolf he knocked down out of the picture as he prepared to handle the other five enemies coming his way.

    This time, he didn¡¯t charge forward and waited for his enemy to approach. Just when the wolves were close enough to tackle him, he quickly sidestepped and kept all five of his enemies directly in front of him. The movements he showed were a huge improvement to the amateur footwork he previously displayed, which came in handy when outnumbered.

    The wolves realized the slipperiness of their prey and began fanning out.

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    They would soon come to regret that, as Li Lang used the opportunity to take them out one by one.

    He charged the closest wolf and baited it to bite out at him before kicking the mutt in the face. The young boy didn¡¯t dare to relent on his assault and followed up with more blows as the surrounding wolves drew near.

    Garb Wolves or not, they were a species famed for their teamwork and they displayed just that. They quickly lunged at the stationary Li Lang and bit down on his legs and shoulders.

    However, what they didn¡¯t expect was that this little boy had skin as tough as the thickest hide they had encountered. Their teeth barely sunk into his skin before they could go no further.

    This caused the offending wolves to suddenly become stationary targets. They didn¡¯t know how to react except to continue clinging to their prey, which allowed Li Lang to pummel the daylights out of the Qi beasts with his free hand.

    Once he was done with his immediate enemies, Li Lang quickly brought his attention to the remaining pack that had been chasing the elks. They had succeeded, and a small group began dragging their prey away as the larger pack turned to face him.

    Seeing how streams of blood dripped down his body, the young boy quickly popped a Recovery Pill into his mouth as he prepared for the arduous battle to come. He knew the main danger he faced was being surrounded by the enemy as they didn¡¯t have the power to finish him off thanks to the defenses his Ironhide Art had provided him.

    That changed when the wolves collectively howled.

    It took a moment for Li Lang to realize that these Qi beasts before him had called in reinforcements upon seeing him vanquish their allies.

    From the tree line, the sound of bushes violently rustling rang out before another Garb Wolf popped out. This wolf was yet another size larger than the other members of the pack, and Li Lang swiftly realized it was the leader of the pack.

    The alpha howled upon arriving and the other wolves quickly fanned out in an attempt to circle Li Lang.

    ¡­I¡¯m not going to outrun their encirclement with two legs. I need to end this quickly.

    For a moment, Li Lang considered using his warding talisman, but quickly decided otherwise. He steeled his resolve and kept his eyes on the enemies.

    He waited for the wolves to fan out even further before he suddenly charged straight ahead, straight toward their leader.

    The alpha wolf howled at the sight of their prey, daring to challenge them.

    However, the young cultivator was too fast for any of the other wolves to react in time. Li Lang swiftly charged through the encirclement by skillfully enhancing his movements with Qi and closed the distance with the leader of the pack.

    Once he got close, he didn¡¯t hesitate to unleash his only martial technique he had been honing, and kicked out at the bear-sized wolf. Unfortunately, his straightforward attack was easily read by the monster and it swiftly dodged out of the way.

    My lack of combat experience is so obvious that it¡¯s painful¡­

    Before Li Lang could right himself, the Qi beast lunged at him. The young boy could only brace himself with his defensive technique as he attempted to jump out of the way. He also tried to force out his Qi to form a protective layer on his skin, but pain quickly flooded his system before he could complete the maneuver.

    The claws of the wolf had managed to clip his forearm, leaving Li Lang with a long gash despite his high defenses.

    Ouch! It did make sense that this guy is stronger than the other wolves, of course.

    The wolf didn¡¯t relent in its attack, keeping Li Lang too busy to consume a Recovery Pill. He dove left and right to dodge out of the way, but his footwork allowed him to retain his balance despite his large movements.

    As he got the hang of dodging, he was soon able to throw in some punches that knocked the beast back. He made use of the valuable distance he created to consume a pill.

    At the end of the day, the Garb Wolf was still a low-level Qi beast. That meant it wasn¡¯t much better than a normal beast and its intelligence was limited as it listened more to its instincts.

    It tried to lunge out at Li Lang once more, but the boy was ready for it this time. He sidestepped out of the way and unleashed another Skysoar Kick that knocked the wind out of the beast.

    It landed on its side, and Li Lang rushed upon seeing that. The other wolves had almost reached the fighting, so he didn¡¯t waste any time and let out everything he had at the Garb Wolf.

    Punch after punch, he tried to stir his Qi to the maximum to enhance his blows. After a few punches on the defenseless beast, the light in its eye soon began to fade.

    Seeing the scene, the other wolves whimpered and circled their formidable enemy carefully as they struggled to decide on their next course of action without their leader.

    The exhausted Li Lang carefully monitored them while he began looking for a path of retreat. He was too tired to continue, and eliminating the alpha had completed his objective already. Even if the remaining wolves got away, their threat level had already decreased by several degrees without their leader.

 Chapter 41: Second Sect Competition

    With a long gash across his forearm, Li Lang knew he had to end the battle quickly. Letting a fight stall when one was outnumbered and injured was a fool¡¯s errand.

    Luckily, the wolves were confused, as their leader had been slain. They cautiously surrounded Li Lang but were too indecisive to take action.

    Li Lang took advantage of that and charged toward his next target. Having just fought with the large leader of the pack, the other wolves appeared weak in comparison. If they were compared to humans, the alpha would be at the peak of early Energy Gathering like Li Lang while the other wolves would be around the first stage to the second stage of Energy Gathering.

    The hesitation of the pack snowballed once they saw yet another of their companions mercilessly assaulted. It only took one wolf to begin retreating before it caused a chain reaction, and the rest followed.

    Li Lang watched them cautiously as they did so while consuming another Recovery Pill for his wounds. With the alpha dead, the pack should dissolve, and in the rare case of them reforming, the new leader would likely be much weaker and less cunning for a long while. Either way, he had done enough to complete the mission he had taken on.

    Once the wolves all disappeared from view, the lone boy proceeded to cut off the ears of his kills before moving on to the hide and fangs.

    The ears of the alpha should be enough to complete the mission, but the other parts could be used as materials.

    With his task complete, the boy took out a red gemstone and placed it against his head.

    ¡°Ruby, can you transport the body of a wolf into your artifact space?¡±

    ¡°Yes, master. As long as it isn¡¯t alive. I¡¯m not too sure if they¡¯ll be useful for alchemy, though.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Better to have it so I can play around with their fangs and pelt if the need arises in the future.¡±

    With everything settled, Li Lang took one last glance around the field he fought in and found that morning had already arrived at some point.

    He managed to return to Xiang Yang before long and went straight toward Spirit Grove¡¯s branch office.

    No Skyrunner would be making its way back to the sect today, so Li Lang rested another night in the city before he returned. The entire time, he was nervous he would encounter that same girl in his year again and get caught up in trouble. It was because they both historically preferred to stay in Xiang Yang until the last second.

    For better or worse, his fears manifested. He found himself facing the aloof genius of his generation, Ling Xue.

    The two wordlessly boarded the same Skyrunner and didn¡¯t interact whatsoever during the journey. It was only when Spirit Grove came into view that Ling Xue surprisingly broke the silence.

    ¡°I heard about you. You¡¯re the one with grade one aptitude that they have refining pills, right?¡±

    Li Lang was completely caught off guard, never having expected the girl to start up a conversation.

    ¡°...Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The girl simply stared at him for a few moments.

    ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°...You¡­should leave the sect.¡± The girl muttered so quietly that Li Lang barely heard her.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Unfortunately for Li Lang, he wouldn¡¯t get an answer. The girl glanced out the window and refused to speak further.

    Well¡­ Whatever.

    The Skyrunner soon safely arrived back to the sect, and Li Lang went straight to the Mission Hall.

    ¡°I have a set of ears from the leader of the Garb Wolf pack. Is that sufficient?¡±

    The deacon at the desk took a second to examine the articles presented to him before nodding.

    ¡°Please hand over your sect token for your contribution points.¡±

    Li Lang swiftly returned to his routine and took new missions to Xiang Yang weekly to check on his subjects. He needed to be there to make use of his auto-analyzer to progress the experiments and continue gaining combat experience.

    Through the last encounter, Li Lang felt that his use of Qi improved drastically after digesting his experiences. He felt Elder Cao¡¯s advice was right on the money, and combat would be the fastest way for him to overcome his bottleneck toward the next stage of his cultivation.

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    However, this new routine only lasted several weeks.

    The annual sect competition drew near once more, and all activities outside the sect were halted in preparation for it.

    During this downtime, Li Lang made use of it by purchasing every last type of alchemy material he had yet to buy before and fed it all into his lab. Throughout the ten months since the previous competitions, he had analyzed a good chunk of the available herbs for purchase. Combined with his new haul, he was hoping to use them to produce an antidote for the Qi toxins.

    He had pretty accurate information on the type of toxins he was dealing with. He just needed to find the correct materials and figure out a method he could use to produce it without any fancy equipment at his disposal.

    I guess there¡¯s no toxicologist in this world and their Qi senses mainly detect issues relating to Qi. It¡¯s weird since they have such amazing Recovery Pills for wounds, but few for other ailments. Well¡­ it¡¯s not like powerful cultivators need to worry about getting sick.

    Time passed by quickly and the annual competition arrived once again.

    Li Lang got out of bed early and went outside to do some stretches as he prepared himself mentally. It would be his first time participating in the combat segment of the competitions, but the various missions he had taken in the past two months had given him ample practice. It was just that his practice partners were always Qi beasts, and he would be fighting humans today.

    As he relaxed and basked in the morning sun, a voice called out from the direction of his dorm.

    ¡°Li Lang! What is the meaning of this?¡±

    A short young man strode over and Li Lang immediately recognized him to be Yang Quan, his dorm mate. He was confused as to why the boy sought him out as they hadn¡¯t talked ever since Yang Quan found out he only had grade one aptitude.

    ¡°Meaning of what?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me! I¡¯m asking you why you decided to participate in the combat tournament. Aren¡¯t you supposed to just quietly refine your pills for the sect?¡±

    ¡°That is my main job, yes, but there¡¯s no rule that says I can¡¯t take part in the combat section to gain experience.¡±

    ¡°You big-headed freak should know your place. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re really a member of the sect. You¡¯re just a pet Elder Cao keeps around. You¡¯re only at the third stage of Energy Gathering, so stop wasting your time and go back to doing your job.¡±

    Yang Quan began emitting a tense aura of Qi, and it soon cloaked itself around his body. It was the characteristic ability of someone who was in the middle stages of Energy Gathering.

    Just as the two kids stared each other down, more voices could be heard as other disciples came to check out what all the noise was about. Seeing this, Yang Quan quickly reined in his Qi and angrily retreated.

    ¡°You better hope you won¡¯t be facing me before you¡¯re eliminated because I¡¯ll make sure to teach you a painful lesson, peasant!¡±

    Li Lang shrugged as he returned to sunbathing.

    A chance at winning an Ascension Pill! I can¡¯t wait to analyze its principles. I¡¯ll do whatever is necessary to win it!

    The sect competition soon began inside the giant coliseum that was erected specially for the event. Just like the previous years, the outer disciples were organized by the dorms they were from. During the entire opening ceremony, it became hard for Li Lang not to feel the gaze of his fellow companion.

    Most people ignored him, but Yang Quan held a heavy grudge for some reason.

    Thankfully, when they went on to the combat tournament, every member of their dorm was separated into different groups.

    Li Lang was assigned arena number seventeen. It was one of the dozens of arenas set aside for younger disciples who had yet to reach the age of adulthood of fifteen.

    That meant Li Lang could face disciples who were up to two years older than him, and the only people who were younger were the disciples who joined in the same year as him. That was because he had joined the sect a year later than most, while the latest newcomers had their own separate section.

    When he arrived below the ring where his group gathered, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh as another set of eyes glared his way with hostility.

    ¡°Junior Li, we meet again.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­nice to see you again, Senior¡­Pei.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you do remember me. I¡¯m flattered.¡±

    Despite the young man¡¯s words and friendly demeanor, his eyes didn¡¯t smile at all. He was one of the senior disciples who was pursuing Ling Xue, who had mistaken him for a competitor when he returned to the sect together with her.

    ¡°First match, Li Lang versus Pei Fong!¡± the nearby deacon yelled out.

    As luck would have it, Li Lang¡¯s first match would be against this tall and lanky senior.

    Having heard this, Pei Fong immediately burst out into laughter.

    ¡°Ha ha ha, the heaven seems to want me to teach Junior Li a lesson or two. I¡¯ve heard that you only have grade one aptitude, too. If you call me grandfather, I might go easy on you¡­But then again, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d want to have a freak show like you as my grandchild.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t bother answering as they both climbed up to the arena. However, the people in the same group gossiped without any restraint.

    ¡°Did you hear that? That third-stage kid only has grade one aptitude. How in the world did he get into the sect?¡±

    ¡°Never mind if that is true or not. Just the difference between a third stage and fifth-stage cultivator means he will surely lose. And that is when we aren¡¯t even considering the vast difference in experience. It is hard to surmount the age gap.¡±

    ¡°Hm, I heard there¡¯s a young disciple this year who is rumored to be as strong as an inner disciple. I believe her name was Ling Xue.¡±

    Meanwhile, Li Lang was focusing on preparing himself for the fight. After having fought regularly for two months, he felt himself infinitely close to mastering Qi control and breaking through to the fourth stage of Energy Gathering.

    He was just too slow and clumsy with his Qi manipulation, like a toddler just learning to walk.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Junior? Getting scared? Don¡¯t worry, as your senior, I will give you a handicap. I won¡¯t be wielding any weapons, seeing you are still in the third stage.¡± Pei Fong taunted.

    ¡°Quiet, so I can go over the rules again!¡± the deacon reprimanded. ¡°Now then, the rules remain unchanged. No use of outside items and no¡­¡±

    Once the deacon was done with his long-winded explanation, he finally declared the start of the first round.

    ¡°Fight!¡±

 Chapter 42: Cultivation Gap

    As the fight began, Li Lang¡¯s opponent Pei Fong simply stood there with a smirk.

    ¡°Come now, Junior. Attack me, I won¡¯t move. Or do you not dare?¡±

    Instead of falling for the provocation, Li Lang slowly circled around him. His experience fighting Qi beasts told him charging straight in when he didn¡¯t have the upper hand in speed usually meant he would open himself up to counterattacks.

    Pei Fong was a cultivator in the fifth stage of Energy Gathering, which meant anyone could tell he was superior to Li Lang in every aspect.

    However, the more knowledgeable cultivators wouldn¡¯t dare to write off the match yet. People in the Energy Gathering realm were still considered mortals who had yet to really reach the starting line of cultivation.

    They had good reason to say that, as Energy Gatherers still shared many similarities with normal humans. They were only physically stronger, and while they could employ some tricks with Qi, they weren¡¯t that powerful.

    The higher the cultivation realm, the greater the gulf between minor stages. Energy Gatherers were simply too vulnerable regardless of stage. It was because of this that many experts knew the fight could go either way.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Junior? I promise I will properly take your first attack. If you don¡¯t come soon, then I might¡ª¡±

    It was at this moment, while Pei Fong shouted out words of provocation, that Li Lang decided to act.

    Li Lang had developed a devious plan as soon as he witnessed his opponent¡¯s confident demeanor. It sealed the deal when Pei Fong offered to take his first attack.

    He charged in as fast as he could and prepared to throw out a punch. However, when he entered within range to unleash his attack, he sidestepped away.

    Pei Fong smirked at the pathetic attempt at a feint. He simply reoriented himself to be facing Li Lang at all times. When he saw Li Lang about to unleash another punch at him, he quickly concentrated his Qi there to receive the blow, following wherever his fist may go.

    What he didn¡¯t expect was the Qi in Li Lang¡¯s fist to drop down before it reached him. He was completely baffled at the strange scene. Taking advantage of the fact that Pei Fong had his entire attention on his fists, Li Lang gathered all his Qi to his leg.

    As someone with much higher cultivation, Pei Fong¡¯s relatively quick reaction immediately picked up on the new attack. The main issue was that he had fully committed to receiving the first blow from his opponent. He detected the incoming attack coming right up to the area between his legs. His mind struggled on whether to uphold his promise to take the blow or to dodge the underhanded attack.

    This hesitation made him freeze up, allowing Li Lang¡¯s kick to land directly on its intended target.

    A loud whimper of pain rang out in the arena.

    The sound of the young man falling to his knees could clearly be heard by everyone.

    However, no one cheered like they typically would when someone landed a clean blow.

    They all stared with wide eyes at the scene on the stage as they processed what happened.

    The young boy who was rumored to only have grade one aptitude dared to unleash one of the most dishonorable attacks they¡¯d seen. The junior dared to abuse the right of attack he was given by kicking his senior right in the sensitive area between their legs.

    ¡°...J-junior Li!¡± the previous smug senior cried out as he gasped for breath while trying to retain his balance on all fours. ¡°You dare!¡±

    Instead of responding, Li Lang quickly wound up for another kick and mercilessly repeated his attack on the immobile target. As everyone gasped in shock, only one thing was on Li Lang¡¯s mind.

    Ascension Pill, I¡¯m coming for you. Whatever it¡¯ll take, I¡¯ll do it!

    More gut-wrenching cries of pain came out of Pei Fong¡¯s mouth as the spectators watched on in horror.

    Even the deacon in charge of the fight was hesitant about what to do. There weren¡¯t any rules regarding where one could strike during fights, but few people ever stooped to such dishonorable means to win a fight among fellow disciples in such an official setting.

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    While he hesitated, Pei Fong¡¯s suffering continued. It didn¡¯t take long before he lay motionless on the ground. Even with his Qi protecting him, repeated blows to such a weak point proved too much.

    The deacon stared at Li Lang for a moment before sighing.

    ¡°Winner, Li Lang!¡±

    No applause was given and an awkward atmosphere descended the place. Li Lang paid it no mind and got off the stage with an evil grin.

    Now then, that¡¯s one step closer to my Ascension Pill.

    The awkwardness only cleared when the cheering from the neighboring arena erupted like a volcano.

    ¡°Next match, Ling Xue versus He Quan.¡±

    The noise only drew more attention as people realized they weren¡¯t celebrating a brilliant victory but just the entrance of a jade beauty. Ling Xue had been famous since she had won the previous sect competitions, so many disciples directed their gaze to the most famous newcomer.

    ¡°Junior Ling is fighting a senior who is in the sixth stage. Do you think she can win when she is only in the fifth stage?¡±

    ¡°That is hard to say¡­Junior Ling is so young. It¡¯s hard to believe she would have as much combat experience as someone like He Quan.¡±

    Li Lang glanced over at the man in question and spotted the six-foot-tall man with bulging muscles. The man¡¯s figure was so gallant that many younger disciples doubted if he even belonged in the competition meant for youths. It was only the presence of the nonchalant elders on the podium above that they were reassured that there were no problems.

    The deacon in charge of Ling Xue¡¯s arena didn¡¯t bother to wait for the crowd to quiet down and declared the start of the new round.

    Unlike Li Lang¡¯s fight, where the fighters slowly closed the distance, Ling Xue instantly dashed forward as if she was gliding across the ground.

    She wielded a wooden sword while the man swung a long training poleaxe at his oncoming opponent.

    Everyone watched without daring to blink as they witnessed Ling Xue gracefully performing a backflip to dodge the first sweep. She even slashed her sword out in the air, sending a wave of Qi at her opponent.

    That¡¯s a Qi art! So she had broken through to the middle stages of Energy Gathering and learned a Qi art already during this year¡­

    As strong as the bulky man was, he wasn¡¯t fast enough to recover from his swing to defend against the ranged Qi attack. However, the glow around his body grew brighter as he directed more Qi to defend against the blow.

    He was pushed back several steps and held on strong, but Ling Xue did not allow him to rest.

    She dashed at her opponent once again. Having learned his lesson, He Quan didn¡¯t dare to do another full power swing.

    As if able to read her opponent¡¯s mind, Ling Xue decided to press forward this time. Her opponent holding back his attack meant it was weaker and came slower, and she took full advantage of that.

    She leaped up into the air again, but this time, she advanced forward.

    The man swiftly swung again in an attempt to create some distance, but she gracefully ducked under it and closed the distance. Wielding a long weapon like a polearm, it was fatal to have someone so close to him. He could only watch as Ling Xue thrust out at him with her wooden sword.

    Li Lang carefully watched the refined technique of Ling Xue who concentrated all her Qi at the tip of her blade within a split second. To her opponent¡¯s credit, he also reinforced his body with more Qi, but her concentrated blow sent him flying.

    When the huge body hit the ground, he remained motionless.

    The deacon swiftly checked up on him before declaring the results.

    ¡°He simply lost consciousness. The winner is Ling Xue! Medical team, please come retrieve him.¡±

    The crowd quickly erupted into louder cheering than before that Li Lang didn¡¯t think was even possible.

    As much as the surrounding disciples wanted to continue extolling the feats of the young girl for the next hour, most of them were still active participants in the competition. The crowd soon calmed down as other fights took place.

    It didn¡¯t take long before everyone in Li Lang¡¯s arena had fought and the deacon gave them the next instructions.

    ¡°I will now be calling out the names of those who should relocate to arena ten for your next match. For the winners of the previous round who don¡¯t hear your name, you simply have to remain here.¡±

    The competition was a single-elimination tournament, but the brackets weren¡¯t publicized. They also mixed up the participants in each arena to prevent them from studying their opponents. This was a habit the sect wanted to instill into their disciples so they could become more flexible and handle any opponent they may encounter in the future.

    As Li Lang previously fought first, he naturally did so again in the next round.

    ¡°Next, Li Lang versus Mei Long. Please head up the stage. I will be there shortly.¡±

    Li Lang laid eyes on his next opponent. It was a boy that wasn¡¯t much older than him. He had a wide forehead and narrow eyes.

    Once they got atop the stage, the two stared at each other while the deacon was busy receiving the oncoming disciples from the other arena.

    Mei Long smiled confidently and whispered, so only Li Lang could hear him.

    ¡°Young master Lu Hong sends his regards. I may have to get a little rough with you, but I personally have nothing against you. You only have yourself to blame for offending the young master. A word of advice¡­ once you recover from your wounds, I would go apologize if I were you.¡±

    ¡­Why am I only fighting the people who have something against me?

 Chapter 43: External Qi

    The deacon in charge of Li Lang¡¯s arena finally settled the other contestants and made their way up to the platform, causing his opponent, Mei Long, to stop glaring.

    The deacon proceeded to give them the same spiel, explaining the rules of the fight before declaring the start of a new round.

    ¡°Fight!¡±

    Mei Long wasted no time and jumped straight at Li Lang. Unlike the previous opponent, Mei Long wielded a classic wooden sword empowered with his Qi and didn¡¯t hesitate to use it.

    It may be a wooden weapon, but it could still easily break bones.

    The sword slashed out fiercely toward Li Lang¡¯s face, and he nimbly dodged out of the way.

    The head was one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body, but at the same time, it was also the part hardest to hit. That was because it was where the eyes were. Even an untrained person would flinch and dodge out of the way if something came for their head, and cultivators were no different.

    Li Lang dove and weaved past the attacks. To the untrained eye, it may seem like he was doing well, but in reality, he was doing everything he could to avoid the blows. He didn¡¯t excel in speed or anything, so he had to rely on large movements to get out of the way. This meant he would get tired faster, and it was only a matter of time before he would slip up from exhaustion.

    Wait, I shouldn¡¯t be dodging everything if he¡¯s taking me seriously. Something feels off¡­He¡¯s only targeting my face!

    ¡°You¡­are¡­¡± Li Lang barely managed to squeak out between blows. ¡°Aiming¡­for my¡­face?¡±

    Contrary to Li Lang, Mei Long was able to speak with ease as he continued his unrelenting slashes.

    ¡°Instructions from the Young master. He wants to make you more manly by giving you a few scars.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Having discovered this fact, Li Lang¡¯s movements became more refined as he knew what Mei Long was aiming for. It became easier for him to dodge, but it didn¡¯t change the situation where he didn¡¯t even have the leeway to retaliate.

    The difference in cultivation was just too wide and defending was everything that Li Lang could manage. Mei Long was in the fifth stage of Energy Gathering while Li Lang was only in the third.

    After a whole ten minutes of dodging, it didn¡¯t surprise the crowd when Li Lang finally slipped up as his movement lost its sharpness.

    Li Lang¡¯s body didn¡¯t move as he commanded, and he could only helplessly watch as the wooden sword nick his cheeks, cutting open a small wound. He had tried focusing his Qi there to defend against the blow, but the attack was too powerful, and he didn¡¯t make it in time to coat his skin with Qi.

    A tiny trickle of blood dripped down his cheeks and stained the arena as he continued to roll around.

    I¡¯ll only lose if this keeps happening. I have to counterattack! He¡¯s not letting his guard down, so the only way is¡­ but I¡¯ll have to be able to take a head-on blow for that to work!

    Li Lang felt his blood heat up as he continued to dodge. He knew the longer this went, the more disadvantageous it was for him. With a lower cultivation, he would likely run out of steam first.

    The young boy gritted his teeth as he steeled his resolve.

    The attacks so far were all focused on his face, which made it much more predictable. It was to the point that even Li Lang, who only had a month or two of combat experience, could predict its trajectory.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    However, it was still impossible for a beginner like Li Lang to parry the attacks.

    On the next swing that came down diagonally at him, the large-headed boy prepared to receive the blow with his forearm. He concentrated all his Qi toward his left arm and exerted all the force he could muster in trying to expel the Qi out of his body to envelop his arm.

    As he tried his best, his eyes didn¡¯t leave the wooden blade being swung down on him.

    I won¡¯t make it in time!

    The blade swiftly made contact with the young boy¡¯s arm, and the sound of impact resounded through the arena.

    Pain swelled up in Li Lang¡¯s forearm, but after a quick second, he realized it didn¡¯t hurt as badly as he expected. Glancing over at where the pain came from, Li Lang¡¯s eyes widened when he spotted the faint glow of his Qi stabilized around his forearm.

    I¡­did it? Wait, no time to celebrate.

    Li Lang found Mei Long was just as stunned, having discovered his opponent was suddenly able to evoke a layer of Qi to defend against his attack. It was something he never expected as it was not a feat someone in the third stage of Energy Gathering could accomplish.

    ¡°Look at that! He managed to coat his arm with Qi to defend against the blow!¡±

    ¡°Still¡­ I bet it hurts. It¡¯s still not easy to block a weapon unarmed, even if it¡¯s a training sword.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations Junior! You¡¯ve broken through!¡± A voice shouted in the background.

    It was only then that Li Lang realized he had inadvertently broken through in the middle of combat! All the fights he had with Qi beasts had pushed him to the brink. Now, faced with danger once more, he was finally able to control his Qi.

    It only took the big-headed boy a second to realize that he could freely envelop his body with the Qi now. It was as if he suddenly developed muscle memory, being able to spread out a thin layer of Qi throughout his body or concentrate it into one part.

    He didn¡¯t waste the opportunity to take advantage of his stunned adversary and threw out a punch with all his Qi concentrated on it. It landed squarely at Mei Long¡¯s jaw, pushing him several steps back.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Mei Long spat out some blood. ¡°So what if you¡¯ve broken through? You¡¯re still a whole stage behind me!¡±

    He got into a different sword stance before quickly slashing down at the empty space in front of him. A shockwave of Qi was sent flying from the tip of his sword, flying straight at Li Lang.

    Thankfully, Li Lang was conditioned to dodge attacks and quickly ducked out of the way. By reflex, he closed the distance with his opponent immediately after dodging.

    ¡°You¡¯re not bad at running away from attacks, but let¡¯s see if you have the speed to be able to catch me!¡±

    Mei Long jumped back to keep some distance from his opponent, but his feet suddenly buckled.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Having received a blow to the jaw, the young cultivator hadn¡¯t realized how much that blow had rattled his brain. And that was a fatal mistake, and also his last mistake in the tournament.

    Seeing his opponent stagger, Li Lang jumped into the air and unleashed his only offensive martial art, the Skysoar Kick. It landed right on the dazed Mei Long¡¯s chest, sending him flying off the stage.

    ¡°Winner, Li Lang!¡± the deacon declared as soon as Mei Long went out of bounds.

    The crowd instantly cheered triumphantly at the surprising results. The underdog had won, and many were stirred by such unexpected outcomes.

    However, the winner didn¡¯t bask in the glory, but instead stood completely still on the stage.

    I¡¯ve broken through?

    Li Lang inspected the state of himself. He didn¡¯t feel that he had physically grown stronger like the previous breakthroughs, but his control of Qi was definitely better.

    He looked down at his hand as he enveloped it with Qi and stared at the soft glow. Using his empowered hand, he lightly tapped his other hand, and it was instantly blown back.

    Layering Qi outside my body empowers it much more than I thought. It isn¡¯t just a defensive skill, but can be offensive as well¡­ Another thing to add to my training regime.

    The cheering was so loud that many from the more distant arenas turned to see what was going on.

    ¡°What is going on over at arena number seventeen? I don¡¯t think there was anyone of note over there.¡±

    ¡°I heard there was a big upset and someone broke through!¡±

    As Li Lang¡¯s arena became the center of attention, only one girl remained unfazed. Ling Xue was practically the only one in her group that completely ignored the spectacle. Instead, she gazed up into the sky.

    ¡°It is almost time¡­¡± she quietly muttered.

 Chapter 44: Unlucky

    On the upper level of the coliseum, there was a spacious landing where many of Spirit Grove¡¯s elders had gathered to oversee the annual sect competition. At first glance, they were chatting over tea or playing board games, and didn¡¯t seem like they were paying attention at all. However, with their high cultivation, they could easily keep track of everything taking place around them.

    Two elders in particular were playing a game of go that drew the most gazes. They were the Vice Sect Leader Gong Tai and an elder by the name of Shangguan Yezi.

    ¡°Yezi, how is the Grand Elder doing?¡±

    ¡°...Grandfather is doing well, but he is still facing the same bottleneck.¡± The man sighed. ¡°The wall between the Violet Core realm and Spirit Divide realm is just too difficult.¡±

    ¡°I see. You should have more confidence in him. If anyone can do it, it is him. You may not have been alive during the time, but your grandfather was heralded as a once-in-a-ten-thousand-year genius. If he wasn¡¯t part of the Shangguan family, he would have been swept away by the big sects from the mainland.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Anyway, how about you?¡±

    ¡°What about me? It hasn¡¯t been long since I¡¯ve broken through.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m talking about continuing your family¡¯s bloodline. I heard you¡¯re friendly with the young lady from the Violet Sword sect.¡±

    ¡°She is just an acquaintance. I want to dedicate everything towards my cultivation first.¡±

    ¡°...Well, that¡¯s not a bad plan, with the future of Violet Isle being so turbulent.¡±

    As the two esteemed cultivators were conversing, the loud cheering from their disciples down below drew their attention.

    ¡°That¡­that is Ling Xue. The most talented disciple of the new generation that Elder Tian discovered.¡± The Vice Sect Master noted.

    ¡°Elder Tian? I thought he had perished?¡±

    ¡°Elder Tian may have hit a bottleneck in his cultivation and has remained in the early Violet Core stages for many years, but he has many aces up his sleeve. It¡¯s not surprising that he managed to escape from those demonic cultivators alive. He holed up somewhere to recover and has recently returned.¡±

    Shangguan Yezi narrowed his eyes at having heard about the demonic cultivators.

    ¡°Those scum sure have been acting up more and more in recent times¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­As despicable as they are, they know how to band together, especially if we push too hard. It¡¯s not easy changing the status quo when the mainlanders don¡¯t care about our affairs whatsoever.¡±

    The two continued their game of go in silence for a little while until a woman in light brown robes walked over and took a knee. They stood out among all the other sect members who wore olive-colored robes. That was intended to highlight them as members of the Guardians, the protectors of the sect.

    ¡°Vice Sect Master, I have an urgent report.¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°The people from the Demonic Cultivator Territory are showing signs of gathering by our borders. Since the sect master is in closed-door cultivation, we are awaiting your orders, sir.¡±

    ¡°Have you contacted the other sects?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I will go head out first. Shangguan Yezi, you take over here.¡±

    ¡°Of course. You can leave it to me.¡±

    After taking one more look at the commotion going on below, Gong Tai, the Vice Sect Master instantly vanished from sight.

    <hr>

    After winning his second match, Li Lang found himself sent off to another arena to continue the tournament.

    When he arrived at arena number ten, he couldn¡¯t help but gawk when he spotted not one familiar person, but two.

    The people he recognized reacted in completely opposite manners.

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    Ling Xue barely acknowledged his presence and glanced away while Yang Quan glared at him as he aggressively approached.

    His dorm mate didn¡¯t bother to hide his disgusted expression as he spoke.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe a servant like you made it to the third round. The other outer disciples should be ashamed of themselves for losing to grade one aptitude trash.¡±

    Having been occasionally harassed by this young boy over the months, Li Lang had entirely gotten used to it. It reminded him of all the drama he had in his younger days before he realized how stupid they were as he aged.

    Li Lang only nodded toward him before turning to examine the other disciples.

    I just need to beat a few more of them before I can get my hands on an Ascension Pill!

    Seeing Li Lang ignore him, Yang Quan almost wanted to slap the big-headed boy before him, but managed to rein himself in as the deacon cleared the start of the new round.

    With fewer disciples each round, the time between them shortened. The deacon in charge of the arena quickly called for the first pair of contestants.

    ¡°Ling Xue versus Ma Hong!¡±

    Many cheers immediately rang out at having heard the name Ling Xue. She gained many fans despite her cold demeanor.

    Her opponent slowly walked up to the stage with a scowl on his face. This wasn¡¯t only due to having the crowd against him. It was also because of the lack of confidence he had going up against someone as powerful as Ling Xue despite her age.

    Ma Hong was one year older than Ling Xue, having joined the sect one year prior, but he was otherwise an average disciple. He knew that it wasn¡¯t likely he would win against one of the stars of the new generation.

    His fears came true when the match started, and he was quickly sent flying out of the arena as his struggles proved futile.

    ¡°Winner, Ling Xue!¡±

    The ice beauty exited the stage gracefully at the cheering of the crowd.

    ¡°Sister Ling, please use my handkerchief!¡±

    ¡°Fairy Ling, I would love to go over various techniques with you!¡±

    Ling Xue was popular with both the boys and girls of the sect. The deacon even imbued Qi into his voice in order to overpower the crowd as he called out the next contestants.

    ¡°Next, Liang Lei versus Long Hua.¡±

    While the audience quieted down to allow the deacon to speak, the spectators in the adjacent arena went into a frenzy.

    Li Lang strained his ear to collect information on the unfamiliar names.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe after Ling Xue we will get to see Liu Xing, the star of the latest generation!¡±

    ¡°I heard Liu Xing possesses both immense talent and a unique physique! He¡¯s made tremendous progress despite coming from a normal background within the short time since he has joined the sect.¡±

    Li Lang directed some Qi into his eyes to get a look at the famous disciple, only to find Ling Xue right before the neighboring platform. She had somehow gotten to the arena for newcomer disciples and was speaking with a young boy.

    Li Lang watched as she handed something to him before the boy ascended onto the stage for his fight.

    The girl suddenly snapped her eyes and made direct eye contact with Li Lang for a split second, which made Li Lang look down as if he had been caught peeking. By the time he glanced back up, she had already disappeared.

    The fights for the next round progressed smoothly, as well as the round that came after it. It was in the fourth match that Li Lang heard his name called up.

    ¡°Next, Li Lang versus Yang Quan.¡±

    ¡­Really? Am I really that unlucky, or did they somehow manage to fix the pairings?

    Li Lang shook off his idle thoughts before climbing up onto the stage.

    It wasn¡¯t pleasant to fight against someone with a grudge against him, but it seemed it was unavoidable if he wanted a chance to make it to the top eight to attain an Ascension Pill.

    On the other side of the stage, Yang Quan had a wide grin the entire time. His eyes never left Li Lang, even when the deacon spoke to them.

    After repeating the rules once more, the match quickly started.

    ¡°It seems your luck has run out, servant!¡± Yang Quan declared before dashing straight for Li Lang.

    It was apparent he wasn¡¯t going to hold back like Li Lang¡¯s previous opponents. It may have to do with the fact Li Lang had stepped into the fourth stage of Energy Gathering or that he had heard what happened in the previous rounds.

    Wielding a spear, the short disciple with a grudge unleashed a flurry of thrusts at the young boy with a large head. Just as the match started, Li Lang was instantly pushed onto his back foot. Yang Quan showed off the difference of what just one stage of cultivation could do.

    Li Lang had picked up a training sword to use after experimenting with how to envelop his Qi around it. However, he was a complete beginner with weapons and it showed. He barely held on against the first few attacks before he was forced to dodge instead as his Qi was drained rapidly with each strike.

    ¡°Stop running, coward!¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long before Li Lang was forced to the edge of the arena. Left with nowhere else to run, Yang Quang pressed the attack.

    He cleverly feinted an attack on the shoulders before thrusting out accurately at Li Lang¡¯s throat. Just as he smiled as he saw his spear break past his opponent¡¯s guard, the ground trembled.

    The earthquake affected everyone in the area and numerous cultivators in the Foundation Establishment or higher realms swiftly flew up into the air to avoid the commotion. The other disciples didn¡¯t have such a luxury and the sound of screaming quickly overtook the entire venue.

    Many disciples lost their balance and fell to the ground, and Li Lang was no exception. He tumbled off the arena and remained on all fours as he glanced around.

    Li Lang was able to just get a glimpse of the nearby Ling Xue running with the stunned Liu Xing in hand before a purple fog suddenly gushed out of nowhere, adding to the chaos as it obfuscated everyone¡¯s vision.

    What in the world is happening?

 Chapter 45: Under Attack

    Li Lang looked around in confusion as he stayed on all fours. The ground below him continued to tremble, and the purple fog that was engulfing the entire coliseum was adding to the chaos.

    Thankfully, the shaking soon stopped. Numerous disciples cried out in panic throughout the venue, but Li Lang decided to chase after Ling Xue.

    What is she up to¡­Everyone was in a panic but she was running with a purpose in mind. Is there somewhere safe to weather the storm?

    Li Lang¡¯s curiosity won over him as he searched for the two most talented disciples of their generation. Visibility was severely limited, even when he tried to enhance his vision with Qi. It wasn¡¯t just any ordinary fog as it blocked Qi senses, too.

    Many other people were running around in the haze and just when Li Lang was pushed to the side by one of the panicking disciples, a loud explosion rang out from above.

    It cleared away some of the smoke above, revealing several sect elders and deacons, locking swords with unfamiliar cultivators.

    Each unknown assailant wore fully black attire that even covered their face and hair. Only their eyes peeked out, but it was unmistakable that they were all at least in the Foundation Establishment realm as they flew around and held their own against the party from Spirit Grove.

    ¡°Despicable demonic cultivators, how dare you invade our sect? You all court death!¡± An elderly man in olive-green robes shouted.

    The men in black didn¡¯t bother to respond and continued their attack. Seeing the intruders¡¯ silence, the elder turned to his comrades.

    ¡°Spirit Grove! We will not yield to these cowardly invaders. Now is the time to show your loyalty to the sect and eliminate these evildoers! They will all surely perish once our grand formation starts up!¡±

    ¡°Great Strike of the Forest!¡±

    ¡°Mystic Serpent Slash!¡±

    The battle above soon intensified as the combatants started to use more powerful moves. Various attacks that took the form of animals sailed through the skies and explosions could be heard more and more frequently.

    It naturally drew the most attention with its flashy display of Qi Arts and with the explosions clearing away the fog.

    Many disciples below all looked up at the scene in awe. Even when a devastating attack hit the coliseum building, they all remained motionless. Thankfully, the building only trembled slightly and remained unharmed.

    However, the scene only caused Li Lang to move faster.

    This is not something I want to be near! All these disciples must be insane if they aren¡¯t moving when they could die any moment from a stray attack!

    He quickly abandoned his search for Ling Xue and sprinted toward where the tunnel entrance to the interior of the coliseum was. Having been there the previous year for the alchemy test, Li Lang soon managed to find some comfort in the safety of the building.

    After taking a moment to catch his breath, he continued his journey in search of a safer place.

    Need to look for a shelter¡­No bunkers in here, but the underground crafting facilities should be secure.

    Drawing from his memories, Li Lang raced through the building toward his destination. He swiftly made his way out to the other side of the building. Even outside the coliseum, fog obscured everywhere, albeit thinner than within the arena.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t make it far before he heard footsteps from behind. He turned to find Ling Xue, carrying an unconscious Liu Xing.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened to him?¡± Li Lang asked cautiously.

    The girl glanced up in shock upon seeing Li Lang, but didn¡¯t stop moving.

    ¡°...Follow me.¡± Her icy voice reached Li Lang loud and clear, despite how softly she spoke.

    ¡°No, thank you.¡±

    Li Lang knew something was off, but having seen her fight, he didn¡¯t dare come into conflict with her when he was so isolated from others. He feigned disinterest, like he had always done during their trips together, and scurried away.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run! If you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll listen.¡± Ling Xue cried out.

    A chill instantly ran down Li Lang¡¯s back as he remembered how it felt when he had first encountered a mid-level Qi beast out in the wild. He was being stared down by an existence much more powerful than him, and it felt like he was on thin ice.

    ¡°...Very well.¡±

    Not being given a choice, Li Lang was forced to help Ling Xue carry along the unconscious Liu Xing.

    Just as Li Lang feared, they were headed toward the barrier of the sect. They barely passed by anyone along the way as the majority of the disciples gathered for the competitions and the few caretakers they did run into were too worried about themselves to notice them.

    Upon reaching the edge of the sect, Li Lang glanced up toward the sound of fighting coming from outside the barrier.

    The explosions ringing out outside the sect were even more intense than the battle in the arena. However, Li Lang didn¡¯t get the chance to spectate for long as he felt a prickly gaze from beside him.

    ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    Their party soon reached the edge of the sect and two guardians in light-brown robes noticed them. They quickly approached with worried expressions upon seeing the children.

    ¡°What are you guys doing?! Hurry up and stay indoors somewhere. It¡¯s not safe around here!¡±

    Another explosion rang out worryingly close to the group. It caused the guards to look over, and Ling Xue took full advantage of that opening to fish out a talisman.

    Before Li Lang could even warn the guardians, they immediately noticed her strange action. However, they weren¡¯t able to react to the already-thrown talismans heading straight toward them. The flimsy piece of paper sailed through the air in a direct path to the two sect guardians, landing right on their foreheads.

    It shone brightly for a brief moment before it dimmed as it stuck to their foreheads. Nothing particular happened except the two guards were now frozen in place.

    ¡°I¡­can¡¯t move! What are you doing? What is this talisman?¡±

    Ling Xue ignored them and urged Li Lang to continue forward with an icy glare. Feeling his life under threat, Li Lang had no choice but to comply.

    The two soon made it to the barrier where the young girl wordlessly placed down Liu Xing. She pulled out even more talismans before throwing them at the barrier, and Li Lang braced for impact.

    Instead of an explosion like Li Lang expected, the talismans simply dissolved upon contact, bringing a section of the barrier along with it.

    ¡°You stay behind. You better not follow me unless you want to get hurt. Understood?¡±

    The young boy nodded as Ling Xue began carrying Liu Xing alone and exited the barrier.

    Once she disappeared from view, the barrier soon repaired itself.

    This¡­I¡¯m not ready to handle any of these developments. I¡¯ll need to get stronger fast if I want to protect myself¡­Now how am I supposed to explain myself to the sect¡­?

    As the fighting continued outside the barrier, Li Lang quickly backtracked to where the two guardians were. They were both still frozen in place, so Li Lang helped them remove the talisman stuck to their foreheads in hopes of gaining their favor.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to save you!¡±

    ¡°Just hurry it up, kid! We don¡¯t have time for this!¡±

    However, as soon as they were freed, one of the guards immediately grabbed Li Lang and pinned him down.

    ¡°You, brat! Answer honestly. Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Senior, I¡¯m just a normal outer disciple. That girl from earlier threatened me into helping her!¡±

    ¡°So you admit to helping a treacherous disciple? If you had any pride as a disciple of Spirit Grove, you should¡¯ve put your life on the line to stop her, even at the cost of your life!¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s unreasonable. I stood no chance against her. She¡¯s the strongest in my generation for a reason.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your excuses. You can plead your case to the head guardian. We¡¯re taking you in.¡±

    With two powerful cultivators restraining him, Li Lang had no choice but to be escorted into the nearby building. They brought Li Lang down to the basement, into a dungeon with half a dozen jail cells. The cells were made from wood, but Li Lang wasn¡¯t foolish enough to think they could be easily broken through.

    He was stuffed inside a cell before the guardians quickly left to tend to the urgent situation outside.

    That could¡¯ve gone better, but at least I should be safe in here¡­ Right?

    Li Lang plopped himself down on the dirty hay in his cell and sighed to himself. He felt around his pocket and realized the guards were in too much of a rush to even confiscate his belongings. Ruby was still with him, so he still had ways to kill time.

    Just as he brought the stone to his head, the sound of rustling hay alerted him to the cell adjacent to his. In the dark corner of the cell, a face suddenly appeared, making Li Lang flinch back.

    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s happening outside? It¡¯s awfully loud today!¡±

    Li Lang took a second to examine the boy with a youthful face but a tall figure comparable to an adult¡¯s. He had black hair tied up into a ponytail instead of a bun. Li Lang calmed down a bit upon seeing his olive-green robes similar to his own.

    ¡°...You¡¯re¡­ an outer disciple as well?¡±

    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s right. The name¡¯s Long Yi. Got booked for trying to skip out on this bothersome competition. Anyway, what¡¯s going on outside? It¡¯s my first sect competition, but I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t supposed to be this hectic, right?¡±

    It¡¯s his first year? This guy is only around ten years old¡­?

    ¡°...The sect is under attack by¡­Demonic cultivators, I think.¡±

    ¡°What?! So that¡¯s why most of the guards left!¡± Long Yi almost charged toward Li Lang, only to be stopped by the wooden bars that separated the cells. ¡°We¡¯re going to be sucked dry by the demonic cultivators! We have to escape to somewhere safe right away!¡±

 Chapter 46: Punishment

    Li Lang watched as his fellow disciple in the neighboring cell tried to break open his cell in a panic upon hearing about demonic cultivators attacking the sect.

    It lasted a total of two minutes before Long Yi slumped back down in his cell after exhausting himself. Li Lang shook his head as he slowly approached his fellow disciple, who was struggling to catch his breath.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they would make it that easy for us and put us in a flimsy jail cell. You should give it up and save your energy.¡± Li Lang advised once he saw his neighbor had calmed down.

    ¡°How are you so calm?! There are demonic cultivators we¡¯re dealing with here! They¡¯ll definitely capture us and suck our cultivation dry to enhance themselves! I heard it¡¯s unbearably painful too¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no sense in worrying about what you can¡¯t control.¡±

    ¡°...Why do you sound like an old man? You¡¯re around my age, right?¡±

    ¡°...Yes, I¡¯m¡­around twelve.¡±

    ¡°Around? Oh, you¡¯re a senior. I¡¯m ten, by the way. Just joined the sect not long ago. Was an orphan before that. How about you? You should¡¯ve been in the sect for about two years now?¡±

    Li Lang found it somewhat hard to believe the boy before him was only ten, and yet the size of an adult. He was thankful Long Yi at least continued to speak casually with him, or else it would make it awkward when an adult-looking man respectfully called him a senior when he had the appearance of a child.

    ¡°I¡­came into the sect for about a year. I joined late¡­¡± He gave Long Yi another look over and then sighed. ¡°I joined late because I only have grade one aptitude, and they only accepted me for my alchemy talent.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re an alchemist already? I heard you needed years of training, but you¡¯re already one before joining the sect. You must be a genius!¡±

    Li Lang had braced himself for the reaction to come, but contrary to his belief, Long Yi¡¯s attitude toward him did not change upon hearing his aptitude.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that big of a deal. Having grade one aptitude will close a lot of doors for me in the future.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Who cares? You¡¯re already in the fourth stage of Energy Gathering, right? I can tell. That¡¯s impressive enough for only being a disciple for a year. What¡¯d you do to get sent down here¡­in the middle of an attack, too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m suspected of aiding a traitor¡­I got forced into it, but it doesn¡¯t seem likely they¡¯d forgive me for it regardless.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Long Yi shook his head before he too sighed. ¡°That does sound like how a righteous sect would react. They only know how to follow the rules without any flexibility and are always so uptight. Just because I wanted to go out for a stroll instead of participating in the competition, they put me in here. In the first place, I only wanted to become a cultivator so I could travel the world and explore all the sights yet to be seen! I didn¡¯t expect joining the sect would mean being cooped up to cultivate all day¡­ I wonder if they¡¯ll let me quit the sect.¡±

    How did the conversation somehow end up going back to be about him?

    ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re not in danger of being executed for aiding a traitor.¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t do that¡­! I think¡­¡±

    The two boys continued to chat for hours while they had nothing else to do in their cells. For some reason, whether it be the boredom or the frankness of his fellow prisoner, Li Lang spilled all about what he had encountered that day. The two quickly bonded, and Li Lang even revealed the experiments he was performing.

    That was because he knew it wouldn¡¯t stay hidden for much longer once the sect had a reason to look into him. He could only vent and hope they wouldn¡¯t punish him too harshly.

    ¡°Are you sure you should tell me this¡­I don¡¯t think the sect elders of a righteous organization would like what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°Forget it. Now that they suspect me of being a traitor, they¡¯ll thoroughly investigate me anyway. They¡¯ll inevitably find out.¡±

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    In the background of their conversation, explosions occasionally rang out as the battle raged on. It only quieted down when night fell, and several members of the guardians returned to their post in the dungeons where the boys were held.

    However, they completely ignored the two young disciples until the next morning.

    A woman in light brown robes descended the stairs, followed by two other guards as she approached the jail cells.

    ¡°Long Yi, as we previously said, now that the sect competitions are over, we will let you go. However, you¡¯ll be going to remedial class for the next year.¡±

    ¡°What? That¡¯s unfair!¡±

    ¡°Silence, unless you want to continue staying here.¡±

    The woman glanced at one of the guards beside her, who quickly went to unlock the cell. She then turned her attention to the remaining disciple.

    ¡°As for you, Li Lang. You¡¯re coming with me to tell me every single detail about what happened yesterday. Don¡¯t think about lying to me. You wouldn¡¯t enjoy the consequences.¡±

    After that, Li Lang was brought to one of the interrogation rooms where he was grilled all day. They kept asking him the same questions over and over again, and he was only let go when night fell once more.

    The next day, he was interrogated again but was let go in the afternoon.

    ¡°You can return for now, but you¡¯re restricted from leaving the sect while we investigate. I¡¯d be on my best behavior if I were you.¡± The same woman warned as she saw Li Lang out.

    Li Lang returned to his dorm after overcoming the ordeal, but when he entered his dorm, everyone inside immediately glanced over at him with wary eyes. He noticed Yang Quan in particular, who was glaring a hole at him. He was too tired to care and went straight to his room.

    As he passed by, Yang Quan didn¡¯t bother waiting for him to get out of sight before muttering hatefully.

    ¡°Cowardly trash.¡±

    After a good night¡¯s rest, Li Lang quickly settled back into his routine. He was getting a lot of looks from everyone he encountered, but it wasn¡¯t that different from before.

    He continued to diligently cultivate, practice his techniques, and try out combinations between materials inside Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    Three days after his release from the dungeon, Elder Cao had come to visit him once more, but this time, her neutral expression was replaced with a frown.

    ¡°Li Lang, I heard about what happened. I¡¯m sorry you had to experience that¡­ but many of my fellow elders have begun to question your place in the sect. Your quick breakthrough, despite your aptitude, has even got some elders questioning if you¡¯re practicing demonic cultivation or have a connection to them.¡±

    ¡°Demonic cultivation? How in the world did they arrive at that?¡±

    ¡°They had investigated both you and Ling Xue¡¯s activity in Xiang Yang after the event¡­And we have discovered some troubling information. Li Lang, is it true you¡¯ve been getting others to test dangerous cultivation techniques?¡±

    ¡°...That isn¡¯t demonic cultivation! I¡¯m¡­ creating new techniques.¡±

    ¡°Regardless, many of the more conservative elders see that as an evil act. It is hard to argue against them when such actions could easily damage our reputation if word got out that our disciples performed such dangerous acts that resulted in civilian casualties. It¡¯ll be hard to avoid punishment.¡±

    ¡°...How will I be punished?¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t decided yet. The Vice Sect Leader has only just returned from the front lines, and this matter is too small to bother him. While the elders aren¡¯t able to come to a consensus. Your proposed punishment ranges widely from executing you to be safe to the more lenient punishment of confinement for a year.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­So is there a reason you¡¯ve come before a decision has been made, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­You see, even if you escape punishment, there is a faction within the sect that will only see you as a thorn and a danger to our reputation from now on. They may try to get rid you of through other means. That¡¯s why it is my recommendation that you¡­leave the sect.¡±

    ¡°So, banishment is an option?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I think it is for the best. I invited you into our sect, so I¡¯d rather not see you lose your life because of it. You really do have talent in alchemy, so maybe some other sect would take you¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you for telling me all this and giving me an option, senior. Can I have some time to think it through?¡±

    The elder solemnly nodded. ¡°Yes, but you should make it quick. With me here, it¡¯s unlikely they will decide to execute you, but it¡¯s better to decide if you want to leave or not before they settle on a punishment. I¡¯ll come again tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    After replying to the elder, Li Lang continued to practice his Earthbound Step technique. Elder Cao shook her head and left while he trained as if nothing had happened. However, the inside of Li Lang¡¯s mind was in a flurry.

    His goal of joining a sect was to attain resources, study cultivation, and make connections with powerful cultivators in hopes of saving his childhood friends. He wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe he could easily join another sect after departing this one.

    Even if other sects accepted him, they would definitely have researched his past and prevent him from continuing with his experiments.

    That was why his mind was racing to find alternatives.

    If I stay with a righteous sect, will they continue to mistake me for a full-fledged demonic cultivator sooner or later if I don¡¯t advance as slowly as their expectations? Just because I have low aptitude, I¡¯m not allowed to make quick progress?

    If that was the case, I might as well join the demonic cultivators for real, then!

 Chapter 47: Banishment

    Li Lang quickly calmed himself down once he realized he was starting to come up with crazy ideas, like joining a demonic sect. Based on the books he had read and the information he gathered, demonic cultivators weren¡¯t decent human beings. He didn¡¯t have enough information to make any definitive statements, but all his sources had negative things to say about demonic cultivators.

    However, their techniques definitely caught Li Lang¡¯s interest. Their cultivation techniques were known to allow practitioners to advance regardless of their aptitude. They accomplished this by absorbing the Qi and cultivation from others. That particular characteristic was why several elders in Spirit Grove had accused Li Lang of being a demonic cultivator.

    While reaching stage four of Energy Gathering at the age of twelve wasn¡¯t anything impressive, it was another matter when aptitude was taken into consideration. It was believed those of a lower aptitude had less talent for manipulating Qi, and few ever get past stage three without years of bitter cultivation.

    Either way, I don¡¯t think I can stay here. The nearby sects will probably hear about me from Spirit Grove as well, so I¡¯ll have to go somewhere far away if I want to continue with my experiments. How dare they associate it with demonic cultivation!

    Li Lang glared back down on the map he bought from the Mission Hall.

    It was much more detailed than what he had seen within the Zi family estate. It showed the surrounding provinces and the main roads.

    Spirit Grove was still located in the same province as the Zi family¡¯s home in Lingyun Town, within the Yellow Qilin province. It was on the southern tip of Violet Isle and had four neighboring provinces. The first one to the east was called Jade Lotus. The one to the north was Vermillion Dragon, while the one to the west was called Azure Mist.

    The one that stood out the most was also the largest province to the south, which was simply labeled Demonic Cultivator Territory. It was the only coastal province and boasted the largest area among all the surrounding territories.

    There were few details about the Demonic Cultivator Territory, but the map surprisingly depicted a city right on top of the border it shared with the Yellow Qilin province.

    Is this where they trade with demonic cultivators? Wait¡­Do they even engage in trade with them?

    Li Lang pulled his hair out all night as he fretted about the future.

    The next day, Elder Cao showed up again in the early afternoon.

    ¡°Have you made a decision?¡±

    ¡°...Yes. I have decided to listen to your recommendation and leave.¡± Li Lang let out a sigh of relief once he managed to voice his decision out loud and met the elder¡¯s eyes with a determined gaze.

    ¡°Very well. I will handle the matters with the sect. Expect to leave tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Elder Cao, will I still be able to use up all my contribution points before I go?¡±

    ¡°...It may be awkward for you to try. Your¡­unique appearance is hard to miss. Give me your sect token. I can procure what you want for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, elder.¡± Li Lang respectfully handed over the token while his mind was running calculations on what he needed for his travels. ¡°Also, may I ask about the situation in Polarity City?¡±

    ¡°Polarity City? Hmm¡­I guess that isn¡¯t a bad place to go if you want to continue with your¡­ tests. I¡¯ve seen many people like you who wanted to search for ways to bridge the gap in aptitude. Just know that there are lines you shouldn¡¯t cross, like demonic cultivation. It¡¯ll corrupt your mind from within, then no one will be able to save you.¡±

    ¡°Of course, elder.¡±

    ¡°Polarity City is one of the largest neutral cities where trade prospers. The city lord there has unfathomable cultivation and does not allow any fighting within his territory, so it should be safe for you to go. It is my personal recommendation for you to head to Azure Mist and join another sect, but Polarity City is not a bad choice either.¡±

    ¡°Umm, even if it is right beside the Demonic Cultivator Territory?¡±

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    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Elder Cao frowned. ¡°The demonic cultivators aren¡¯t a united force. Some of them¡­can be reasoned with. Neutral cities exist to allow us to trade with them for their various resources that are only found within their territory. But anyway, it is quite a trip there on foot¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you think I can buy a Skyrunner with my contribution points?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t cheap and require Qi stones to power them.¡± The elder took a second to inspect Li Lang¡¯s sect token. ¡°I should have known you would accumulate such an amount of contribution points since you succeed in refining pills every session. This should be enough to purchase something made by an apprentice Woodsmith.¡±

    Throughout the year Li Lang had spent in Spirit Grove, he never stopped refining pills. He could do three batches a day, and each batch had four pills on average. While he had spent some on coins to pay test subjects, Li Lang was still left with over two thousand points.

    The next morning, Elder Cao met with Li Lang at his dorms. He handed over the pack with his Spirit Grove disciple robes to the elder before exiting the place he lived in for almost a year. Without the olive-green robes that all disciples wore, Li Lang stuck out like a sore thumb.

    However, no one dared to question Li Lang with Elder Cao right beside him, and they made their way toward the Sky Berth.

    ¡°I have converted all your outstanding contribution points into Qi stones here.¡± Elder Cao handed a small burlap bag over before waving her hand to materialize a Skyrunner. ¡°And this is your Skyrunner. It can¡¯t go that fast, but that also means it won¡¯t consume as many Qi stones.¡±

    The wooden carriage in question did appear more shabby compared to all the ones Li Lang had encountered. It had no adornments and was made of cheap-looking wood. Other than that, it didn¡¯t differ too much from the conventional Skyrunner, with seats for six.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t really mind as long as it worked, so after a quick glance, he brought his attention to the Qi stones instead.

    ¡°There sure is a lot in here.¡±

    ¡°...I added a little extra¡­as a parting gift. That is all I can do for you as the one responsible for bringing you into the sect. You will have to take care of yourself from now on.¡±

    She talks as if she was responsible for any of this¡­In fact, it should be the opposite. I¡¯m sure inviting someone into the sect who was later found to be conducting dubious experiments didn¡¯t look good for her. I¡¯m glad I met someone kind like her.

    ¡°Thank you for everything¡­I owe you a lot. I won¡¯t forget about this.¡±

    Elder Cao said nothing and simply nodded. After a few more words of warning and instructing Li Lang how to drive his new Skyrunner, the little big-headed boy departed from Spirit Grove.

    He drove his new Skyrunner in the opposite direction from the colossal tree that was the symbol of the Spirit Grove and headed straight for Xiang Yang.

    It took half a day to arrive at the familiar city as Li Lang¡¯s new Skyrunner was much slower than the other ones he¡¯s been on.

    Arriving at the city, this time, Li Lang no longer had a sect token to show the gate guards, but he did still have his alchemist ring. The problem was what to do with his Skyrunner.

    ¡°Umm, can I leave my Skyrunner out here?¡± Li Lang politely asked the gatekeeper.

    ¡°No, you¡¯ll have to bring it along with you, like all the other carriages, and park it somewhere else.¡±

    It was only at the guard¡¯s words that Li Lang realized a Skyrunner could function as a normal carriage too. He smacked himself on the forehead for the belated realization. Every time he saw Skyrunners, they had always been in the air. That was how he differentiated them from normal carriages.

    So all those normal carriages running around in the streets could be Skyrunners too¡­Or not, they usually disappear at the wave of the hand of their owner¡­

    It took Li Lang some extra time to navigate the city with a carriage, as his usual path went through narrow streets. Still, he had commuted to the city enough times over the ten months that he wouldn¡¯t get lost on the way to Wei Ping¡¯s residence.

    ¡°B-boss! You¡¯re back. How d-did the sect c-competition go?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­A lot happened and I¡¯m no longer part of Spirit Grove now¡­¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down first. It¡¯s a long story.¡±

    Li Lang proceeded to retell his tale over a cup of tea while Wei Ping listened quietly the entire time. His expression changed several times throughout the story, but he only spoke after Li Lang was finished.

    ¡°So, what a-are you planning t-to do now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m moving to Polarity City, and I was hoping you¡¯d come with me.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Please, I need you. Our research is close to completion, but the sects around here won¡¯t let me continue it on their turf.¡±

    ¡°A-as long as you d-don¡¯t mind, I w-will come along. I want to become a p-powerful cultivator, too!¡±

    The young boy stood tall, unleashing his aura of a third stage Energy Gatherer.

    Wei Ping took a surprisingly short time to pack his things. It was only now that Li Lang learned his place wasn¡¯t actually his, but belonged to a deceased old man. Wei Ping only secretly lived there, as no one cared about the shabby shack.

    The two young boys excitedly stocked up for their journey and exited the city the next morning.

    Just as they exited the gates and began to ascend into the air on their Skyrunner, a loud shout reached their ears.

    ¡°Li Lang! Wait for me!¡±

 Chapter 48: Departure

    Li Lang instantly glanced over at the source of the voice calling out his name. He spotted a figure sprinting toward him from the main road. After channeling some Qi into his eyes, he soon recognized the youthful face attached to the body of an adult.

    He exchanged a glance with Wei Ping before he directed his Skyrunner back down onto the clearing.

    Once they landed, the two kids watched as the man approached. By the time he arrived, he was heaving for air while leaning against the Skyrunner.

    ¡°Long Yi, what are you doing out here?¡± Li Lang asked. ¡°And how did you know it was me?¡±

    The man, or more accurately, the young boy with the appearance of a man, took a moment to catch his breath before he replied.

    ¡°Everyone¡­everyone in the sect is gossiping about how you got banished. It¡¯s not hard to keep an eye out for a bland-looking mortal-grade Skyrunner.¡±

    ¡°So¡­Is there something you need from me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let me join you on your trip!¡± Long Yi declared with a bright smile.

    ¡°What? Why would you want to do that? What about the sect?¡±

    ¡°I quit the sect as well. That place is too dull and stifling for me! It seems way more fun traveling with you. I was hesitant about quitting before when I had nowhere to go, but hearing how you chose banishment inspired me to take a leap of faith.¡±

    ¡°And they just let you quit, just like that?¡±

    ¡°No idea. I didn¡¯t bother informing them. I just tagged along with a senior heading this way because I knew you¡¯d come here first.¡±

    Li Lang suddenly felt a headache brewing. In hindsight, he maybe shouldn¡¯t have revealed so many details about himself to another, but it was too late to regret the folly he committed while trapped in a cell with nothing better to do.

    Then there was the problem of Long Yi deserting from the sect. It made it hard for him to decide if he should accept Long Yi or not.

    The sect shouldn¡¯t send out anyone to deal with just an outer disciple, right?

    ¡°Hey, you won¡¯t regret bringing me along!¡± Long Yi added upon seeing Li Lang¡¯s expression. ¡°I got the strength to carry our luggage and I¡¯m pretty good at fighting too!¡±

    Li Lang let out a long sigh.

    ¡°...Sure, if you want to tag along, be my guest. We¡¯re just going to settle in another city, though, so don¡¯t expect anything.¡±

    ¡°Sounds better compared to cooping up in the sect and cultivating all day. Sign me up!¡±

    With an extra guest, Li Lang once again took off into the skies around Xiang Yang. He gave one last look at the city he had frequented over this past year before departing in the Skyrunner. However, no matter how hard he tried to accelerate, the Skyrunner quickly topped out at its painfully slow top speed.

    ¡°This thing is pretty slow, isn¡¯t it?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but mutter.

    ¡°Hahaha, yeah, this thing is like half the speed of the Skyrunner I came on!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s n-not too bad. It isn¡¯t l-like we a-are in a rush or a-anything.¡±

    Are we even going a hundred kilometers per hour?

    The trio continued their journey all day until the sun began to set. With nothing to do, the three passed the time by chatting. Long Yi shared much about himself, Wei Ping shared cool facts about Xiang Yang, and Li Lang quietly listened along while discreetly holding a red gemstone to the side of his head.

    Just before the sun fell, they arrived in a small town and decided to spend the night there. There was no line at the gates of the town, and they quickly found an inn with free rooms.

    ¡°Pay for yourself.¡± Li Lang admonished.

    ¡°What! How come you¡¯re paying for Wei Ping, but not me?¡± Long Yi cried out with undisguised injustice in his voice.

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    ¡°You¡¯re a former disciple of a righteous sect like me. You should be able to afford some mundane coins.¡±

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t have any.¡±

    ¡°What? What did you spend your contributions points on?¡±

    ¡°...I left in a rush. I didn¡¯t spend them at all.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Both Li Lang and Wei Ping gave deprecating looks at the tall boy.

    ¡°Look, I just joined the sect not long ago, okay? I didn¡¯t even know you could exchange those points for coins! I only have Qi stones.¡±

    At this moment, the door to the inn swung open, and three young boys walked in. They appeared to be around fourteen years old and each wore pale purple robes.

    The three boys wore arrogant expressions, but the most noticeable thing about them was how they each had identical features. While it was hard to tell them apart by their faces, they varied quite a bit in height. Their height all differed by at least a full head from each other, varying from short, average, and tall.

    They sauntered straight to the innkeeper like they owned the place.

    ¡°Give us three of your best rooms!¡±

    The middle-aged man took one glance at their clothing and replied respectfully.

    ¡°Of course. For disciples of the Violet Sword Sect, I¡¯ll even give you a discount.¡±

    ¡°What discount? You said it yourself. We¡¯re honored disciples of the Violet Sword Sect that keeps your town safe. How dare you ask us to pay!¡±

    The innkeeper was a little taken aback by the forceful and unreasonable request but didn¡¯t dare to immediately decline.

    ¡°...That¡¯s¡­a little¡­¡±

    ¡°Good! Very Good.¡± Long Yi clapped. ¡°Esteemed disciples from Violet Sword Sect are so mighty they can¡¯t even afford to pay lodging fees.¡±

    ¡°What did you say, boy? I believe overhearing how you boys couldn¡¯t afford to pay for your rooms. Seeing how pathetic you are, I don¡¯t mind paying for your stay at the stables,¡± the shortest of the triplets retorted.

    The tallest boy broke out into laughter at his brother¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°Ha, who are you guys? A traveling circus group? A boy wearing a freaky mask, a boy with a large head and small body, and a man with the face of a baby. Do some tricks, and I¡¯ll even consider paying for your rooms.¡±

    Before Li Lang or Wei Ping could retort, Long Yi signaled to them to let him handle it.

    ¡°Thank you for the kind offer, but we¡¯ll be okay ourselves. If you have the coins, then please pay for your lodging properly.¡±

    ¡°What was that, you freak? You think you¡¯re in any position to tell us what to do?¡± The largest of the three brothers aggressively marched toward Long Yi.

    He only made a single step before being held back by the brother of an average height, who had stayed silent until now.

    ¡°Enough. I don¡¯t care about the words from trash.¡± He directed a piercing look at the innkeeper. ¡°Hurry up and ready our rooms. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I¡­Y¡ª¡±

    Before the poor innkeeper could finish replying, Long Yi forcefully stepped in front of him, shielding him from the three cultivators.

    ¡°I said you should pay for your lodging first. The innkeeper was already kind enough to offer you a discount. Why are you being so difficult when coins aren¡¯t even that valuable to cultivators such as yourselves?¡±

    Instead of replying, the middle brother suddenly lunged out at Long Yi. He immediately sent out a palm strike that contained so much Qi in it, that his hand shone.

    ¡°Heh, he pissed off big brother. He¡¯s finished,¡± the shortest of the triplets snickered.

    Li Lang and Wei Ping both tried to intervene but had reacted too slowly.

    However, contrary to what everyone else expected to happen when a fourth stage Energy Gathering cultivator ambushed a third stage cultivator, the exchange ended with the Violet Sword disciple being slammed to the ground.

    ¡°He¡­! He deflected the Crescent Palm Strike!¡± The tallest of the triplets shouted out.

    Li Lang was frozen in place as he had seen it too. Long Yi had displayed uncanny agility for someone of his size and accurately deflected the strike by the wrist before taking down his assailant by throwing him over the shoulders.

    It was not a move a beginner could ever hope to pull off. It also coincided with the fact that the opponent with higher cultivation had focused all his Qi on a single point, leaving the rest of his body unprotected.

    Perhaps Long Yi was aware he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold down the man for long, he swiftly got off the boy after he had made his point.

    ¡°Everyone. The sun is setting, and we¡¯re all tired. Can¡¯t we just peacefully resolve this?¡± Long Yi said in an easy-going tone.

    Despite repeating the same words from before, it had a much larger impact on the Violet Sword disciples after his display of strength.

    The defeated disciple quickly uprighted himself and dusted off his robes. Without a word, he flicked a gold coin toward the shopkeeper with expert precision and began walking off.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll pick the room ourselves.¡±

    ¡°But big brother¡­Are we just going to¡ª¡± The tallest of the triplets complained, but was cut short.

    ¡°Shut up and listen.¡±

    As the triplet made their way up the stairs toward the room, the innkeeper seemed to have suddenly awoken from his daze.

    ¡°Thank you so much! Please wait here for a moment.¡± He swiftly bowed toward Long Yi before running after the brothers. ¡°Dear guests! Please wait up. I have the keys, so don¡¯t break down any doors!¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s group had been left behind, but they didn¡¯t mind at all. Instead, Li Lang eagerly approached the hero of the day.

    ¡°So¡­Long Yi¡­That was pretty impressive. Do you have a unique physique or something that makes you so strong?¡±

    That was so impressive, he has to right? Otherwise, he must¡¯ve been trained as a fighter since he was a toddler¡­

 Chapter 49: Polarity City

    Long Yi scratched his cheeks as he awkwardly directed a smile at his companions.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a unique physique¡­ it¡¯s just that¡­I¡¯ve gotten into a lot of fights since I was young. Ha ha¡­¡±

    ¡°No kidding¡­You moved like a veteran of a hundred battles.¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°...A hundred is too much, maybe like sixty or so?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Li Lang and Wei Pang exchanged a quick glance before both shrugging. They then directed a skeptical gaze at their capable companion.

    ¡°Come on¡­ Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s not like I purposefully look for trouble or anything¡­it¡¯s just sometimes I can¡¯t avoid interfering if I see injustice happening before my eyes. They¡¯re an eyesore and it ruins my mood if I let it be.¡±

    ¡°B-boss, these types of p-people are what w-we call trouble magnets!¡±

    ¡°Hey! I swear it¡ª¡±

    Before Long Yi could further explain himself, the innkeeper had returned and cleared his throat.

    ¡°Ahem, thank you for waiting, boys. I can process your rooms now.¡± The man looked around sneakily before leaning toward the boys to whisper. ¡°Between you and me, I¡¯ll give you guys a big discount for your help.¡±

    ¡°Thank you! We¡¯ll take three rooms!¡± Long Yi immediately answered for his group.

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t have any coins.¡± Li Lang said emotionlessly, immediately pouring cold water on Long Yi¡¯s excitement.

    ¡°What! I don¡¯t. If you don¡¯t pay for me, then¡­Can I stay in one of your rooms?¡±

    Seeing the boy with a figure comparable to an adult¡¯s, pleading them with eyes like a puppy, both Li Lang and Wei Ping couldn¡¯t help but burst out in laughter.

    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Innkeeper, we¡¯ll trouble you to give us three rooms.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course.¡±

    The three young kids soon retired for the night. As always, Li Lang completed his nightly cultivation session and spent some time in Ruby¡¯s artifact space first before going to bed.

    However, he allotted a little extra time to explore a new technique he had been curious about ever since he heard about it.

    Qi sense¡­does it work just by pouring Qi into something?

    Having heard all his fellow alchemists talk about how important Qi sense was for refining pills, he wanted to try it out himself. A lot of stuff had happened since he broke through during Spirit Grove¡¯s sect competition. It was only now that things had calmed down he had a chance to explore it.

    He took out one of the Recovery Pills he refined and began to envelop it with his Qi. As soon as his Qi made contact with it, he felt like it had become a part of his body. With a bit of focus, he was able to peer into the pill, as if he had a camera that could phase through objects.

    ¡°What a strange feeling.¡± Li Lang muttered.

    Next, he tried to do the same with some of the alchemy materials. He found that the Qi sense technique was only really good for monitoring the real-time condition of what his Qi had come into contact with. Other than that, it was quite hard to tell what the materials were by the feeling alone, which wasn¡¯t much different from physically touching the materials.

    I¡¯m also supposed to envelop a weapon to reinforce it too. Is it the same technique? Wait. I need a weapon in the first place! I didn¡¯t get one since I¡¯m so used to fighting unarmed¡­Oh well, I guess that¡¯s one extra thing added to my shopping list for once I settle down in Polarity City.

    The next morning, the trio didn¡¯t see a trace of the triplets from the Violet Sword Sect and smoothly resumed their journey.

    They retrieved their Skyrunner from the inn¡¯s stables and took to the skies.

    ¡°So¡­What do you guys plan to do once we arrive at our destination?¡± Long Yi asked as he stared around in boredom.

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    ¡°...I told you what I¡¯ve been doing while we were locked up. I¡¯m trying to restart my experiments in Polarity City.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­As long as it isn¡¯t demonic cultivation, I¡¯m down.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡±

    ¡°I p-plan to restart our s-soda business as well to e-earn more funds.¡± Wei Ping added.

    ¡°Hmm¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s needed. I can still refine pills to fund us, so you should focus on recruiting test subjects for me. I think I¡¯ll make a breakthrough soon regarding how to remove the toxins accumulated from cultivating.¡±

    ¡°What toxins?¡± Long Yi yapped with eyes shining in curiosity.

    ¡°...I guess I didn¡¯t go over any details on what my experiments were for, did I?¡±

    ¡°Nope, you just told me how you¡¯re searching for a way to compensate for your grade one aptitude.¡±

    ¡°Right. We¡¯re currently working on improving our cultivation speed and we¡¯ve identified some toxins that build up in our bodies when we cultivate. I believe I can find a way to deal with these toxins soon.¡±

    ¡°What? Are you some type of genius? I have grade three aptitude, by the way. But do you think your new methods would work on me as well?¡± Long Yi immediately asked, not doubting the words he heard for even a second.

    Li Lang inwardly let out a sigh as he began to explain the basics of what his research entailed and the progress they¡¯ve made so far.

    On their second night after they left Xiang Yang, they camped out in the woods as they hadn¡¯t reached any towns or villages.

    On the evening of the third day, they finally spotted their destination.

    A giant wall stood menacingly in the distance. If one looked carefully, one could see a soft yellow glow of the barrier surrounding the city as well.

    A notable amount of Skyrunner traffic filled the skies just outside the city. The city looked way larger than Xiang Yang, thanks to its tall walls.

    There was only a short line to enter the city, and the three children soon rode their carriage up to a pair of guards. From the way they carried themselves and their demeanor, it wasn¡¯t hard to notice they were all Foundation Establishment cultivators, worthy of being deacons in large sects.

    It was entirely different from Xiang Yang, which employed mortal guards who had shallow cultivation.

    ¡°Length of stay?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re planning to stay here for the foreseeable future.¡±

    The guard glanced up at the strange kids with a frown.

    ¡°It costs ten spirit stones per month for each person to stay in the city. You can either pay monthly or pay for the entire year now.¡±

    ¡°...We¡¯ll pay for the month first, then.¡±

    Li Lang gingerly fished out twenty Qi stones while Long Yi brought out his own.

    Qi stones hadn¡¯t been cheap to redeem from the sect. They cost ten contributions each, but thankfully, the kind Elder Cao had given him a whole one hundred and fifty stones. There was a whole fifty extra that she added, which made Li Lang¡¯s money bag quite heavy despite each stone being approximately the size of a coin.

    The guard handed over a thin metal plate in exchange for the toll fee and the three boys were quickly waved on through.

    After paying the toll and coupled with the stones they had used to power the Skyrunner, Li Lang counted a hundred and seventeen left since the Skyrunner had used up approximately one Qi stone every two hours.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the cost to stay in the city exorbitant for regular folks?¡± Li Lang asked as soon as they were out of the guards¡¯ earshot.

    His two companions simply shrugged, as none of them had been to the city before.

    They aimlessly drove their Skyrunner down the street as they surveyed their new city.

    Everyone they saw carried themselves confidently and seemed well-off. There weren¡¯t as many food stalls compared to Xiang Yang, as most businesses around operated out of a proper storefront.

    ¡°I d-don¡¯t see any g-gawkers or the u-usual back alley d-dwellers.¡± Wei Ping whispered.

    ¡°Maybe this is a wealthy district¡­no we¡¯re by the entrance. Perhaps they force all the unsavory elements into somewhere out of view, like their slum district?¡± Li Lang wondered.

    ¡°We can ask someone later. Let¡¯s go find someplace to stay and grab some food first!¡± Long Yi excitedly declared.

    ¡°Hmm¡­Let¡¯s find an inn first. We can look for more permanent residence once we are settled.¡±

    Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t too hard to spot a sign depicting a sun and moon that all inns had. Li Lang took some time to examine the building and the people who frequent it to judge if it was a suitable place to stay.

    After inspecting three inns, he found one that seemed right and quickly acquired rooms. Just like at the tollgate, the inns only accepted Qi stones, costing two stones for each room for a night.

    Once they unpacked in their rooms, the three swiftly gathered inside Li Lang¡¯s room.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to cost us sixty Qi stones each month just to stay here, without accounting for food. That¡¯s one hundred and eighty between us.¡± Li Lang turned to Long Yi. ¡°How much do you have left?¡±

    ¡°I only have twenty left.¡±

    ¡°S-shall we all s-share a room, then? It s-seems pretty b-big.¡±

    The three surveyed the room in unison. It had space for two beds and a long bench. There was enough room for the three of them without being crowded.

    ¡°Sure, we can share a room starting tomorrow, then.¡±

    ¡°That would be great for me as well! Could I stay with you too, Li Lang?¡± Long Yi cried.

    ¡°...Sure, if you don¡¯t mind the bench. Let¡¯s go speak to the innkeeper now and also ask them where the Alchemist Guild and slums are.¡±

    The party didn¡¯t dawdle and immediately went on their way. However, they were stunned by the innkeeper lady¡¯s reply.

    ¡°Slums? There are no slums in Polarity City. Is this your first time here?¡±

 Chapter 50: City of Cultivators

    Li Lang frowned as he was taken aback by the innkeeper¡¯s words.

    No slums? How can this be? You¡¯re telling me there are no poor people in this city?

    Seeing the three kids¡¯ expressions, the innkeeper continued.

    ¡°Polarity City thrives on trade between all the major sects in all the nearby villages and the demonic cultivators. To uphold the city as a worthy venue for such large transactions, the city lord and his guards run a tight ship.¡°

    So the poor who can¡¯t afford the fees are kicked out? That¡¯s pretty tough, but then again, it¡¯s not like this would be a great place to live in with all the cultivators running around. Who knew when they would run into someone unreasonable?

    So this is a city of cultivators, huh?

    ¡°Understood. Thank you for your explanation. How about the Alchemist Guild, then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that is near the center of the city. Just go down the main street. It¡¯ll be hard to miss.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Having ridden on the Skyrunner for three consecutive days, the trio decided to stretch their legs and chose to walk to the Alchemist Guild.

    Along the way, they didn¡¯t forget to check out the various stores. There were numerous stores selling talismans, artifacts, pills, and various other items that aided cultivators. There was no mistaking who the target market was.

    ¡°We might have to change up our plans¡­¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Long Yi replied. ¡°This place is great! It has everything a cultivator would need¡­given you have the money.¡±

    ¡°Except it¡¯s not conducive to my research. I doubt high and mighty cultivators would participate in my experiments.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­there is that.¡±

    The three soon arrived at the guild, where they found an available receptionist and Li Lang showed him his ring.

    ¡°My, what a young apprentice alchemist. What can I help you with?¡± The muscular man leaned over the counter and kindly asked.

    ¡°I wanted to procure materials and check out the price for selling pills around here.¡±

    ¡°No problem, here it is.¡± The man handed over two lists.

    The first one had all the available mortal-grade ingredients and their prices on it.

    The second one had the list of mortal-grade pills available, along with both their buy and sell prices. It was neatly presented and included different prices for different quality of the same pill.

    ¡°Thanks, then I¡¯ll take three kilograms of Lighthorne, Bulseed Grass. Five kilograms of Jade leaves¡­¡±

    Having dealt with numerous materials in his lab while he had been trying to conjure a concoction to remove toxins, Li Lang had come to become familiar with all the common materials. It didn¡¯t take long to list out his order, and the man also swiftly retrieved them.

    ¡°That will be fifty Qi stones in total. Was there anything else you needed?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Li Lang hesitated for a second before speaking. ¡°Are there any other towns around here under the sphere of Polarity City?¡±

    Li Lang hadn¡¯t given up on finding a source of test subjects, but he couldn¡¯t risk recruiting from towns under the influence of righteous sects. He had previously gotten away with it unscathed due to being a member of the sect itself, but he didn¡¯t want to test what would happen if an outsider was caught.

    He could only stick to the neutral grounds of Polarity City, where this neutral faction was said to be more tolerant as long as there was consent.

    It pained him that his research was compared to demonic cultivators, but there was nothing the weak little boy that he was could do to change the perception of the sects.

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    ¡°No, Polarity City is the only settlement within a hundred kilometers around here. Why do you ask?¡±

    Li Lang peeked over to the neighboring counters and found everyone else was busy with their discussions.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for some people to help me with something. I don¡¯t think I could afford to hire the mighty cultivators around here.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, tough luck, kid. You¡¯ll have to leave the sphere of influence of Polarity City to find any populous cities.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ Well, thank you. I¡¯ll just buy the materials for now¡ªwait, can I also rent your refining rooms as well?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Head over to the second floor to make the arrangements. They cost one Qi stone per day.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Thank you.¡±

    After completing the transaction and bowing to the polite receptionist, Li Lang took a moment to convene with his companions.

    ¡°You two can go do your own thing. I¡¯m going to refine some pills first to replenish our coffers. I won¡¯t be back until later tonight. No need to wait for me for dinner.¡±

    ¡°Sure, thing. I¡¯m going to go take a stroll around. Want to tag along, Wei Ping?¡±

    The short boy, with a stutter, simply nodded before they exited the guild.

    After seeing them off, Li Lang made his way up the stairs to the second floor. Just as he was about to approach the receptionist there, a hand landed on his shoulder, and he turned to find a young man in grey robes standing right behind him.

    ¡°You are¡­the man at the counter next to me, earlier?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my name is Jian Beiyun. I couldn¡¯t help but overhear your conversation. Young man, do you think we can talk? I mean no harm.¡±

    ¡°Apologies, I¡¯m in a hurry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll compensate you for your time. How do ten Qi stones sound? It won¡¯t take too long.¡±

    ¡°...Fine.¡±

    The two glanced around and found a lobby just outside the refining rooms. It was empty and the perfect place to sit down.

    ¡°So, what do you want? I don¡¯t think we know each other.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, but I couldn¡¯t help but overhear your conversation with the receptionist downstairs.¡± The man straightened his posture. ¡°Young man, tell me the truth. Did someone put you up to help them with that request of yours?¡±

    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°...Your request to find people to help you. You should know not to trust people so easily around these parts. There are some bad people who like to prey on others running amok.¡±

    ¡°Demonic cultivators, right? Yeah, yeah. They¡¯re all bad and stuff, but the city lord keeps them in check, right?¡±

    For some reason, Jian Beiyun grimaced at the boy¡¯s words.

    ¡°Not all demonic cultivators are bad¡­Just a select group of them are. It is this select group of bad apples that I¡¯m warning you about. They¡¯ve lost themselves to the pursuit of power and would drain anyone they could get their hands on just to progress their cultivation by a minuscule amount. I¡¯m worried you¡¯re being manipulated by such people who want to get around the eyes of the city lord, so please tell me the truth. I¡¯ll take care of it and make sure no danger befalls you.¡±

    Great¡­ even this random guy thinks I¡¯m affiliated with demonic cultivators now because of my experiments. Is it really so hard to do my research in peace?

    ¡°Believe me, I¡¯m not being manipulated by anyone. I make my own decisions. I appreciate your concern, but you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±

    ¡°...In that case, why are you searching for ¡®helpers¡¯? And in such a place, too? That is usually what cultivators engaged in formations requiring sacrifices or human experimentation would ask for.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but that is my own business.¡±

    ¡°If you tell me the reason, I may be able to help you find the people you need. Assuming it isn¡¯t for any nefarious purposes, of course.¡±

    The man stared down at Li Lang with an unrelenting smile. It was apparent he wouldn¡¯t give up getting to the bottom of the matter, but Li Lang paid more attention to the fact Jian Beiyun claimed to be able to help him.

    Now that he found Polarity City to be more exclusive to cultivators than he thought, he needed an alternative. However, even someone as obsessed with research as Li Lang knew it wasn¡¯t a good idea to reveal his entire hand to a stranger despite his eagerness to continue with his research.

    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m researching new types of pills. I need people to run a trial for them, but of course, I ensure it is safe to consume with animals first.¡±

    ¡°Such a young alchemist already treading the path of discovering new pill recipes? That is admirable. However, the dangers associated with what you¡¯re doing¡­¡±

    ¡°We make sure to let the participants know of the risks and properly compensate them, but the righteous sects still don¡¯t take kindly to what I¡¯m doing. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here in Polarity City.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Thank you for telling me your story. In that case, I can offer to bring you to Emberglow City, a more populous place that isn¡¯t under the eyes of the righteous sects.¡±

    Was there a city around here that isn¡¯t under the jurisdiction of any righteous sects besides here, again?

    Seeing Li Lang¡¯s confused expression, Jian Beiyun continued.

    ¡°Emberglow City is the closest city from here within the Luminescent Domain.¡±

    ¡°...Where and how far away is it? I¡¯ve never heard of the Luminescent Domain.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­right, if you¡¯re from the territory under the righteous sect, then you may find the name Demonic Cultivator Territory more familiar.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Li Lang quickly took a step back and scrutinized the man before him. ¡°You¡¯re a demonic cultivator?¡±

    Jian Beiyun nodded solemnly with a straight face.

 Chapter 51: Demonic Cultivators

    Li Lang was instantly on guard when the person he was conversing with confirmed he was a demonic cultivator. He had heard no good things about them from his time within Spirit Grove or in his memories. Even in cultivation novels he had read when researching immortality, they all depicted demonic cultivators as cunning and merciless killers.

    ¡°...I understand we don¡¯t have the best of reputation, especially within the territories of the righteous sects, but I want to make things clear. We aren¡¯t the evil villains they have made us out to be. While some of us who cultivate the so-called demonic techniques are deranged criminals, most of us are normal people.¡±

    Li Lang furrowed his brows at Jian Beiyun¡¯s pleadings. He wasn¡¯t sure if this was some trickery to get him to lower his guard, but he realized it wasn¡¯t far-fetched that the righteous sect would spread propaganda to defame their foes.

    From what he knew of the righteous sects, they controlled vast territories rich in resources. They would sometimes demand unreasonable things from the common people under the pretext of contributing to the defense against demonic cultivators. He had witnessed instances of this even on the short trip from Xiang Yang to Polarity City.

    ¡°Okay, and why should I trust you? In fact, why are you even trying to help me?¡±

    ¡°Right, I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. I am a member of Nightmoon Valley. We pride ourselves on upholding order within the Luminescent Domain and keeping all demonic cultivators in check. While I talked to you because I suspected a rogue demonic cultivator may have threatened you to do their bidding, I¡¯m still happy to assist anyone in need.¡±

    Is this demonic cultivator really spewing how he wants to help people as if he¡¯s a champion of justice?

    ¡°The last demonic cultivator I saw kidnapped my friends, so you¡¯re going to have to forgive me if I find your words hard to believe.¡±

    ¡°Really? Tell me more. Our Nightmoon Valley would not let such acts stand. Do you have a name or description? Where did you see them?¡±

    If his words are true¡­Does this mean they can help me rescue Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei much earlier than I had thought?

    ¡°...I believe she was called the Abductress. She came to my hometown within the Yellow Qilin province.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jian Beiyun¡¯s excitement was immediately doused at hearing Li Lang¡¯s answer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that¡­as much as I hate to admit it, the Abductress isn¡¯t someone we can handle. In the first place, she is famous for being elusive and cunning. We wouldn¡¯t be able to find her even if we wanted to.¡±

    ¡°Based on your words, is she really so strong that your entire sect can¡¯t handle her? Your sect must have at least Violet Core elders or even someone stronger, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­based on rumors, she is at the peak stage of Spirit Divide, the realm after Violet Core. You could say she is one of the peak experts throughout the entire Violet Isle. Without the help of an immortal from the mainland, she is practically untouchable.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ the mainland¡­¡± Li Lang muttered. ¡°Anyway, thank you for the information.¡±

    ¡°What about the matter of relocating to Emberglow City? Based on what I heard, if you can¡¯t stay in the righteous sects¡¯ territories, it is the best choice for you.¡±

    Li Lang tried not to roll his eyes as he formulated a response. It would be foolish of him to blindly believe the words of a stranger, not to say a demonic cultivator during their first meeting. At the same time, he didn¡¯t want to offend the potentially dangerous man, either.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to think it through and discuss it with my companions. Thank you for the offer, though.¡±

    ¡°Understandable. I will be staying in Polarity City for the rest of the week. You can find me here at the guild should you come to a decision.¡±

    The two parties parted ways and Li Lang was finally free to rent out a refining room and began his work.

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    <hr>

    After selling his newly refined pills for a decent sum, Li Lang exited the Alchemist Guild.

    When Li Lang returned to the inn, he spotted his two companions having dinner in the restaurant by the entrance. The place was boisterous with many guests, but his friends were just so eye-catching and easy to find.

    ¡°What¡¯d you guys do all day?¡± Li Lang asked as he plopped himself down beside them.

    ¡°I just went window shopping, but you should ask Wei Ping. He actually did something productive and gathered information while I was frolicking.¡± Long Yi proudly declared for some reason.

    ¡°I-I just asked t-the residents about the c-city.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and what did you learn?¡±

    ¡±Just h-how high the c-cost of living is a-around here. I-it¡¯s basically only c-cultivators who live here. T-the only time t-they employ a bunch of o-outside workers is during the a-annual auction.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I figured as much¡­¡± Li Lang quickly placed an order with the waitress. ¡°Anyway, I had a¡­ sketchy encounter earlier. I met this demonic cultivator who¡ª¡±

    ¡°Demonic cultivator?!¡± Long Yi shot up from his seat and yelled. He swiftly brought his hands to cover his mouth, but it was already too late.

    He drew a few glances from the neighboring seats, but they otherwise carried on as if nothing happened. However, one of them continued to stare their way. The three boys exchanged uncomfortable gazes with each other and the man looked at them until he decided to take a seat at their table.

    He had long black hair dressed in a bun and a frail appearance like that of a scholar.

    ¡°You gentlemen seem to be new here if you¡¯re so afraid of demonic cultivators. Let me clarify a few things for you.¡±

    ¡°Sir¡­We wouldn¡¯t want to bother you,¡± Long Yi politely replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was the same back when I first arrived in Polarity City, so I¡¯d like to do my part as well.¡±

    The three children reluctantly nodded and the man joyfully continued.

    ¡°Unlike what is said back in my hometown, the demonic cultivators aren¡¯t such a united force that we thought them to be. There are good and bad people among them.¡±

    ¡°T-then why a-are they called d-demonic cultivators?¡± Wei Ping sharply asked.

    ¡°That is because they all practice demonic cultivation techniques. Any technique that steals the cultivation of others is categorized as such.¡±

    ¡°So they do hunt down cultivators!¡± the alarmed Long Yi blurted out.

    ¡°Only some of them who had let their cultivation techniques cloud their minds. You see, demonic cultivation isn¡¯t perfect and is more prone to affect their thoughts and behavior. The ones you hear about outside the Demonic Cultivator Territory are outliers, not the norm.¡±

    The man continued to extol the different types of demonic cultivators he had encountered until his companions called him over to continue drinking.

    The trio let out a sigh of relief, having finally gotten rid of the stranger from their table.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first and continue our conversation in our room,¡± Li Lang declared.

    They did just that.

    ¡°So, as I was saying. I encountered a demonic cultivator in the alchemist guild who told me quite a few things. He suspected me of being manipulated by a nefarious demonic cultivator after overhearing my conversation about finding people. After clearing the misunderstanding, he¡¯s basically offering to take us to Emberglow City, where we can find test subjects.¡±

    ¡°T-that does sound s-sketchy. Where even is E-Emberglow City?¡±

    ¡°Demonic Cultivator Territory, or Luminescent Domain, as they call it.¡±

    Hearing those words, Long Yi took a deep breath and released a long sigh.

    ¡°You¡¯re basically telling me a demonic cultivator invited you to go with him to his territory. Does that not ring any alarm bells for you?¡±

    ¡°It did, which is why I politely turned him down. But after hearing what that guy said at dinner, I think we should look into it more,¡± Li Lang quickly retorted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll g-go ask a-around right away!¡± Wei Ping thumped his chest and declared.

    ¡°We can wait until morning. There is no need to hurry.¡±

    <hr>

    Two days later, Li Lang and his companions all visited the Alchemist Guild together first thing in the morning.

    When they asked the receptionist about Jian Beiyun, the demonic cultivator Li Lang had encountered, they were escorted to a private room and told he would arrive shortly.

    Just as the clerk had said, Jian Beiyun showed up in his grey robes within five minutes.

    ¡°That was fast. Are you at the guild all day or something?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but ask upon seeing him.

    ¡°No, but I am normally in the area. I instructed the guild to inform me if you were looking for me. Seeing how you have sought me out, I take it you would like to take me up on my offer?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but we wanted to ask a few questions first.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Prudence is a good virtue to have, especially for people at such a young age. Ask away.¡±

 Chapter 52: Emberglow City

    After speaking with the demonic cultivator, Jian Beiyun, the trio decided to accept his offer.

    From their investigations, they found out that Jian Beiyun was a famous member of the Nightmoon Valley, a demonic cultivator sect that was widely known to be just in their conduct. As much as the righteous sects tried to paint all demonic cultivators in the same brush, it wasn¡¯t possible to control the information as tightly within a neutral territory that bordered the Demonic Cultivator Territory.

    It was only when the three kids corroborated this information from multiple sources that they became open to Jian Beiyun¡¯s offer.

    They also dug a lot of information pertaining to demonic cultivators and their rogue peers that earned them their infamous reputation. However, many details about what the Demonic Cultivator Territory was like were missing, as most people hadn¡¯t been there.

    After accepting the offer of heading to Emberglow City with Jian Beiyun, they had to wait until the end of the week for their new escort to finish up his business. Li Lang didn¡¯t mind, as he could use the time to earn more money from refining pills and exploring the new stage of cultivation he recently arrived at.

    ¡°Is there really no way to measure exactly how much remaining Qi I have?¡± Li Lang sighed as he sat down in his lab.

    ¡°No, master. There isn¡¯t such a tool or technique to my knowledge nor yours that can measure it precisely like you wish,¡± the artifact spirit responded regretfully.

    Shaking his head, Li Lang stared down at his hand, which was giving off a soft glow. He had begun testing out his capabilities as someone who had stepped into the fourth stage of Energy Gathering.

    While the Qi enveloped his limbs, he was testing how much the expenditure was. So far, it was so minuscule it was hard for him to measure by feeling alone. He knew it did expend some Qi, but it quickly refilled naturally, so it was hard to get an accurate grasp.

    At least my cultivation is progressing smoothly thanks to Elder Cao¡¯s lessons¡­

    Now that Li Lang was in the middle stages of Energy Gathering, his cultivation method had slightly differed from before. While he continued to gather more ambient Qi and stuffed it into his body, he now needed to do so while maintaining control of the Qi enveloping him as well.

    It allowed him to absorb more by using up his reserves by wrapping Qi around his entire body while absorbing more to replace the expenditure. When he was done, his external Qi would return, and ¡®jam¡¯ into his body, exerting a stronger force than he could with just Qi manipulation to push his Qi capacity one step further.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Li Lang ran out of time and had to exit Ruby¡¯s artifact space. He continued to allocate a few hours every day toward formulating the recipe for a drug that could eliminate the toxins built up from cultivating.

    Unfortunately, today wasn¡¯t the day he would make his long-awaited breakthrough in his research.

    Coming back into reality, Li Lang glanced around the refining room and began cleaning up after himself. He sold the fruit of his labor at the front desk of the Alchemist Guild and then went to where his companions were waiting.

    Today was the day they would be setting off with Jian Beiyun, and it appeared he was the last one to arrive.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re here.¡± Long Yi said. ¡°I was about to come get you if you didn¡¯t show up in a few more minutes.¡±

    ¡°D-do you have e-everything?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready. Thanks for bringing my Skyrunner along, Wei Ping.¡±

    ¡°N-no problem.¡±

    The lone adult in the group clapped his hands to gather their attention.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get on our way, then. It¡¯s not safe to travel during the night, so the faster we head out, the better.¡±

    ¡°It was you who wanted to leave in the afternoon¡­¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­I needed to finish my matters here. Stop complaining and let¡¯s go.¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The group of four quickly hopped onto Li Lang¡¯s Skyrunner and passed through the giant walls protecting Polarity City. They then got out of the vehicle once they arrived at a large clearing just outside the city.

    At the wave of Jian Beiyun¡¯s hand, another Skyrunner appeared, but one that had much more intricate decorations. It had red and golden cloth accenting the dark brown wood, and even at a glance, anyone could tell it wasn¡¯t something cheap.

    ¡°As we discussed, I¡¯ll be stowing your Skyrunner in my spacial ring while we¡¯re traveling. I¡¯ll return it once we arrive.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Li Lang replied as he watched his Skyrunner disappear at another wave of the hand.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped, as his basic Skyrunner really was much slower than what Jian Beiyun had. By using the faster vehicle, they could cut their travel time and, more importantly, arrive on the same day.

    The party soon took to the skies and flew their way south, into the Luminescent Domain.

    ¡°So demonic cultivators use Skyrunners too, huh? I thought they would be all about taming powerful Qi beasts as mounts.¡± Long Yi broke the silence with a question directed at their driver.

    ¡°Of course. We practice the five main crafts as well and have many Woodsmiths among us. It is hard for Qi beasts to beat out Skyrunners for long-distance journeys. Flesh and blood still tire over time, after all.¡± The demonic cultivator cheerfully replied from the little window at the front.

    Long Yi took his reply as a signal to let loose all the questions he had pent up. He began to press the demonic cultivator with endless questions about the Luminescent Domain.

    Li Lang and Wei Ping could only ruefully smile as they listened on the side.

    Long Yi¡¯s interrogation continued until the sun began to turn orange.

    ¡°Boys, we¡¯ve arrived. Look down below, and there is Emberglow City. Our Nightmoon Valley has a branch office here, but the main sect that controls this territory is the Bloodwave Conclave. They are a nice bunch as long as you don¡¯t get on their bad side, so head to them if you encounter any issues.¡±

    The three boys stuck their heads out the window and peered down below, only to find a vast expanse of rugged canyon terrain stretching into the distance. Quite a few Skyrunners were flying around, but the most important part, the city, was missing.

    ¡°Umm, where exactly is this city?¡± Long Yi asked.

    ¡°You can¡¯t really get a good look at it yet. Just wait a few moments!¡±

    Right after Jian Beiyun said that, their Skyrunner abruptly veered down toward the ground before leveling again once they were within the canyon¡¯s gorges.

    The three kids didn¡¯t have to wonder why they were there for long as they soon saw a giant cave alongside the cliff walls. The hole could easily fit four carriages side by side.

    Jian Beiyun drove the Skyrunner into the cave, and they were instantly consumed by the dark tunnel. The cultivators all had to direct their Qi into their eyes to be even able to see.

    They didn¡¯t stay in the darkness for long as bright orange light soon lit up the corridors, growing brighter the further they ventured into the tunnel. That was because, on the cave walls, there were occasionally glowing crystals that lit up the corridor.

    All of a sudden, their scene changed. They had exited out of the ¡®narrow¡¯ tunnels and came out into a spacious area with a ceiling height of hundreds of feet, and was flooded with light. That was because, sitting down below, a literal city was present. Bright torches and artifacts illuminated the underground city, and the sound of the boisterous city soon reached the travelers¡¯ ears.

    ¡°This¡­ was unexpected.¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but mutter.

    ¡°Ha, I¡¯m not surprised, considering you¡¯re from the territory of the righteous sects. Underground cities like this are only common within the Luminescent Domain because demonic cultivators used to have to hide and scurry around back when we were widely persecuted. Those idiots thought they banished us to a barren area only for our ancestors to discover rich underground resources.¡±

    ¡°And they now trade with you guys instead of claiming it for themselves again?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t dare to try! By the time news of our resources was made public, we had already grown too strong for them to take on. That¡¯s why they obediently trade with us now and leave the status quo as it is.¡±

    The party soon found themselves above the city, and Jian Beiyun began searching for a place to land.

    ¡°A-are there n-no toll to p-pay or inspections t-to enter the city?¡± Wei Ping carefully asked as he glanced around.

    ¡°Unlike those uptight sects you¡¯re used to, we usually prefer a more hands-off approach to managing the cities within our domain. As long as you don¡¯t cause any trouble, there aren¡¯t a whole lot of rules you have to follow.¡±

    Before Wei Ping could ask any follow-up questions, a strange noise suddenly came from Jian Beiyun. He immediately fetched a glowing wooden token out of his waistband, with a frown on his face. After a brief moment, he landed the Skyrunner on an open plaza, right next to a water fountain.

    ¡°You should be safe as long you as you stay within the city. Unfortunately, I have something urgent to attend to, so I¡¯ll have to take my leave here. I wish you kids good luck. Hopefully, we shall meet again in the future. Farewell.¡±

    The man swiftly materialized Li Lang¡¯s Skyrunner out from his spatial ring before taking his leave. The three boys quickly found themselves alone in the middle of the plaza.

    ¡°Umm¡­Are you guys sure we¡¯ll be fine alone in Demonic Cultivator Territory?¡±

    ¡°...Nothing is certain, but maybe you should start referring to this place as Luminescent Domain.¡± Li Lang glanced around at the pedestrians who curiously gazed their way. ¡°Based on our conversation with Senior Jian, I don¡¯t think the locals would take kindly to that name.¡±

 Chapter 53: Getting Settled

    The three children quickly drove their Skyrunner off the plaza in search of some place to stay.

    ¡°First things first. We find shelter before investigating our surroundings. Then we can start recruiting test subjects while I refine pills to fund us.¡± Li Lang turned to Long Yi. ¡°What will you be doing? Will you continue to stay with us?¡±

    Long Yi¡¯s expression instantly changed to that of one who had been wronged.

    ¡°What do you mean? Are you trying to kick me out? Here? In the middle of demon¡ªLuminescent Domain?¡±

    ¡°Well, no, but the only reason you wanted to tag along was to avoid staying in the stifling environment, right? Isn¡¯t there something you want to do with your freedom now?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, my goal is still to cultivate. I¡¯m not so stupid to consider freedom without the strength to protect it. And based on what I heard from you guys, you¡¯re researching a better way to cultivate, right?¡±

    ¡°...Better is not the word I¡¯d choose, but yes, I am trying to find ways to cultivate more efficiently.¡±

    ¡°So yeah, I¡¯m sticking with ya,¡± Long Yi said as he rested an elbow on Li Lang¡¯s shoulder.

    The trio continued making their way into the city of Emberglow, paying careful attention to all the pedestrians they came across. From what they could tell, there was a wide range of people in the city, ranging from normal commoners with little cultivation to experts.

    They didn¡¯t make it out of the plaza for long before they came across a large crowd on the main road. Many of them were gossiping, and from their vantage point atop the Skyrunner, they saw several figures in black and red robes at the center.

    ¡°Did you hear? There¡¯s been another case of murder.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, again? It¡¯s the fourth one this week!¡±

    ¡°Is that the culprit they¡¯re restraining, right there?¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± a loud voice suddenly called out, silencing the scene.

    Shortly after, a small earthen platform was raised with the speaker on top of it.

    Seeing the scene, the three boys decided to park their carriage to the side to see what the man in black and red robes had to say.

    ¡°We have captured the culprit responsible for all the recent cases of murder.¡± He gestured for his companions to bring up a restrained woman. ¡°Rest assured, we¡¯ll find out everything about them and if they had any accomplices. You should rest assured and go about your day. I, Tai Xilun, will definitely make her speak.¡±

    As if to back up his words, the man turned to his captives and grabbed the woman by her face.

    The woman then began to shriek in agony as small strands of blood could be seen being extracted from her orifices. They whirled in the air around her for a brief moment before returning to their owner before the cycle repeated itself.

    The woman continued to scream, but to the horror of the three boys, the crowd began to disband as if nothing special was happening.

    ¡°...Are you sure this place is as safe as that Jian Beiyun had said?¡± Long Yi muttered.

    ¡°...¡±

    The three children continued their way down the bustling street, searching for an inn by looking for a wooden sign depicting the sun and the moon. Wherever they were, it appeared to be a food market more than a commercial district.

    Following the flow of people, it took them a whole hour before they spotted the signs they were looking for.

    ¡°We should probably check out that one.¡± Li Lang pointed at an inn with an elegant exterior made up of finely polished stones.

    ¡°Your wallet feeling a little too heavy or something?¡± Long Yi asked.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°I t-think it¡¯s b-because we are i-in unfamiliar territory. I-it¡¯s better to go f-for more expensive i-inns that have b-better security.¡± Wei Ping retorted before Li Lang could respond.

    The three children swiftly entered the fancy-looking inn and were greeted by a muscular man sitting behind the counter. The man had a murderous aura around him and stared sternly at his little guests.

    ¡°...We¡¯re looking for a room for one week. Do you have any available?¡±

    ¡°Standard room with two beds, five silver coins per night. Suite with four beds, eight coins per night. Meals not included.¡± The man declared with his arms crossed.

    So they use normal coins here. Works for me. What a weird city where cultivators live along with normal people.

    ¡°So, which room will it be?¡± The bulky innkeeper urged.

    ¡°Li Lang, pick the suite, pick the suite!¡± Long Yi whispered while grasping his sleeve.

    ¡°...We¡¯ll take the suite.¡± Li Lang fetched out the coins and placed them on the desk before the man. ¡°Here.¡±

    The man carefully picked up a coin and scrutinized it for a few moments.

    ¡°You kids aren¡¯t from around here, are you?¡±

    ¡°...No. Do you not accept these coins?¡±

    ¡°No, we do accept them. Just curious. We don¡¯t see people carrying money from outside the Luminescent Domain that often, so I find it a bit strange, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Right, I guess you wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Here are the keys for room 207. You can return the key to me when you go out for safekeeping.¡±

    Having accomplished their goal of finding lodging, the trio quickly settled in.

    With the experience of exploring a new city like they had done back in Polarity City, they quickly delegated roles and went straight into it the next day.

    Wei Ping went to gather news while Long Yi tagged along. Despite not actively doing anything, his imposing figure could fool most people that he was an adult as long as he hid his childish face. He was basically the bodyguard who would deter any trouble from coming their way.

    As for Li Lang, he headed straight for the Alchemist Guild once more. It was their only source of income for now, and one that was vital to his research, anyway. He required as many types of materials as he could get his hands on to counter the toxins built up from cultivating.

    After asking the innkeeper for directions, he soon arrived at Emberglow City¡¯s Alchemist Guild. When the receptionist reacted positively to Li Lang¡¯s ring, which identified him as an apprentice alchemist, he let out a sigh of relief.

    So I guess even the guilds within Demonic Cultivator Territory are connected to the other ones. I should¡¯ve expected as much seeing as I met Jian Beiyun at Polarity City¡¯s branch, after all.

    ¡°I have confirmed the authenticity of your ring. You can have it back, Li Lang. How can we help you today?¡±

    ¡°Can I browse a list of all your available materials?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    As expected of an entirely new province that was mostly separate from the rest of Violet Isle, there were many new materials while some old ones were missing as well. Thankfully, the basic materials for Recovery Pills were available, and Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to buy up a sample of everything new.

    Like that, Li Lang fell into a new routine of refining pills, analyzing materials, and cultivating.

    <hr>

    Two months later.

    ¡°Thank you for coming, everyone. As we have discussed, we will be starting our experiments today. Please let us know if you have any questions, as this will be your last chance to back out.¡±

    A dozen different people glanced at each other before one of them stepped forth toward the child with a strangely large head.

    ¡°The people of Emberglow City are straightforward and decisive. We know what we¡¯re getting into, so let¡¯s get started.¡±

    Li Lang took a moment to glance at all the other participants, who were all nodding enthusiastically at the man¡¯s words.

    ¡°Very well, let me explain the experiments to you first, then.¡±

    Over the two months that Li Lang, Wei Ping, and Long Yi had settled into Emberglow City, they had accomplished all their goals and more.

    Wei Ping had successfully begun recruiting test subjects after verifying the news they knew about the city. It seems unlike in the righteous sect territory; it was common for non-cultivators to live alongside cultivators, without any major distinction.

    However, the city¡¯s order was strictly upheld by the Bloodwave Conclave with an iron fist. Thankfully, that wasn¡¯t something the trio planned on worrying about, as they would follow the rules.

    Long Yi had accompanied Wei Ping throughout the two months, but the most notable thing about him was his progress in cultivation. As someone with grade-three aptitude, he was able to make quick progress.

    He only struggled with the bottleneck between the third and fourth stages of Energy Gathering for a month before breaking through.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang remained in the fourth stage of Energy Gathering, but he had made tremendous progress in his research of creating a drug to eliminate the toxins accumulated from cultivating.

    After gaining access to several Luminescent Domain exclusive materials such as Radiant Bloodstone and Ashen Clover, Li Lang successfully stumbled upon a concoction that showed signs of being able to safely remove the toxins from the human body.

    That was why he gathered his new round of test subjects.

    It was time to test out one of his most pivotal works that may allow him to bridge the gap with the talented.

 Chapter 54: Cleansing Toxins

    As one of the premier Biodefense researchers in his past life, Li Lang was right in his ballpark when researching the new drug he had made to remove toxins.

    The drug trial was something he had done hundreds of times. Coupled with the advanced technological analyzer, thanks to Ruby, he was quickly able to verify the effectiveness and safety of his new drug within a few weeks.

    If only I could do the same with things imbued with Qi¡­

    Li Lang had collected the samples from his subjects every day since the first day he handed the experimental drug out.

    ¡°Ruby, can you compile the report for me from all the samples we¡¯ve recently analyzed?¡±

    ¡°Of course, master.¡±

    The artifact spirit took on the role of the AI inside Li Lang¡¯s lab and swiftly organized all the data they had recently gathered into a proper report with charts and graphs.

    Li Lang sat back in his office chair as he leisurely browsed the report on a tablet.

    He only needed to skim it to realize there had been no adverse effects from his new drug so far. Over the course of experiments, he had each subject take two pills a day. Based on the data, the average human could consume six of these pills without issue each day.

    The main problem he was now considering was the cost of production. The Radiant Bloodstones required in the new drug weren¡¯t cheap and cost an entire Qi stone for each portion required for a pill.

    Once a working formula was discovered, efficiency was what came into Li Lang¡¯s considerations. By removing the toxins, it should give someone an ¡®extra¡¯ cultivation session, but that was on the assumption he had sufficient materials for the new drug. The only cap was the daily limit of six dosages a human could safely take. According to Li Lang¡¯s theory, if one could cultivate extensively like this, it could exert enough stress on the spiritual roots to improve them, like muscles.

    He had tried to study what spiritual roots actually were, but none of his scans ever turned anything up. This was true even when he tried putting corpses of animals and bodies he found in a morgue. That was why he could only base his hypothesis on the unique physique he had encountered with Ri Xin.

    As for the cost of producing the toxin-clearing drug, there were still numerous combinations of materials he could substitute for his new formula. That was why Li Lang had been continuously working hard on perfecting his new drug.

    Soon, the alarm in his lab rang, signaling for him to return to reality.

    He slowly got up from his bed and took a sip of water before sitting in the lotus position. Beside him, both Wei Ping and Long Yi were doing the same, completing their morning cultivation session.

    Once they were done, they would nibble on the food they had bought the previous day, as their inn didn¡¯t include meals.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got something to report to you guys,¡± Li Lang declared. ¡°After analyzing all the results, I believe my new drug is both effective and completely safe to use.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about time! It¡¯s already been a month, and I don¡¯t think I heard anything wrong with your testers at all.¡± Long Yi quipped.

    ¡°C-congratulations, boss!¡± Wei Ping celebrated.

    ¡°Thank you. I had to make sure they were entirely safe because we will be using them next.¡±

    ¡°W-will, you b-be registering your n-new pill with the a-alchemy guild?¡±

    It¡¯s not exactly a pill, but I could make it into pill form if I have to. Whatever, it doesn¡¯t really matter.

    ¡°That is the other thing I wanted to discuss.¡± Li Lang gave each of his companions a serious look. ¡°No, we will be keeping this new drug to ourselves. We should keep it a secret, too.¡±

    ¡°What?! Won¡¯t you make a fortune if you registered that to the guild? It¡¯ll also give a chance to all the low-aptitude people in the world to cultivate, right? The ramifications are massive!¡±

    Li Lang stared at Long Yi until he calmed down.

    ¡°Exactly. The ramifications of this could be enormous. I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯d rather not draw that much attention when I¡¯m only an Energy Gathering cultivator. If we want to cultivate in peace, we¡¯ll need to keep quiet about this matter. Do you understand me?¡±

    Long Yi peered down at his feet and after a while, he nodded.

    ¡°But b-boss, couldn¡¯t our t-test subjects leak t-the news?¡±

    ¡°I never told them what the drug they were taking was used for, so they should be fine. They¡¯re also all going to pass on within a year or two, anyway. As long as no one investigates during that time, we¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Seeing how both Wei Ping and Long Yi nodded along with his words, Li Lang continued.

    ¡°So anyway, our next step is to use this new antidote¡ª¡±

    ¡°You should come up with a name for it first, now that it¡¯s complete. You¡¯re the inventor of it!¡± Long Yi interjected.

    ¡°...Fine, it¡¯ll be easier to refer to that way, anyway. We can call it the¡­Cleansing Drug. Moving on, we¡¯ll be using the Cleansing Drug to cultivate faster than before. This will also be another experiment in a way, but with only us three. We need to see if this will allow us to catch up to those with higher aptitudes.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Haven¡¯t we already achieved that by being able to cultivate more often?¡±

    ¡°That is just one part of the equation. Those with higher aptitude like you absorb fewer toxins for the same amount of Qi. They also often can make use of more Qi at a time and have other advantages in the other realms of cultivation, or so I heard. The Cleansing Drug only addresses a symptom, not the root of the differences between aptitude.¡±

    ¡°S-so what do you n-need from us, b-boss?¡±

    ¡°Every day after cultivating, I¡¯ll just need some samples from you. Just a bit of your flesh and blood.¡±

    ¡°Blood? You¡¯re not practicing that blood technique we saw before, are you?¡± Long Yi squeamishly yelped.

    ¡°...You really think I have time to learn fancy techniques like that?¡±

    ¡°Haha, I was just kidding. But seriously, I hate the idea of losing any blood.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine¡­Anyway, let¡¯s go receive our test subjects and announce to them that the experiments are over.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t gloss over my fear so easily!¡±

    Ignoring the overgrown child behind him, Li Lang made his way out of their room.

    <hr>

    Inside a dim cave where the only light source was a glowing pool of reddish water, a lone man in black and red robes meditated by the water. His eyes snapped open and stared at the lone entrance. After ten minutes, sounds of footsteps could be heard.

    A teenage man entered, wearing the same red and black robes, and took a knee before reporting to the man.

    ¡°Senior Tai, I have news of another murder that happened in the twenty-seventh district.¡±

    ¡°Junior Di, is it? Another murder¡­? Take me there.¡±

    The two cultivators swiftly exited the cave and materialized a sword before them. They both stepped atop their respective swords in unison and quickly zipped across the skies on them. They soon found themselves directly above Emberglow City. They landed on the main street, where a small crowd had gathered.

    Immediately upon landing, several people in the same red and black robes cleared a path to them.

    ¡°Senior Tai, you¡¯re here just in time. We just finished analyzing the wounds.¡±

    ¡°Was it the same as the previous cases?¡±

    ¡°Yes, senior. Except¡­¡± The furrowed his brow as he hesitated if he should continue or not.

    Seeing this, Tai Xilun tightly grasped the man¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Out with it!¡±

    ¡°Of¡­of course, Senior Tai. It¡¯s just that we found a packet with some strange powdery substance on the deceased¡¯s body, and no one knows what it is. We¡¯re not sure if it¡¯s related to the case.¡±

    ¡°Did you already get an alchemist to analyze it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, senior. They couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it either, but it shouldn¡¯t be poisonous, is what they said.¡±

    ¡°Give it to me. I¡¯ll bring it to Huang Jingyi. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°No sir, we¡¯re ready to clean up the crime scene. We¡¯ve already identified the victim and will also be informing their families.¡±

    ¡°Very well. You guys take care of the body. I¡¯ll go inform the family myself.¡±

    ¡°Senior Tai, allow us to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I have already spoken. Go do a proper job.¡±

    ¡°...Yes, senior.¡±

    Tai Xilun let out a sigh upon seeing his juniors disappear into the streams of people within their city. He knew it had been hard for them recently with the continuous cases of murder that they struggled to put an end to.

    It wasn¡¯t because they couldn¡¯t solve the case. In fact, they could solve it every time and find the suspect. However, even after they dealt with the culprit, another one would spring up, and with the same modus operandi too.

    It was a matter that had been plaguing their Bloodwave Conclave in recent months.

    Should I really bother the master with this case?

    Tai Xilun soon found himself in the neighborhood where the recently deceased victim lived. The other people on the road gave him a wide berth when they recognized his robes, and he soon walked into a narrow alley.

    He glanced down with a hand on his chin as he walked further in, still contemplating how he should handle the case. It was only when a voice called out to him that he returned to reality.

    ¡°Senior Tai, I think it¡¯s this house!¡±

    ¡°Junior Di, I thought you went to help the others?¡± Tai Xilun looked back at his junior in surprise, as he didn¡¯t expect him to still be following him.

    ¡°Senior¡­I have been following you this entire time. You never gave me any instructions, so I apologize if that wasn¡¯t what you intended.¡±

    ¡°... Never mind, let¡¯s go.¡±

    They two knocked on the door of their destination and waited for a few moments. A middle-aged woman answered the door, and she instantly frowned upon seeing their robes.

    ¡°What do people from the Bloodwave Conclave want from our humble abode? I don¡¯t believe we have committed any crimes.¡±

    Tai Xilun stepped forth and cleared his throat as he prepared himself to be the bearer of bad news.

    ¡°Apologies for disturbing you, but I have some unfortunate news about Chen Laozu.¡±

    ¡°My father? What about him?!¡±

    ¡°He¡­has been found murdered this morning.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± several voices cried in unison.

    Hearing the extra voices, Tai Xilun peeked behind the door. He found three boys standing dumbfounded a distance behind the middle-aged lady.

    The boy on the right had quite a robust physique, despite having such a youthful face. While the one on the left was a small brat wearing a strange mask. The one at the center had the most unique feature. His head was a few sizes larger than his body.

    ¡°Are those your kids?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­No. They just showed up a few minutes ago asking about my father as well,¡± the lady replied.

    Hearing the response, Tai Xilun immediately directed a suspicious gaze at the three boys.

    The three boys immediately straightened their spines, and a chill coursed through their bodies upon being glared at by a powerful cultivator.

 Chapter 55: Bloodwave Conclave

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you three step outside so we can have a private chat?¡± Tai Xilun asked politely, yet it was evident he wouldn¡¯t take a no for an answer. ¡°Madam, my condolences. Please speak with my Junior Di here for the funeral arrangements."

    Being pressured by an expert, Li Lang and his gang had no choice but to obey the man in red and black robes. They exited the house and made some distance before stopping a few houses away.

    ¡°So, who are you people and what did you want with Chen Laozu?¡± Tai Xilun asked in a sharp tone.

    The three boys exchanged looks before Li Lang sighed and stepped forward.

    ¡°Chen Laozu had been hired by us to perform some tests. We came to find him this morning since he hadn¡¯t come to our scheduled meeting.¡±

    The menacing aura of the demonic cultivator intensified at Li Lang¡¯s words, narrowing his eyes at the boys.

    ¡°Oh, you boys are doing some tests? Under which organization?¡±

    ¡°...We aren¡¯t under any group. It¡¯s just us three.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± His scrutinizing gaze made another pass at each of the boys. ¡°Just the three of you kids?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am an alchemist, so I¡¯m just testing out some new recipes.¡± Li Lang responded and brought out his ring as proof.

    ¡°I see¡­As you have just heard, Chen Laozu is dead. Do you have any ideas why that is the case? Maybe something to do with your little tests there?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Li Lang shouted. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with us! The medicine we were testing shouldn¡¯t have such severe effects. None of our other testers had any issues so far.¡±

    Tai Xilun stroked his chin and put on a thoughtful look.

    ¡°That is to be seen. Anyway, do you even have proof that you have hired Chen Laozu? Otherwise, we may have to take you guys in with me for further questioning.¡±

    ¡°H-here, we have c-contracts signed with the merchant g-guild.¡± Wei Ping interjected, shoving some papers at the man.

    The man in red and black robes inspected the documents for a few moments before frowning.

    ¡°Payment settled in Qilin silver coins, is it? What are righteous sect kids doing here the in Luminescent Domain?¡±

    ¡°To hone my alchemy skills. I wasn¡¯t allowed to do my tests in Yellow Qilin. That¡¯s why I came here at the advice of Jian Beiyun from the Nightmoon Valley.¡± Li Lang calmly replied. ¡°Or is that not allowed here as well?¡±

    ¡°...No, it is allowed as long as there is consent from both parties. We aren¡¯t like those uptight, orthodox cultivators.¡± Tai Xilun replied with undisguised frustration upon mention of the righteous sects. ¡°Anyway, you can go now. We¡¯ll come find you if we have any further questions for you. Thank you for cooperating with us.¡±

    ¡°Understood, then we will part way here, then. We still have matters to attend to.¡±

    Just as the three boys took a few steps, they instantly froze when Tai Xilun called out to them once more.

    ¡°Wait! Since you kids are new here, you should come to our headquarters on the northern edge of town if you are serious about continuing to cultivate.¡±

    ¡°...Why?¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t know¡­? In the Luminescent Domain, we don¡¯t have sects that hoard over the resources. We have a sophisticated trade system in place to exchange resources, techniques, and more. In Emberglow City, our Bloodwave Conclave is in charge of such trades.¡±

    ¡°...Understood. We¡¯ll go check it out when we have the time.¡±

    Tai Xilun wordlessly nodded and swiftly made his way back to the house where his junior was.

    This allowed Li Lang¡¯s party to let out a sigh of relief. They had all been on their toes when engaging with the demonic cultivator from the Bloodwave Conclave. It couldn¡¯t be helped as they all still remembered when the scene of a cultivator in the same red and black robes had tortured the alleged murderer so publicly when they first arrived.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Having passed through such an ordeal so early in the morning, the trio rushed back to their inn.

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll be okay? They¡¯re not going to suddenly show up and arrest us, are they?¡± Long Yi timidly asked.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re suspicious of us anymore.¡±

    ¡°Anymore?¡±

    ¡°That man tried to test us in the beginning there. He interrogated us as if we may have been responsible for the death through an accident with our tests, even though he had explained to the madam of the house that Chen Laozu had been murdered. He already knew a murder happened, so it couldn¡¯t have anything to do with our experiments.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re right! He even threatened to bring us in!¡±

    ¡°Probably just trying to shake us up. With our explanation and Wei Ping displaying our contract, they would be stupid if they still thought we were involved.¡±

    ¡°A-anyway, we should c-consider what he s-said about visiting t-their headquarters.¡± Wei Ping changed the topic. ¡°We s-should check it o-out as soon as w-we can.¡±

    New resources I haven¡¯t seen before? I must get my hands on them to analyze!

    Long Yi shrugged at the new suggestion.

    ¡°Huh, isn¡¯t that just resources for demonic cultivators? I don¡¯t think I want to see what that entails. I mean, they absorb cultivation from others, right?¡±

    ¡°No, Wei Ping is right. We should still check it out. There is probably so much we don¡¯t know about demonic cultivators, thanks to propaganda. We should see for ourselves.¡± Li Lang decisively declared. ¡°Let¡¯s go in the afternoon after I finish refining a batch of pills!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°So this should be it, huh?¡± Long Yi muttered.

    Standing before the three boys was the entrance to Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s headquarters. There was a massive entrance at the front that appeared like any building, except it was merged with the cliff wall behind it.

    There were intricate engravings that decorated the front of the building. The building itself was built by directly carving into the cliff and stretched for as far as the eyes could see.

    There was a steady stream of traffic going in and out of the place, and the three boys soon joined it.

    When they entered the grand lobby, the first thing they saw was the gigantic signs hanging above each of the passageways branching out from the lobby. While they were overwhelmed at the scene, thankfully, there was an information counter near the front.

    ¡°Welcome to Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s bazaar. How may I help you?¡± A young woman greeted.

    ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t think she¡¯s a demonic cultivator, is she?¡± Long Yi whispered to his companions.

    The receptionist chuckled, having overheard his question.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not, but I¡¯m still a member of the conclave and it is my job to be here.¡±

    Both Li Lang and Wei Ping directed an annoyed look at Long Yi¡¯s careless question but quickly ignored him to converse with the receptionist.

    ¡°Apologies for our companion. We¡¯re kind of new around here, so he¡¯s curious about everything he sees.¡±

    The lady smiled at the kids as she replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If you¡¯re new here, then do you want me to give you a basic rundown of this place?¡±

    The three kids nodded in unison.

    ¡°Well, we try to keep it simple with the signs telling where you need to go. Basically, you can exchange resources you find from the underground expanse here for Qi stones, and buy resources you require as well. However, not everything can be bought with Qi stones, and you will have to barter in some cases.¡±

    The kids glanced over at the signs one by one. From each sign, it was evident numerous types of resources were traded. It ranged from martial arts to crafting materials, but one thing stood out among them all.

    The widest path leads to an area for Qi beasts.

    ¡°Umm, seems like Qi beasts are quite popular here.¡± Long Yi muttered.

    The reception directed a weird look at the large boy¡¯s words.

    ¡°Of course, Qi beasts are vital for any demonic cultivator to progress in their cultivation.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you for your explanation.¡± Li Lang quickly cut in and replied.

    The kids then bowed before taking their leave.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Qi beast area. I¡¯m curious.¡± Li Lang announced as he led the group.

    ¡°Huh, why? You heard the lady. She said it¡¯s mainly useful for demonic cultivators.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. We¡¯ve always been told demonic cultivators absorb cultivations from other cultivators to progress. But based on what the receptionist said and from our conversations with Jian Beiyun, it seems they can absorb a Qi beast¡¯s cultivation as well. And I want to see that in action.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­In that case, if their techniques work with Qi beasts, then how come they¡¯re known for absorbing cultivation from other humans?¡±

    ¡°T-there must be s-some drawbacks, then.¡± Wei Ping answered.

    ¡°Exactly what I thought. Let¡¯s hurry. I want to see how it works. Maybe it¡¯ll give me some clues on other ways to progress our cultivation or even practice demonic cultivation myself.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Long Yi couldn¡¯t help but yelp.

    His outburst had drawn the attention of everyone around them, but they quickly went about their own business.

    ¡°Calm down, Long Yi. I¡¯m just hypothetically speaking. We¡¯ll have to investigate its pros and cons first.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­To entertain the idea of demonic cultivations. Have we fallen astray?¡± Long Yi replied as he hung his head.

 Chapter 56: Value of Qi Beasts

    Li Lang, Wei Ping, and Long Yi strode down the wide corridor within the halls of Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s bazaar, heading toward the section where Qi beasts were traded.

    They soon came out into a convention hall-like clearing, where dozens of tables were neatly lined up, each with a person present.

    Numerous people were crowding around the tables, inspecting the Qi beasts within the cages behind. The entire place was like a market with open stalls where people negotiated with the shopkeeper.

    Occasionally, they spotted people in red and black robes patrolling around.

    The trio slowly sauntered through the area as they watched and listened to everything around them.

    ¡°One hundred spirit stones for that peak Energy Gathering Dark Panther!¡±

    ¡°Fifty red spirit crystals for that Foundation Establishment realm Shadow Mantis!¡±

    ¡°Look over there! Someone finally bought the Redscale Serpent!¡±

    The crowd quickly steered toward the stall in question, and Li Lang¡¯s group did the same.

    They watched as a man walked up to the small cage that hosted a thick red serpent, peering out threateningly with its bright orange eyes. When it hissed, a small stream of fire came out of its mouth.

    The man received a key from the shopkeeper and proceeded to draw his weapon. He swiftly thrust out his sword through the gaps of the cage. The metal tips of the sword easily penetrated the stationary target and green blood began dripping.

    The serpent hissed violently and spat out a torrent of fire like a flamethrower. However, the cage¡¯s defense mechanism was activated, and a small barrier thwarted the attack.

    The man repeated his attacks at the helpless target and soon, the Redscale Serpent became motionless. The cultivator wasted no time and quickly opened up the cage. He pressed his hand against the serpent¡¯s head and assumed the lotus position.

    ¡°This¡­You would think they¡¯d do this privately.¡± Long Yi muttered.

    ¡°It probably means this is a common occurrence around here. Just quietly watch. We can discuss it later.¡± Li Lang reminded.

    The spectacle around the man only grew as he began to absorb the cultivation of his prey. It took him a whole ten minutes to finish whatever demonic technique he used to absorb the snake¡¯s essence. When he was done, he abruptly stood up and let out a hearty hiss, much like that of the serpent. There was even a stream of fire coming out of his mouth before he composed himself.

    At that point, the crowd disbanded as they went about their own business.

    Li Lang and his companions toured the area some more and witnessed similar scenes before they exited the Qi beast area, returning to the main lobby.

    ¡°Well, that was something. Having witnessed that, I think I am going to buy demonic techniques to study them.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious about studying demonic cultivation techniques? Those guys who practiced it become more and more like what they absorb. And it seems like you either need a lot of money or venture into Qi beast territory very often to fuel your cultivation. I mean, did you hear how much those Qi beasts went for?¡± Long Yi immediately quipped.

    ¡°Those prices were for beasts in the upper stages of Energy Gathering or even Foundation Establishment. But yeah, I can see how inefficient it can be compared to orthodox cultivation. However, it is a good alternative if my research fails. After all, demonic cultivation works regardless of your talent.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just warning you. You better investigate the pros and cons carefully first. As for me, I¡¯ll stick to the orthodox method.¡±

    ¡°N-not everyone has h-high aptitude like y-you, Long Yi.¡± Wei Ping quipped.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡±

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Wei Ping and Long Yi quickly descended into a childish argument and Li Lang didn¡¯t bother to wait for them as he headed for the cultivation techniques section.

    This time, the path led to an expansive library. It had a unique atmosphere with the naked stone walls combined with the wooden bookshelves spread across the book room. There was even a mezzanine that held even more bookcases.

    People strolled freely through the library, and Li Lang dove straight in.

    He picked out a book at random, only to find it wouldn¡¯t open no matter how hard he tried. He glanced around and saw someone in red and black robes staring his way. The woman directed him a curious glance before approaching.

    ¡°Hi there, child. Did you want to buy that book? It¡¯ll be thirty-five spirit stones.¡±

    I see, I can¡¯t open it until I pay¡­That is pretty pricey for a basic cultivation technique

    ¡°Maybe, if I can find the right one. Can I ask if I can borrow it as well?¡±

    ¡°You can only borrow it from here if you¡¯re from an official organization, then we can lend it to you for ten spirit stones a week. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have to buy it.¡±

    ¡°Official organization? Does the Alchemist Guild count?¡±

    ¡°Are you new here? ¡­Nevermind. Yes, Alchemist Guild counts. Just present your ring when you¡¯re ready to check something out.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I will.¡±

    Li Lang quickly dove back into the sea of knowledge as he perused through the titles. There were a lot of different genres, ranging from mundane knowledge, geography, and diaries, to even orthodox cultivation techniques.

    It didn¡¯t take him long to find the section for demonic cultivation techniques. Unlike the ones he had browsed through in Spirit Grove, the ones here were thick books and had a wide selection.

    Li Lang took the time to read through each title until someone poked him in the shoulder. He turned to find Wei Ping and Long Yi staring at him.

    ¡°B-boss, you s-should make a d-decision soon. We s-still have to check out t-the other areas.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry. I got too absorbed. You¡¯re right, it doesn¡¯t matter which one I pick for now. I¡¯ll just take this one here.¡±

    Having been brought back to reality, Li Lang found another librarian in red and black robes to help him check the book out. After giving them the Qi stones and his alchemist ring, they took the book away for a few moments before returning with it.

    The librarian had done something to the book that allowed Li Lang to open the book.

    Reining in his urge to read the book right away, the trio swiftly made their way to the next section of Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s bazaar, as the day was approaching its end.

    They passed by the main lobby briefly once more and went to the path leading to the crafting materials section.

    The next hall they arrived at reminded Li Lang of the supermarkets he was so familiar with. Instead of labeling each aisle with various food items, they were labeled with various heavenly resources. Li Lang did not hesitate to head straight for the sections of alchemy-related materials.

    A plethora of herbs and Qi beast parts were neatly laid out before him. The majority of them exuded such power that it was, without a doubt, beyond what any cultivator in the Energy Gathering realm could handle.

    Li Lang greedily lusted over them, but he could only give up when he glanced over at the price tags. A few were priced in hundreds of Qi stones, but most of them required bartering rare types of Qi beasts.

    ¡°Who knew Qi stones were worth so little¡­¡± Li Lang muttered.

    Just as his shoulders drooped, he felt a hand land on it.

    ¡°B-boss, it¡¯s u-unavoidable. It¡¯s a g-given that Qi s-stones are worth less i-in the Luminescent Domain. Demonic c-cultivators don¡¯t n-need them for cultivation.¡± Wei Peing comforted.

    Demonic cultivators mostly consisted of people with little talent. Their need for Qi stones was only for powering their various artifacts, like their Skyrunners and formations.

    Meanwhile, orthodox cultivators with adequate talent could absorb Qi stones to speed up their progress. The further one progressed, the more Qi they needed. Practically all Foundation Establishment cultivators absorbed from Qi stones instead of the ambient Qi, as it would otherwise take too long.

    It only took a split second for Li Lang to realize this truth as well. He shook his head wistfully as he continued to browse the wide selection.

    For a brief moment, he considered discreetly absorbing some materials into Ruby, but his rationality swiftly reined in his impulses. It was a given powerful cultivators stood watch nearby, and only a fool would believe they could avoid the consequences. With Ruby¡¯s ability to absorb things into the artifact space requiring physical contact, Li Lang knew it wasn¡¯t realistic to think he could get away with it.

    ¡°We need to start earning more...or even harvest these materials ourselves. Maybe you guys should venture out during the day while I refine pills?¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me? Didn¡¯t Wei Ping already tell us? All the Qi beasts around the city that are weak enough for us to handle have already been caught. We would need to head further away from the city. And that is not an idea I will entertain in a hotspot of demonic cultivators.¡± Long Yi retorted with vigor.

    ¡°Okay, okay. It was just an idea. We can think this through more¡­¡±

    If we plan on progressing in our cultivation further, we¡¯ll have to venture out at some point to gain combat experience and gather resources.

    We should consider joining one of these demonic ¡®sects¡¯ for protection and guidance. As we are, we¡¯re too weak to do anything¡­

 Chapter 57: New Results

    The three kids returned to their inn just in time for supper. After buying some food at the restaurant on the ground floor, they returned to their room.

    Normally, after completing their nightly cultivations, the trio would go to bed, but Li Lang had other plans tonight.

    He brought a lit candle to his bed as he impatiently opened up the book he had rented. He only lingered on the title ¡®Baleful Claw Demonic Technique¡¯ for a moment before diving straight into its contents.

    Wei Ping and Long Yi simply shook their heads at the scene and went to bed first.

    Li Lang paid them no heed and ravenously absorbed the new content and by the time he was done, the candle had almost burned out.

    Compared to the basic cultivation technique he read back in Spirit Grove, the demonic technique went into much more detail. The manual itself was more than twice as thick and even provided helpful background information that allowed beginners to better grasp the process.

    The demonic technique explained the difference it had with orthodox techniques and the different types of demonic techniques.

    In general, all demonic techniques were called such because they absorbed the essence of other living things. The common denominator was that the target of absorption had to be recently deceased.

    Some of these techniques were very specific in what they could assimilate and couldn¡¯t be easily changed. For example, if one chose to practice the Baleful Claw Demonic Technique, one could only make significant progress by absorbing Qi beasts with powerful claws.

    These demonic cultivation techniques that preyed on such specific parts were known as Possession Techniques. In exchange for committing to a specialization, they were generally regarded as more powerful among their peers at the same cultivation level.

    In contrast, there were demonic techniques that were less demanding, allowing their practitioner to absorb the Qi of any living thing it killed. They were called Qi Pilfering Techniques and were known to be less efficient in exchange for flexibility in picking their targets. On top of that, they were less prone to cultivation deviation, which was described by the book as when the technique drove its practitioner crazy.

    Possession Techniques heavily influenced the minds of its users and caused mental deficiencies. It often made the practitioner take on the characteristics of the beasts they absorbed. In general, it made people more violent, as violence was the nature of most Qi beasts.

    That didn¡¯t mean Qi Pilfering Techniques didn¡¯t have any drawbacks. When Li Lang read the part about these drawbacks, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. While Qi Pilfering Techniques could also negatively affect the mind, they also had some potential consequences that were shockingly similar to Qi overdose. If severe, it could potentially leave the practitioner bedridden and eventually claim their lives. Like an overdose, it would require the practitioner to take a break to recover.

    However, after having some time to think it through, Li Lang thought the symptoms described were closer to another phenomenon he was familiar with. It shared many similarities with immune rejection, which sometimes happened in some organ transplants.

    Still, Li Lang only had the words of a single book to go on and nothing definitive could be said.

    The Baleful Claw Demonic Technique in Li Lang¡¯s possession went into detail about how one would absorb a Qi beast¡¯s energy, but that wasn¡¯t something that interested Li Lang too much. It was too big of a commitment and he was already stretched thin, researching orthodox cultivation.

    Still¡­if I had the time, I would like to research the difference between orthodox techniques and demonic. They shouldn¡¯t be that different¡­

    There were few things he could immediately draw from the technique itself, but he still found the purchase worthwhile. He gained a lot of information about the nature of demonic techniques, and clues on how demonic cultivators attained their reputation.

    Excited with his discoveries, he didn¡¯t hesitate to wake up his friends to share his findings. As he rambled on, his two friends could only sleepily rub their eyes.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°...Li Lang, as interesting as that is, the sky is still dark. Can this wait for another time?¡± Long Yi pleaded.

    It was only then that Li Lang managed to rein in his excitement. The next morning, Wei Ping and Long Yi would find themselves struggling to concentrate on their cultivation as Li Lang resumed the sharing of his findings.

    With the Cleansing Drug on their side, their cultivation sessions had gotten longer. Every time they reached their limit, they would take the drug and be able to cultivate again. They did this a total of six times; three during the morning and three during the night. It was this prolonged cultivation time that allowed Li Lang to ramble on as his companions were fixed in place.

    ¡°...and that is all I found and inferred from the book last night. Any questions?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Long Yi decisively answered, throwing the ball to Wei Ping.

    ¡°I-I¡­don¡¯t think w-we can afford to t-think about demonic techniques r-right now. We¡¯re s-still testing t-the Cleansing Drug, right?¡±

    ¡°Right, right. Let me collect your samples.¡± Li Lang moved to draw some blood and collect a small piece of flesh from himself and his companions. ¡°Anyway, now that we are clear about the nature of demonic cultivators, we should see if we can join one of their organizations.¡±

    As Li Lang said those words, Long Yi was just about to swallow a Recovery Pill. Hearing the abrupt news made him almost choke on the pill. He had a coughing fit for a few moments before recovering after drinking some water.

    ¡°...Are you serious? You want to join them now?¡±

    ¡°It depends on how they work. From what we have seen, they don¡¯t operate exactly like sects, so I wanted you guys to investigate it first. We¡¯ll need someone to support us if we want to safely gain combat experience while we cultivate. As you said yesterday, it¡¯ll be too dangerous to leave the city as we currently are.¡±

    ¡°U-understood, boss! I¡¯ll l-look into it today.¡± Wei Ping immediately answered in Long Yi¡¯s stead.

    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll leave it to you guys, then. I¡¯m off to the Alchemist Guild.¡±

    Leaving his friends behind, Li Lang swiftly made his way to the guild. He mechanically did the same thing he did every morning and rented a refining room after purchasing the materials.

    There were currently three pills he could refine. The Recovery Pill, the Qi Replenishment Pill, and the Stimulant Pill. He could have expanded the repertoire greatly if he wanted, but he currently was satisfied with what he had.

    The main reason he studied alchemy in the first place was to gain access to materials, make money, and form connections by adding value to himself. There was no reason for him to waste his time studying a new pill while he was so busy with the Cleansing Drug.

    When he arrived in the refining room, he placed down his materials and placed Ruby against his head.

    He swiftly found himself in his familiar lab and was greeted by Ruby.

    ¡°Good morning, master! The results of yesterday¡¯s samples are already done. The new ones are already in the auto-analyzer.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Li Lang sat down on his office chair and began going over the report on his monitor.

    Every morning, he submitted the samples he took from Wei Ping, Long Yi, and his flesh and blood to be analyzed.

    When he first started researching the symptoms of Qi overdose, Li Lang had two hypotheses about how aptitude worked. One was that aptitude affected a person¡¯s tolerance to the Qi toxins. It was now rejected because the samples from Long Yi showed how he had similar levels of toxins at his limit, so that left the second hypothesis to test.

    The second hypothesis was that aptitude affected the strength of one¡¯s spiritual roots, and the strength of spiritual roots meant one absorbed fewer Qi toxins. The idea was that spiritual roots acted like toxin filters, processing the harmful elements within the ambient Qi.

    He had gotten this idea from his talks with Ri Xin, the independent cultivator who had a unique physique that allowed him to strengthen his spiritual roots.

    This was why Li Lang was now testing if it was possible to strengthen these spiritual roots by repeatedly making use of them more than they were intended. He believed that because people normally succumbed to Qi overdose so fast, the spiritual root never had to work hard enough to experience progressive overload. Almost like if someone lifted weights that were too light and for too few repetitions.

    With the Cleansing Drug, Li Lang hoped that it would enable the spiritual roots to be ¡®worked out¡¯ enough. After all, if this was possible, the significance of it was completely different from simply treating the symptoms of Qi toxins. It could affect their very future when they arrive at the other cultivation realms.

    As always, measuring Qi was an arduous task, as Li Lang didn¡¯t have access to such equipment and he didn¡¯t even know if they existed.

    However, having measured the amount of time it took for each of them to cultivate to reach their limit, it was still possible to notice if their spiritual roots had really been strengthened if monitored over a period of time.

    The other way he could notice was if the samples contained fewer toxins than the previous day. They may subconsciously stop cultivating at around the same time as usual. In that scenario, if their toxin levels were consistently lower, it meant something must have changed.

    When Li Lang finished reviewing the data from the previous day, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his breathing quickened.

    ¡°These results¡­It¡¯s only been a day¡­¡±

 Chapter 58: The Only Orthodox Sect

    That night, when the three boys sat down, they all seemed eager to share their latest discoveries.

    They opened their mouths at the same time, only for no noise to come out as they each intended to let the other party speak first. Wei Ping quickly recollected himself and spoke first.

    ¡°Go a-ahead, boss.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sure. I wanted to share that I have already discovered some results from just a day of testing. I¡¯m not sure if this will persist, but I detected approximately 0.8% fewer toxins within the samples for all three of us.¡±

    ¡°T-that is quite p-precise¡­it means we¡¯re t-taking in s-smaller amounts of t-toxins somehow?¡± Wei Ping replied with a look of realization on his face.

    Li Lang nodded at the answer his assistant quickly arrived at while Long Yi wore a confused expression as he glanced between the two.

    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡±

    ¡°We have a theory that our spiritual roots are what filter out the toxins. At the same time, based on the existence of unique physiques that allow spiritual roots to be trained, we believed ours could be trained as well. It¡¯s just that we normally succumb to the toxins before our spiritual roots get enough of a workout. Now, with the Cleansing Drug, I believe we¡¯ve solved that issue, thus allowing our Spiritual Root to grow stronger!¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯ve got the same ability as those with that particular unique physique?¡±

    ¡°Probably not exactly, but something very close. I can¡¯t say definitively yet with such a small sample size, but I have a good feeling about this.¡±

    Li Lang rambled on once more. Once he began talking about a topic he was passionate about, it was hard for him to stop. However, this time, the boys all attentively listened as this matter affected them greatly.

    Once he was done, their room descended into silence as they each processed their thoughts.

    ¡°...Anyway, it¡¯s only the first day. We¡¯ll see if it¡¯ll continue first. A 0.8% doesn¡¯t sound so impressive yet, and I can¡¯t even feel the difference yet.¡±

    ¡°That was the plan. Anyway, did you guys find something?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes! Long Yi will e-explain.¡± Wei Ping immediately kicked the ball to his peer.

    ¡°Okay¡­ I did promise.¡± Long Yi sighed and took a sip of water before beginning. ¡°So we looked into joining a demonic sect¡­or as the locals call it, an official organization or group. It seems the structure of groups here varies a lot and is way more complex than what we¡¯re used to.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not hard to see that they don¡¯t organize themselves like a traditional sect around here.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Each official group is different. Some of them are like sects, passing on their secret teachings and nurturing disciples. They are the minority, but they do exist, especially with those who practice Possession Demonic Techniques.¡±

    ¡°And the majority?¡±

    ¡°The majority use a much looser structure. Some of them are bound together by like-minded ideas, like upholding order and justice. Other than that, they won¡¯t share much with each other, all practicing different techniques and taking in their own disciples. For other organizations, they work like guilds, pooling resources together to take care of various tasks and defending vital assets.¡±

    ¡°So I take it you guys realized in our situation, we¡¯d be looking toward these looser groups, then? I don¡¯t think any of us are exactly excited to practice demonic techniques,¡± Li Lang inquired.

    ¡°Yes, but there was one group within Emberglow City that caught our eye that was structured more like a sect.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡± Li Lang frowned at the unexpected answer.

    ¡°Just hear me out first. You did know that everything in this Demonic Cultivator Territory is isolated from the rest of Violet Isle, correct?¡± Seeing Li Lang nod, Long Yi continued. ¡°There¡¯s a huge number of people living here as well. And when that happens, they¡¯re bound to have a lot of children as well.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the people who were blessed with high aptitude¡­¡±

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    ¡°Exactly. It would be a waste for these talented individuals to practice demonic cultivation. It wouldn¡¯t just waste their talent, but make the competition for resources more tense as well. That is why there are sect-like organizations here that are for these people. They practice orthodox techniques like us, which is why we decided they were a potential candidate for us to look at.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing the other candidates are all filled with demonic cultivators, and you didn¡¯t want to join them?¡±

    ¡°...Look.¡± Long Yi scratched his cheeks. ¡°Just because I know most of them are normal doesn¡¯t change the fact any of them could suddenly go crazy. They¡¯re a looming disaster!¡±

    ¡°...I think you should try to change your views. Otherwise, you should consider returning to righteous sect territory. Think about what would happen if demonic cultivators heard your take.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t b-be too harsh o-on him, boss. It¡¯s n-not easy to c-change your mindset s-so quickly.¡± Wei Ping interjected.

    ¡°As long as he knows. Anyway, I take it that we¡¯ll be going to check out this orthodox sect of yours tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes. They are m-more casual here, and a-accept new disciples throughout t-the year.¡±

    ¡°Understood, then let¡¯s call it here for tonight. We can discuss the other groups if this one doesn¡¯t work out.¡±

    <hr>

    The next morning, the trio arrived before a large gate. Stone walls surrounded the entire compound, and two tall buildings could be seen standing over seven stories. There was ample land to fit more than the two buildings, but the walls had obscured any onlookers from peering inside.

    At the top of the splendid red gate was a wooden sign with the name ¡®Peerless Gate¡¯ written on it.

    Li Lang boldly strode toward the gate and rang the bell just beside the gate that served as a door knocker.

    After ringing it three times, a figure swiftly emerged from the door. It was a young man wearing yellow robes. He silently scrutinized the three kids before the gate for a few moments and wore a frown.

    ¡°What do you kids want?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here to see if your Peerless Gate was recruiting.¡±

    ¡°You guys look a bit old for that.¡± The man directed a meaningful glance over at Long Yi.

    ¡°...I¡¯m the youngest among us. I just turned eleven not long ago.¡±

    ¡°Eleven? Are you guys from some remote village or something? You¡¯re supposed to come get your aptitude measured when you turn ten. In the first place¡­¡±

    As the man explained, he held open the gates for the three boys to enter. They stepped into a wide stone path that led up to the large building that the two buildings both connected to on the ground floor. The lobby was wide and spacious, and the man guided them to a room in the back.

    On the way there, various other people could be seen walking to and fro, all wearing the same yellow robes as their guide.

    When they entered the room, all three of them immediately realized the reason they were taken there.

    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve actually measured our aptitude before. The two of us here have grade one aptitude, while Long Yi here has grade three.¡±

    ¡°What? Then what are you two doing here, then? Just to tag along with your friend?¡±

    ¡°No¡­We¡¯re looking to join the Peerless Gate as well, if that is possible.¡±

    ¡°...Kid, why in the world do you want to do that? This place is for studying orthodox cultivation techniques. You won¡¯t be able to make progress in your lifetime if you only have grade one aptitude.¡±

    ¡°We know that, but we¡¯ve already been practicing orthodox techniques for a while now and don¡¯t plan to stop.¡±

    ¡°What¡­? From where?¡± Their guide was visibly taken aback.

    As Li Lang and his group planned to join the group, he found no reason to be lying or beating around the bush.

    ¡°We¡¯re from the Yellow Qilin province. We were originally members of an orthodox sect.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­Well, regardless, you guys only have grade one aptitude. People like you are unsuited to be in our organization.¡± He turned to Long Yi. ¡°As for you, you¡¯re more than welcome to join, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about your friends.¡±

    ¡°...No, thank you. I¡¯ll be sticking with them for now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your talent by doing that, you know? There¡¯s no other organization in Emberglow that can make use of your talents!¡±

    Seeing how the man had started to disregard Li Lang and Wei Ping, the group swiftly made their exit while the man continued to pressure Long Yi to stay. It was only when they passed the gates that the man backed off, walking away while shaking his head.

    ¡°Dumb kids¡­.¡±

    The three occasionally glanced back at the compound and only conversed when it was out of sight.

    ¡°Well, it could¡¯ve gone worse.¡± Li Lang muttered. ¡°At least the people here don¡¯t immediately belittle us once he learned of our aptitude.¡±

    ¡°T-they wouldn¡¯t d-dare. Most of t-the demonic cultivators h-have poor aptitude as well. They w-wouldn¡¯t want to o-offend them with c-careless remarks.¡± Wei Ping replied, as he put a hand on his chin.

    ¡°But this means it¡¯ll be a lot harder for us to gain access to orthodox cultivation techniques, martial arts, and Qi arts,¡± Long Yi added.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to stick with whatever is available in Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s bazaar,¡± Li Lang replied.

    ¡°In the first place, even if we all got accepted, how would you explain to them when you suddenly make rapid progress thanks to your Cleansing Drug? They¡¯d definitely question you.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re right. Maybe when people ask, we should pretend to be demonic cultivators instead?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    At Li Lang¡¯s suggestion, his companions immediately looked at him in shock.

 Chapter 59: The Orchid Covenant

    Li Lang stared right at his friends, who stood stupefied at the new suggestion of pretending to be demonic cultivators. Seeing how sensitive the topic was, the trio silently agreed to keep quiet until they returned to their room at the inn.

    ¡°Okay, what is this about pretending to be demonic cultivators now? You first considered becoming one, and now you want to pretend?¡± Long Yi immediately pressed as soon as they closed the door.

    He glanced over at Wei Ping for his support, but the small child appeared busy in contemplation.

    ¡°Think about it,¡± Li Lang advised. ¡°If we won¡¯t be able to join an orthodox sect, our next option is to check out those other organizations led by demonic cultivators you mentioned. How weird would it be for us, or at least, Wei Ping and I, to be advancing through the cultivation stages despite our low talent if it was known that we practiced orthodox techniques?¡±

    ¡°...You guys would probably stand out quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. While I was at the Peerless Gate, I had been already thinking about how to come up with an excuse for the future, but now that isn¡¯t an option, we¡¯ll have to think about how to handle being in a demonic cultivator organization.¡±

    ¡°...We can just continue as it is by ourselves or go to another province. You¡¯re done with the experiments, right?¡±

    ¡°No¡­What we solved is just one problem in the Energy Gathering stage. I¡¯ll likely be doing other tests in the future. As for going by ourselves¡­do you really think us three kids will get very far? We don¡¯t have access to any inheritances. We¡¯ll need martial arts, Qi arts, and cultivation techniques as we progress. I doubt the ones that could be bought are any good.¡±

    Speaking up to that point, Li Lang fell silent as he deliberated on the possibility of creating his own techniques. However, he realized it wasn¡¯t part of his expertise and the people of this world who had studied this topic for countless years would be better at utilizing Qi than his rudimentary efforts.

    It was also at this point that Wei Ping decided to interject.

    ¡°B-boss is right. Pretending t-to be demonic cultivators m-may be the better o-option. The o-organization we looked at doesn¡¯t s-seem to care what kind of c-cultivation technique their m-members practices.¡±

    ¡°Right. The important thing for us is just to secure backing to allow us to procure resources, knowledge, and protection,¡± Li Lang added.

    ¡°Fine¡­Better to pretend to be one rather than be targeted by one.¡± Long Yi spoke and sighed at the same time.

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go check out your next candidate.¡±

    After a quick lunch, the trio set off for the next organization. Wei Ping explained the details during the trip.

    ¡°O-our next c-candidate is called The Orchid Covenant. T-they mainly gather t-together to trade and t-take on requests together. They are b-basically a group of i-independent cultivators coming t-together to form an u-united front.¡±

    ¡°I can see why that is the next best option you guys found.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, they also h-have branches throughout t-the Luminescent Domain as well. Though t-their headquarters is here, w-which is why I s-suggested them.¡±

    The three boys soon made their way across the underground city toward a tall building near the center. There was a beautiful sign with a vibrant orchid on it, decorating the entrance. When they entered the lobby, a polite old man bowed down to greet them.

    He was dressed in neat grey linen clothes and a quick survey of the other people inside let the boys know it was the uniform of the staff here.

    ¡°Greetings. How can we help you, young masters?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, we¡¯re looking to join your Covenant.¡±

    ¡°In that case, please head on over to the counters over there.¡± The man pointed toward the corner of the lobby where three counters could be seen.

    It was currently all unoccupied, so the three kids directly walked up to the closest one. The man at the counter smiled and greeted them.

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    ¡°I heard you gentlemen wanted to join the Orchid Covenant?¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    ¡°Then let me explain a few things to you first. The Orchid Covenant does not have a strict hierarchy, but at the same time, that means you¡¯ll be left to your own devices most of the time. Trade is the main pillar of our organization. If you need guidance, you¡¯ll have to trade something of equal value for it.¡±

    ¡°So there are no benefits to joining and we have to pay for everything...¡± Long Yi muttered.

    ¡°Not quite. Although the benefit of joining could be said to be the access you will receive to our exclusive trade network. At the same time, we host tournaments with prizes, hold exclusive seminars among members, and occasionally secure various opportunities, such as quotas to venture into various pocket realms. You can even participate in tournaments that are normally exclusive to official organizations by going under our banner. All these intangible benefits aren¡¯t something you can easily get.¡±

    ¡°Are there conditions we have to adhere to if we join, and can we leave at any time?¡±

    ¡°As I said, our hierarchy is quite lax. Aside from not being able to join any other official organization, with the exception of the crafts guilds, there are only a few rules. You are also not allowed to fight among fellow members as well. You are obligated to protect the interests of other members if it is within your ability. You can leave at any time given at least a month prior notice. Of course, all these rules will be bound by signing a proper contract.¡±

    Li Lang exchanged glances with his companions for a moment, and they all nodded in response.

    ¡°Very well, we would like to proceed with joining.¡±

    The clerk hesitated for a split second, having heard such a straightforward reply. He carefully sized up each of the three boys.

    ¡°...Are you sure? Usually, for young folks like you, you may want to find a master to guide you first. I can introduce you to some of the experts among us who are looking for disciples if you would like. Trust me, it¡¯d be quite hard to secure enough resources to make use of our trade network if you¡¯re by yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re sure. We can always still look for a master later as well, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­Very well. Please give me a moment.¡±

    The man took out several forms and began to fill them out before placing the completed forms before them. Once they signed them, he quickly handed over a metal token to each of the three boys. He then placed a needle on the counter between them.

    ¡°Please allow the token to soak in a drop of blood from you, and it will be bound to you.¡±

    Doing as instructed, the boys found the metal token to glow brightly when it made contact with their blood. It only lasted a second before it returned to normal, and the clerk smiled in satisfaction.

    ¡°Perfect, you are now members of The Orchid Covenant. Welcome.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, senior.¡± The three cried out in unison.

    ¡°Oh, no need to refer to me so politely. I¡¯m not even a cultivator. I am just part of the staff hired by the covenant to manage the paperwork.¡±

    ¡°...Thank you.¡± Li Lang muttered before they quickly retreated in embarrassment.

    He didn¡¯t get far as the clerk chased after them.

    ¡°Wait! I still have to show you around.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The trio had spent the rest of the day touring the building of the organization they newly joined. Their tour guide gave a detailed explanation of where to go in order to place a trade request, and how to contact other members of their organization.

    There were meditation rooms, refining rooms, and all the other facilities you would expect of a sect, except they all required payment to use. However, Li Lang instantly recognized it was cheaper to rent the refining room here compared to the Alchemist Guild¡¯s. That was because The Orchid Covenant allowed members to rent out these facilities long term at superior rates.

    The deal benefited their organization by increasing the likelihood of the finished products being traded within their organization.

    There was even a repository with various cultivation techniques. Like everything else, it required Qi stones. However, most of it was, as the trio had suspected, demonic cultivation techniques.

    The most surprising thing the boys found in the facility was the restaurant and bars near the top floors. They had thought it to be weird to have these member-exclusive venues when there were so many alternatives just nearby, but they instantly realized their purpose when they were brought inside.

    It served as a social hub among members for news and trades. The establishments also served food and drinks created from heavenly resources that enriched one¡¯s cultivation, but the prices meant it wasn¡¯t a consideration for Li Lang¡¯s party in the foreseeable future.

    However, it was also at this social hub that they found something useful for them in the short term.

    ¡°Look at this, guys. There¡¯s a pocket realm opening up next year!¡± Long Yi exclaimed.

    By the stairway up to the restaurant, there was a wide bulletin board with various news and upcoming events posted along with trade offers. Long Yi inadvertently discovered the news from a flyer on it.

    It had detailed information on the pocket realm and how there were a limited amount of cultivators who could enter. The Orchid Covenant planned to auction off a portion of their quota while reserving the rest to serve as prizes for their upcoming youth tournament. That tournament was set to begin in six months in Emberglow City.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to outbid any of the adults with our finances, so our only chance is to sign up for the competitions if you want to go,¡± Li Lang replied as he continued to read the flyer.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s do it. If you want to gain combat experience and attain powerful techniques, a pocket realm is just what we need right?¡±

    ¡°What is even a pocket realm?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but ask.

 Chapter 60: Preparations

    ¡°What is even a pocket realm?¡± Li Lang curiously asked.

    ¡°What? You haven¡¯t heard of them? They¡¯re special spaces powerful cultivators create and often hold their valuables! They are also commonly created as a facility to train the younger generation of huge organizations, but the resources to do so are insane. It¡¯s a great opportunity for us to enter one! If it¡¯s restricted to Energy Gathering cultivators like it says, it must be a training realm. I heard you can often find treasures or powerful cultivation techniques in them if you pass the tests inside.¡± Long Yi rambled passionately.

    ¡°I see, so it¡¯s like a trial with plentiful rewards?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    Seeing the passion from Long Yi, their tour guide couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°This young man is correct. The Great Trial of Water Crest is a pocket realm that only opens once every ten years. You guys are in luck just for having the opportunity to secure a spot.¡±

    ¡°It says there that a tournament is being held in six months. Are there any other details about that?¡± Li Lang eagerly asked.

    ¡°Yes, this is our annual competition. It is free to enter with plentiful rewards. The only caveat is that there will be a large crowd of spectators, so sometimes people don¡¯t participate for fear of exposing their techniques,¡± the guide replied.

    It¡¯s free and attracts a large crowd? I¡¯m guessing the covenant organizes a gambling ring for it to profit or something¡­

    ¡°What about the format? Is it separated by age or cultivation realm?¡±

    ¡°The tournament is separated into the youth section and the adult section. Though in this case, the prize to enter the pocket realm is only for the youth division.¡±

    ¡°Youth tournament m-means all our o-opponents should be in the m-middle stages of Energy Gathering as well. We¡¯ll w-want to at l-least reach the f-fifth stage of Energy Gathering to h-have a good chance to g-get into the top sixteen f-for the prize.¡± Wei Ping added.

    Li Lang nodded grimly. He wasn¡¯t sure if there was enough time to catch up as that banked on the result of his new experiment. It had only been a day so far, so it was hard to tell. He was hoping their spiritual roots would continue to strengthen the more they cultivated, allowing them to speed up their cultivation in time.

    Based on their experience within Spirit Grove, most people under the age of fifteen were around the fifth or sixth stage of Energy Gathering. Only those who were especially talented broke past to the late stages of Energy Gathering at such a young age.

    However, they weren¡¯t sure what the standard was for demonic cultivators. Still, Li Lang thought it shouldn¡¯t be far off, as they had their own bottlenecks and issues as well.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too bad,¡± Long Yi said. ¡°Fights at our level are not just about cultivation, but the techniques and tactics used as well. You¡¯re right in having to make ample preparation, though¡­Can we go back to the repository room in the bazaar? I want to look for some Qi arts techniques.¡±

    ¡°I d-do too,¡± Wei Ping concurred.

    As someone with grade three aptitude, Long Yi had been able to break through the bottleneck between the third stage and the fourth stage of Energy Gathering with relative ease. Coupled with the Cleansing Drug, he was confident in reaching the fifth stage within half a year.

    However, Wei Ping was in another situation. Even with all the advantages afforded to him, it was hard to determine when one would break past these major bottlenecks.

    Once he did enter the middle stages of Energy Gathering, he would be able to learn Qi arts to produce much more complicated ranged attacks. It was something Li Lang had previously held off on after agreeing with Elder Cao¡¯s advice to hone the few skills he had first.

    With the new tournament on the horizon, he was also beginning to reconsider.

    ¡°Maybe another day.¡± Li Lang replied as he directed a look at Wei Ping. ¡°You haven¡¯t broken through yet, so it¡¯ll just be a distraction right now.¡±

    With that, the trio retired to the inn as the day approached its end.

    Filled with motivation that was backed by a tangible goal in mind, the three of them redoubled their efforts and settled on a routine.

    Li Lang continued to refine pills during the day and practiced cultivation techniques during all the other times. Long Yi was comfortably progressing a step at a time while Wei Ping¡¯s progress visibly stalled.

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    After a week, their initial momentum began to die down and even Li Lang began to have his doubts as he felt like he was falling behind. Refining pills was their main source of income, but it also meant he had less time to train.

    Combined with the fact that training in the same things over and over again made them doubt their progress.

    It was Wei Ping who managed to speak out against the situation first.

    ¡°We n-need to do s-something different. I doubt w-we can win the tournament b-by just training nonstop l-like this. We s-should head into t-the underground e-expanse to train against t-the Qi beasts there.¡±

    Both Long Yi and Li Lang were taken aback by his words not because they were shocking, but because their calmest member was the one to suggest the drastic change to their routine.

    ¡°I know you¡¯ve been struggling with your bottleneck, but are you really sure that is a wise choice?¡± Long Yi hesitantly asked. ¡°That¡¯s going out into the wild with all the demonic cultivators lurking around.¡±

    ¡°It s-should be fine as long a-as we don¡¯t s-stray too deep. I¡¯ve h-heard the Bloodwave Conclave u-upholds order around the a-area well.¡±

    ¡°I think¡­Wei Ping is right.¡± Li Lang added. ¡°Our spiritual root has shown signs of continuous improvement, so our main concern is combat experience. Real combat is the best way to hone techniques. We just need to prepare adequately for emergencies before heading out.¡±

    Throughout the week, the boys continued to use the Cleansing Drug to cultivate and were examined by the auto-analyzer on a daily basis. Their spiritual roots continued to strengthen, meaning they filtered out more toxins for the same amount of Qi they used to absorb. This allowed them to make more and more progress every day.

    ¡°L-let us fully p-prepare, then.¡± Wei Ping declared.

    Having decided on a new course of action, the trio wasted no time and began preparing for their adventure.

    They ventured onto the busy commercial streets of Emberglow City and first visited a talisman shop.

    ¡°The warding talisman had served me well, but we should look into a more powerful talisman if we can. We¡¯ll need something that will work against humans.¡± Li Lang explained as they entered the shop.

    The warding talisman he had been making use of ever since the beginning only worked against mindless Qi beasts. As for human cultivators, even if he had a talisman that worked against them, it would be hard to say if they would be so easily fooled.

    Foundation Establishment cultivators had truly stepped onto the path of cultivation and were no longer considered mortals. They could not only fly for a short duration, but their Qi senses were exponentially more powerful than Energy Gatherers. It was exactly because it proved so difficult to fool them that the three boys couldn¡¯t find any talismans for sale that would work against these experts.

    ¡°Maybe we should get an offensive or defensive talisman instead?¡± Long Yi muttered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll do much against a real Foundation Establishment cultivator who means us harm. Not unless we get a bunch of late-stage ones that are out of our budget,¡± Li Lang off-handedly replied as he continued browsing the dozens of talismans behind the counter.

    ¡°T-there¡¯s a c-concealment talisman here.¡± Wei Ping excitedly declared.

    The trio instantly honed in on the talisman in question and read its price and description. Their excitement quickly died down the more they read. Li Lang sighed after having completed reading the description.

    ¡°Only three minutes. I don¡¯t think we¡¯d have enough time to retreat to safety with so little time.¡±

    ¡°What if we c-combined it with this one here?¡± Wei Ping immediately pointed to another talisman that was two counters over, as if he memorized the placement of the store.

    ¡°That¡­could work.¡± Li Lang frowned before directing his attention to a nearby clerk. ¡°Excuse me, can I ask what the effective range of the concealment talisman is? Would it be able to hide an entire Skyrunner?¡±

    The attendant tilted their head and thought for a few seconds before replying.

    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ll likely need to use two concurrently to cover a large enough area for most Skyrunners.¡±

    Two¡­That¡¯s a whole fifty Qi stones combined. We may have to capture a Qi beast or two to recover from the cost if we go through with it¡­

    After fifteen minutes of discussion with his companions, Li Lang finally decided to buy the talismans in question, as they decided their safety was of the utmost priority. Even if they didn¡¯t end up using them, they could still resell the talismans.

    They finished up their purchase before heading to the adjacent store. The next thing they would need was weapons. Now that Li Lang and Long Yi were in the fourth stage of Energy Gathering, they could envelop weapons with their Qi.

    Before that, most mundane weapons wouldn¡¯t be worth using as they would easily break and be unable to express the power of their cultivation well. Unless they had access to at least a mortal-grade weapon artifact, it wasn¡¯t worth wielding a weapon.

    However, weapon artifacts were not something easily attainable. Artificers could only produce a limited amount of them every so often if they had the right materials. Often, only rich cultivators or those near the peak stage of Energy Gathering and above would have a mortal-grade artifact.

    That was why they were way out of Li Lang and his group¡¯s grasp. They would have to settle for a mundane weapon until they gained enough wealth or one of them learned the art of artifact crafting themselves.

    The next morning, after having completed their shopping, the trio set off out of the city for the first time since they had arrived. Instead of heading toward the surface, they arrived at the edge of the city, where there was a tunnel leading downward.

    The three boys stared curiously down the cold granite passage. Despite being underground, the entire path was adequately lit up by the glowing fungus on the walls.

    ¡°You guys got everything, right? Even if we only plan to go for half a day, you should still carry at least a few days¡¯ worth of rations.¡± Li Lang repeated the camping advice he had once heard to his peers.

    Seeing his two friends nod, the group departed from Emberglow City for the first time since their arrival.

 Chapter 61: Expansive Zone

    ¡°According to t-the maps from the M-Material Gatherer¡¯s guild, this is the closest p-path to the e-expansive zone we¡¯re heading to,¡± Wei Ping reminded, as the trio began walking up the tunnel away from Emberglow City.

    Long Yi didn¡¯t appear to be listening as he was busy studying the glowing fungus on the walls, so only Li Lang replied.

    ¡°If it¡¯s info from the Gatherer¡¯s guild, then what kind of materials can we expect to find there?¡±

    ¡°Umm, n-names that I¡¯ve n-never heard of. They are n-native to this u-underground environment, but that¡¯s t-to be expected since e-each expansive zone h-has its own e-ecological systems.¡±

    Li Lang took the notes from Wei Ping and skimmed through them before handing them back. As Wei Ping had said, he didn¡¯t recognize any of the names listed, which made him even more excited.

    ¡°You¡¯ve memorized their characteristics and their harvesting method, right?¡±

    ¡°O-of course!¡±

    Li Lang patted Wei Ping on the shoulder as they continued their journey.

    He would have liked to investigate the information of the new materials as well, but his time was already stretched thin with alchemy and his training.

    I will have to make do with the actual thing, then!

    The tunnel they traveled down occasionally dimmed as the glowing mushrooms didn¡¯t grow everywhere, but enough light was present for them to carry on. As they got closer to their destination, they soon heard some noise coming from the path up ahead.

    The three exchanged a quick glance before continuing on their way, but with their hands tightly gripping their newly bought weapons.

    Yesterday at the weapon store, they witnessed various artifacts for sale but ultimately decided on mundane weapons simply due to the issue of price. They couldn¡¯t afford to spend hundreds or even thousands of Qi stones on one weapon.

    Long Yi straightforwardly selected a sword that was most common among cultivators.

    Wei Ping selected something slightly different, a dagger that matched his smaller build. He did so because he was still in the third stage of Energy Gathering, where unarmed combat was the norm. The dagger was mainly for miscellaneous purposes, like gathering materials and cooking.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang immediately opted out of the traditional sword and decided on a spear instead. It was because he knew swords were the hardest to master among the weapons. Its versatility gave it a myriad of options, but increased the complexity at the same time. From the history books, he believed swords were more suitable as a symbol of status.

    Throughout history, the spear was the mainstay in war, as it was much cheaper to produce and the reach advantage it gave to its users couldn¡¯t be underestimated. It was also much easier to get started with, which made it the weapon of choice for most militaries. The time in which a conscript could be proficient with a spear was drastically faster than with a sword.

    With their weapons ready at hand, they soon spotted a pair of people walking straight toward them. That couldn¡¯t be helped, as there were only so many tunnels from Emberglow City to the surface. The expansive zone they were headed to was a distance away, since all the nearby zones were over-hunted or were too dangerous.

    The way the pair of strangers were walking on the ground reassured the three children that they were likely still in the Energy Gathering realm. Skyrunners were too bulky to be used in this particular tunnel, so few experts would choose this path.

    As Wei Ping was the one who had gathered all the information about these details, the group decided he would be in charge of communicating with others as well.

    The three of them continued at their current pace, following Wei Ping¡¯s lead as the other party did the same.

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    The pair of strangers soon came close enough to be identified as a man and a woman. The two were dressed in coarse robes and were carrying a bag full of wood on their backs. They nodded at Wei Ping¡¯s way before advancing past them.

    ¡°L-let¡¯s go. It¡¯s not l-likely anyone will try a-anything so close to the c-city,¡± Wei Ping reassured.

    Due to the tension from their first encounter, the trio quickened their pace and soon found the path going up and down. After some time, they finally reached the surface, and the sun shone brightly down on them.

    They found themselves deep in a ravine, sandwiched by two colossal cliffs that were bright orange.

    The group had decided to leave their Skyrunner behind for this expedition to draw less attention. Despite the inferior model they had, it was still a valuable possession that would put a target on them. It wasn¡¯t something they wanted to flaunt around in the wild as mere middle-stage Energy Gatherers.

    That meant they had to trek across the ravine for a full two hours before they found the cave entrance similar to the one they came out of from Emberglow City.

    The tunnel was lit by the same glowing mushrooms as before, and the incline was much steeper.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the ground to change from stone to dirt, and a tiny waterfall could be heard just outside the passage they came out of. If they didn¡¯t know any better, they would have thought they had come across a forest somehow despite being underground.

    ¡°So this is the expansive zone where Qi beasts like those Red Serpents and Stonesnouts live?¡± Long Yi muttered as he took in the scenery before him.

    ¡°They¡¯re the most common around here, but numerous other creatures exist too. It¡¯s a fully developed ecological system down here. And that¡¯s not counting on the fact that the Qi beasts from the neighboring expansive zones could roam here.¡±

    The expansive zones were wide areas with high ceilings that existed underground. Most of them were connected to each other through small tunnels like the one Li Lang¡¯s group had just traversed.

    The three boys began walking into the forest as they each paid careful attention to their surroundings. While Wei Ping and Long Yi were alert for threats, Li Lang was busy studying the new florals and trees around them.

    As a former biodefense researcher, he had seen numerous exotic plants from various planets. It was his job to protect humanity from the potential biological diseases of these exotic biomes. However, what he was curious about right now was their uses in alchemy.

    He was so absorbed in it that he stood completely still as he felt up the exterior of the unknown tree before him.

    ¡°Hey Li Lang, what are you doing?! We almost left you behind!¡± Long Yi¡¯s scream sounded out from the distance.

    Li Lang quickly waved him over.

    ¡°Hey, give me your sword real quick.¡±

    ¡°...Umm sure,¡± Long Yi instantly did as told. ¡°But why?¡±

    The response he got was Li Lang winding up the sword before he swung out with all his might at the tree before them. A dull thud resounded around them as the sword embedded itself into the tree. Before Long Yi could complain, Li Lang did it again.

    The sound of a piece of the bark fell on the ground and Long Yi could only stare on with wide eyes as he received his sword back.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Li Lang politely said as he pretended to shove the piece of wood into his robes before having Ruby take it in.

    ¡°Why did you do that? My new sword¡¯s already chipped!¡±

    ¡°Calm down and take a look. I properly enveloped my Qi into it. It shouldn¡¯t be damaged from just that.¡±

    As the two boys bantered with each other, they suddenly heard the crisp snap of something sharp ramming into a tree once more. It was followed by a shout from a familiar voice.

    ¡°G-guys! A little hand here?¡±

    They turned to find Wei Ping running back toward them, and not far behind him was a large boar that was struggling to free its tusk from the tree it got stuck in. The tusk began to give off a soft glow before the boar violently tugged to the side, breaking itself free.

    ¡°T-that¡¯s a Stonesnout. It should be equivalent t-to a fifth-stage Energy Gatherer in s-strength!¡±

    While the Qi beast was stronger than each of the three kids individually, the difference in strength within the Energy Gathering realm wasn¡¯t insurmountable. Combined with the fact that there were three of them against one, their chances were quite good, which was why they picked this expanse in the first place.

    With the Qi beast now free, it immediately reoriented itself to its prey, Wei Ping. It didn¡¯t hesitate to charge directly at him, causing the three boys to scatter in different directions.

    ¡°Do it like we planned. Don¡¯t hold anything back, we¡¯re not looking to capture any Qi beasts yet,¡± Li Lang shouted out.

    With each cultivator knowing their role, Wei Ping began leading the boar on a route that would soon intercept his allies¡¯ path.

    The mindless Qi beast only charged straight ahead when it was suddenly sandwiched by two puny kids. The weapons in their hands managed to cleanly pierce through its hide, causing the beast to let out a squeal.

    With the beast injured, they didn¡¯t proceed to finish it off but instead retreated. They opted to give their companion some combat experience by fighting one-on-one against it.

    ¡°It¡¯s all yours, Wei Ping. Don¡¯t screw this up!¡±

 Chapter 62: Stonesnout

    With the Stonesnout injured, its movements quickly declined.

    Wei Ping took this opportunity to stop running and charge back at the Qi beast.

    Despite having two gaping holes on its flanks, the Stonesnout attempted to charge at the prey foolish enough to challenge it. However, it didn¡¯t have the speed it thought it had, allowing Wei Ping to easily sidestep out of the way.

    In return, Wei Ping was able to unleash the technique he had been training during his time in Emberglow City. He brought his arm up to his shoulder before throwing out a palm. The palm strike was something he had learned from the repository in Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s bazaar and had a simple title of ¡®Force Palm¡¯.

    No matter how simple it may be, it was an effective martial art that allowed its user to utilize their cultivation into an offensive attack. It was one of the most common techniques taught for a reason.

    Wei Ping¡¯s palm landed directly on the boar¡¯s flank, right next to where its injury was. The force of the blow buckled the Qi beast¡¯s knees, allowing Wei Ping to follow up with another attack. This started a downward spiral for the Stonesnout, as it couldn¡¯t recover its balance.

    The boar soon succumbed to the barrage of palm strikes and fell on its side.

    ¡°T-that wasn¡¯t e-enough to stir me up. Maybe only o-one of you should injure t-the next one,¡± Wei Ping announced, as soon as he confirmed the Qi beast was no longer a threat.

    ¡°Sure, but first, let¡¯s skin this thing. It should be worth something, right?¡± Li Lang muttered as his gaze landed on Wei Ping. ¡°Come on, you bought that dagger for a reason.¡±

    While Li Lang wanted to take some of it into Ruby¡¯s artifact space, he believed this wouldn¡¯t be the last Stonesnout they would face.

    The group took some time dissecting their prey, skinning it, and butchering the edible parts. They then packed up all the perishable parts before they began moving again. Due to the fact that their activities had spilled a lot of blood. They didn¡¯t wait long before they found another Qi beast heading their way.

    Like before, they repeated the same strategy, where they would use their numbers and the mindlessness of the Qi beasts against them. Once their target was injured, they allowed Wei Ping to fight it, so he could gain combat experience and hopefully inspiration to break through from the third stage.

    Human beings were adaptable. It only took them three hunts before they got into their groove. Each time, Li Lang would discreetly let Ruby take away a portion of the prey as he stowed some of the spoils. It would be part of the hide, a tusk, and little by little, Ruby¡¯s database would gain more details about the new Qi beast they had encountered.

    On their seventh hunt, they found yet another Stonesnout.

    ¡°Same thing, let¡¯s go!¡± Li Lang cried out.

    The three boys split off in three directions at the oncoming Stonesnout. They knew this Qi beast, in particular, targeted the weakest prey it could find.

    However, as the boys ran, they quickly found something strange. The boar was slower than all the previous ones they fought. It was already limping.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­already injured. Wei Ping, go ahead!¡±

    The fight played out in a similar fashion to the previous bouts. Before long, they found another corpse of a Stonesnout in front of them.

    However, before they could begin to skin it, they heard heavy footsteps coming in the direction where the Qi beast had charged out from.

    The three quickly huddled together, placing their backs against each other.

    ¡°Is that its friend?¡± Long Yi muttered.

    ¡°No, it was injured. Maybe another Qi beast it was fighting with?¡±

    ¡°T-the wound didn¡¯t l-look like it w-was from a beast. I t-think it¡¯s from o-other humans.¡±

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    At Wei Ping¡¯s words, they were instantly alarmed. Still, they didn¡¯t have the time to escape as several figures came into view. They stilled when they spotted Li Lang¡¯s group, but they then boldly strode over in indignation.

    ¡°You boys! Are you stealing my prey?¡± The teenager at the forefront of the group charged over without hesitation.

    ¡°Young Master Bai, please calm down.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Young Master, please have some water first.¡±

    His companions tried to calm him down and pull him back but to no avail. Based on their clothing, the people trying to calm him were his fellow disciples. There was also a quiet middle-aged man in the back with bulging muscles.

    It was upon spotting that man that Li Lang¡¯s group was instantly taken aback.

    ¡°That guy should at least be at the peak of Energy Gathering if not past that, right¡­?¡± Long Yi whispered.

    Neither Li Lang nor Wei Ping bothered to respond because, if that were true, he could easily hear them, despite whispering. They wordlessly stood there as the young master reached them.

    The young master pointed a finger at Wei Ping¡¯s chest as he began to berate him.

    ¡°You, what do you think you¡¯re doing with that little knife? Trying to steal my prey, is it?¡±

    ¡°N-no, I d-didn¡¯t know it was y-yours. It c-came charging at us o-out of nowhere.¡±

    ¡°Are you courting death?¡± Young Master Bai clicked his tongue. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see my arrow wrapped around in red cloth to mark my prey? You ruined my hunt!¡±

    It was only then that Wei Ping and his friends spotted an arrow sticking out at the rear end of the Stonesnout. Previously, they had been too busy dealing with the monster to spot the injury.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Wei Ping quickly bowed.

    However, the young master didn¡¯t seem to care and raised his arm, ready to slap the young boy. Before Li Lang could spring into action, the middle-aged man finally spoke.

    ¡°Bai Yuchen, calm down. They already apologized.¡± The man¡¯s authoritative voice instantly froze the young master.

    He stood frozen for a brief moment before turning around and clasping his fist at the man.

    ¡°I apologize, Master Lei. Please forgive my immaturity.¡±

    ¡°Good. If there is any dissatisfaction, you must express it in the proper way.¡±

    Hearing the man¡¯s words, Bai Yuchen took a deep breath before turning to face Wei Ping once more.

    ¡°I feel deeply disrespected at having my prey stolen. My last name wouldn¡¯t be Bai anymore if I didn¡¯t address this grievance. Therefore, I challenge you to a duel!¡±

    ¡°What? Here and now?¡± Long Yi cried out even faster than the person being challenged.

    ¡°My friend here is right. This isn¡¯t an appropriate place to have a duel, not to even talk about the fact the difference in cultivation level between the two of you.¡± Li Lang added.

    It was after these words that the burly man finally faced the three kids before him for the first time since their encounter.

    ¡°Do not worry. I will stand guard while they duel.¡±

    The middle-aged man¡¯s aura was suddenly unleashed, covering the entire area around them.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Let us begin right away. Unless you don¡¯t dare. In that case, I might be willing to let you go if you just crawl between my legs and call me your grandfather.¡± Bai Yuchen took his protector¡¯s words as tacit support, instantly flaming his enthusiasm for the duel.

    While Li Lang and Long Yi both wanted to reject this duel somehow, the other party didn¡¯t seem receptive to taking no for an answer. With an expert who was at least in the Foundation Establishment realm on the other side, they couldn¡¯t act recklessly.

    LI Lang had one hand in his sleeves, prepared to unleash his trump card at any moment.

    Seeing how the two of his friends were troubled, Wei Ping stepped up behind them and slapped them both in the back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I accept the duel. I feel like this is a good opportunity.¡±

    With the consent of both parties involved in the duel, the deal was sealed.

    Both Li Lang and Long Yi wore an ugly expression seeing how things progressed. They weren¡¯t optimistic about how this duel would end. On their side was someone who had only started cultivating seriously recently, while the other party was a demonic cultivator of unknown origins. Even if Wei Ping gained the upper hand, they were unsure if the expert would intervene.

    I¡¯ll have to be prepared to use the talismans to get us out of here if anything goes wrong...

    While the two were fretting about their situation, the participants of the duel didn¡¯t delay the start of their fight. They stood several feet away from each other, with the burly expert at the center.

    ¡°The fight will be done unarmed and will go on until someone gives up or one party can no longer resist. While I would like to declare the start of the match immediately, you¡¯ll have to give me one moment.¡±

    The man suddenly drew the sword on his hips and ascended into the air. He unleashed a wide slash that sent a wave of Qi rushing down into the treeline. The attack easily sliced through the obstacles, resulting in several trees crashing down with a thud. Once the dust settled, they all drew their eyes to the bright red color that stood out from the scene. It was a neatly bissected body of a Red Serpent.

    The burly man took one last glance around before descending back down to his original position.

    ¡°Thank you for the wait. You may begin the duel now.¡±

    Will I be able to react in time to use my talismans¡­? Good luck, Wei Ping. Hopefully, these people don¡¯t mean us harm, and I won¡¯t have to use our trump cards.

 Chapter 63: Duel

    Right after the burly expert declared the start of the duel, Bai Yuchen immediately rushed forward eagerly.

    In contrast, Wei Ping moved to the side, attempting to circle around.

    Bai Yuchen only smirked at the pathetic attempt to delay the inevitable and adjusted his course. His entire body began glowing as a layer of Qi enveloped him. Just as everyone thought he would take advantage of his ability to cloak himself in Qi and finish closing the distance, he suddenly punched out.

    His fist hit only air, but a blast of Qi was instantly launched straight at the retreating Wei Ping. The short boy could only cross his arms to defend himself, as the attack had come too abruptly.

    The Qi attack sent Wei Ping flying, landing on his back several feet away from the point of contact.

    ¡°You can still kowtow and call me grandfather if you prefer. Otherwise, prepare for some pain.¡± Bai Yuchen taunted as he closed in to finish the fight.

    Wei Ping¡¯s two friends debated stepping in and admitting defeat on behalf of their companion, but before they could speak up, the middle-aged man directed a pointed stare their way.

    This gave Bai Yuchen the time to close the distance and complete his attack.

    As his fist punched downward toward the struggling Wei Ping, the impact kicked up a cloud of dust.

    ¡°What?!¡± Bai Yuchen¡¯s surprised voice could be heard, followed by a cry of pain.

    Wei Ping had managed to evade the attack at the last second, allowing the punch to land on the ground. Taking advantage of his opponent¡¯s assurance of his victory, Wei Ping executed a move he had once heard about.

    He swiftly got up beside his assailant and unleashed a kick with all his might, aimed right between the legs of Bai Yuchen.

    When the dust settled, the arrogant demonic cultivator was on the ground with both hands on his family jewels.

    Seeing the scene, the spectators had different reactions.

    Li Lang simply chuckled at having seen his friend replicate his own feat. Long Yi was struggling to contain his laughter. The burly expert simply shook his head in disappointment while the other disciples simply cried out in shock.

    ¡°The duel is over.¡± The burly man declared. ¡°Young Master Bai, I hope you have learned a valuable lesson from this. We elders always tell you to keep up your defenses for a reason. Underestimating your opponent is the height of foolishness.¡±

    The three boys nervously watched on as the expert went to pick up Bai Yuchen, who was still gasping for air. Thankfully, the older man didn¡¯t spare them a glance as they began to walk away and was soon followed by the other disciples.

    ¡°Encounters like these were why I didn¡¯t want to leave the city in the first place¡­¡± Long Yi muttered. ¡°We were at that demonic cultivator¡¯s mercy when we came out unprepared like this.¡±

    ¡°Running f-forever isn¡¯t a s-solution. We n-need to take r-risks sometimes. Besides, b-boss had prepared s-some talismans in c-case of emergencies.¡± Wei Ping retorted.

    ¡°...You both have a point. While I¡¯m more inclined to agree with the safer approach, there¡¯s a limit to how safe we play it. Hopefully, we don¡¯t have any more of these encounters, and if we do, then hope that the token that identifies us as part of The Orchid Covenant is enough to deter any malicious parties.¡± Li Lang added.

    He had been right in that their tokens were what made the cultivators they had come across not take things too far. What they didn¡¯t know was the exact reason. The tokens these organizations handed out could be tracked by senior members using secret techniques. This deterred many parties from scuffles when there wasn¡¯t anything important at stake.

    ¡°But I got to say, you did pretty well. That attack was amazing!¡± Long Yi slapped Wei Ping¡¯s back without restraint.

    ¡°I¡­I l-learned it from b-boss.¡±

    Seeing the gaze from Long Yi, Li Lang shrugged as he kept moving.

    ¡°Whatever works, works.¡±

    ¡°Still, we need to train a lot harder to come up with other methods of fighting if we want to go far enough in the tournament to earn a spot in the pocket realm. As effective as that¡­attack is, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll work after others have seen it being used. And not all cultivators are as careless as that last brat, directing all his Qi to attack.¡±

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    ¡°Directing all his Qi¡­While that may be foolish in the eyes of someone with talent like you, that actually might be something we should work on.¡± Li Lang said with a thoughtful look. ¡°Wei Ping and I can¡¯t output as much Qi quickly enough with our lower aptitude. I think it¡¯s because of our lower amount of spiritual roots, but that¡¯s a discussion for another time.¡±

    ¡°That may be true if you¡¯re simply fighting your foes head-on without any techniques. There¡¯s a reason why we¡¯ve been studying various techniques. They¡¯re better ways to break through an opponent¡¯s defenses rather than just focusing all your Qi.¡±

    If only I could test out all the different Qi arts and martial arts like I do with the pills and materials¡­Maybe I should try out some other measures of defense.

    The conversation between the three boys was quickly cut short as they encountered another Stonesnout. They were still out in the open of an expanse area, so they couldn¡¯t afford to let their guard down.

    They didn¡¯t hunt for that many more Qi beasts after the duel, as they wanted to ensure they were back in the city before night descended.

    The trio soon settled into a routine where they would venture out once every week while they spent all the other time in the city to tend to their training and other matters.

    Time flew by once they found their rhythm and soon, six months passed by quickly.

    During this time, Li Lang continued to monitor their continuous use of the Cleansing Drug. As he had hoped, they were incurring fewer and fewer toxins when they cultivated for the same duration. It made him feel confident that his hypothesis of their spiritual roots strengthened with extended use to be correct! The only caveat was that the increase was slow, but it added up.

    Besides the Cleansing Drug, Li Lang had also made use of the unique resources he found in his new place of residence. As Emberglow City was located underground, many types of minerals were available.

    One particular material he found made him perform a quick experiment on its effectiveness in this world. From the floral samples he had taken in expansive zones, he found a few that were rich in sulfur compounds. Combined with sulfur in the markets, he was able to produce some hydrogen sulfide.

    However, when he tested out the dangerous gas against Qi beasts, he found that they would instinctively protect themselves with a layer of Qi. He even attempted to test the hydrogen sulfide on himself and found he could flush it out of his systems by just coursing Qi through his body.

    After several more experiments, he found that Qi protected against many mundane poisons and quickly shelved the idea for later. He believed he would need materials imbued with Qi in order to bypass this defense.

    Directing his attention back to his cultivation and various techniques for the past half a year, it was finally time to show their results in the annual tournament held by The Orchid Covenant!

    This organization owned a stadium just for this purpose. They sold out the tickets to this event very quickly and many businesses began setting up their stalls in and out of the premises as if it was a festival.

    It was such a big event because it was one of the few that allowed anyone to spectate! While other official organizations would hold competitions for their disciples to keep them motivated, they wouldn¡¯t allow outsiders to watch. It was the norm, as it would allow others to study their techniques and leak too much to potential nefarious parties.

    The main reason The Orchid Covenant allowed this was because they didn¡¯t have a set of cultivation techniques they needed to keep secret. Each faction or clique within the organization practiced its own techniques, sharing nothing in common. Combined with the fact their tournament only allowed for cultivators in the Energy Gathering realm, they turned the tournament into a public spectacle!

    There were real benefits in doing so, as they also hosted the biggest gambling ring for the tournament. Not only did normal people bet on the event, but various members of every cultivator organization would often be seen betting as well.

    As large crowds of people gathered at the stadium, Li Lang and his friends had just arrived in the waiting room for contestants. There weren¡¯t only members of The Orchid Covenant here as the tournament was open to all. Normally, few members of other official cultivators attended, but numerous independent cultivators did.

    However, this year, The Orchid Covenant had the opportunity to enter the famed pocket realm, The Great Trial of Water Crest as a prize. Many junior members of other organizations who weren¡¯t confident in getting a quota in their own group even quit to join the event! This ballooned the number of independent cultivators participating.

    Besides former members of other organizations, the other independent cultivators were all a threat as well. Many didn¡¯t join organizations not because they were weak, but because they practiced strange techniques. They were unwilling to reveal their secret or simply had strange temperaments.

    Thankfully, Li Lang¡¯s group was participating in the youth section for people under the age of fifteen. The more eccentric cultivators were all older, and even if they had disciples, they wouldn¡¯t be likely to have inherited their strange quirks.

    ¡°The first round of the annual Orchid tournament will be beginning. Please, all line up at the entrance and be prepared to have your bone age examined.¡± A loud voice declared as if it came from a loudspeaker.

    ¡°It¡¯s starting¡­I¡¯m getting a little nervous when there are this many people,¡± Long Yi muttered.

    Wei Ping calmed and placed a hand on Long Yi¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°They s-should thin out a-after the first r-round.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°Running a t-tournament with t-this many people isn¡¯t e-easy. They¡¯d w-would want to e-eliminate as m-many as they c-can in the f-first round.¡±

    ¡°Either way, we¡¯ll all be aiming for the top sixteen. Let¡¯s go,¡± Li Lang urged forth.

    They soon made it onto a flat field in the middle of the stadium. It was much larger than anything Li Lang had seen in his previous life. The spectators¡¯ stands were so tall and at such a sharp angle that it almost appeared to defy physics. However, Li Lang knew better than to believe in the rules of his old world with the wonders of cultivation present in this one. He knew that skilled Formation Masters were master architects who could easily create structures like these.

    ¡°First round, all of you will enter into the artifact space of Grand Elder Meng¡¯s famed Ethereal Cauldron!¡±

    Artifact space? ¡­Just like Ruby?!

 Chapter 64: Inside the Artifact

    ¡°Did they say Grand Elder Meng¡¯s artifact? Isn¡¯t that a peak Saint-grade artifact? I can¡¯t believe The Orchid Covenant is willing to use such a treasure just to host the first round of the tournament!¡±

    ¡°It truly is unbelievable! A Saint-grade artifact isn¡¯t something every Violet Core cultivator would own, not to talk about one at the peak of the grade!¡±

    ¡°It has been worth it to travel all the way to Emberglow City to experience this famed artifact firsthand!¡±

    The crowd¡¯s chattering quickly died down as the announcer spoke out once more.

    ¡°For those who don¡¯t know, everything within the Ethereal Cauldron¡¯s artifact space is under the control of our Grand Elder Meng. He will be kindly monitoring the situation within and relaying it to us, the spectators. If someone dies within the artifact space or if the Grand Elder has judged you can no longer continue, they will be simply transported outside, so fight to your heart¡¯s content, contestants!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s try to stick together. We have too much riding on this to drop out in the first round.¡± Li Lang muttered to his companions.

    It wasn¡¯t only because they valued winning the tournament that he made such a comment. It was because they had also placed bets on themselves prior to entering the competition! Li Lang¡¯s funds had barely increased throughout his stay in Emberglow, which was why he bet over half his remaining fortune on the three of them passing the first round.

    The Cleansing Drug they took every day to aid in cultivation balanced out all the income Li Lang had earned from refining pills. While what they already had was considered a decent sum for a mortal to retire on, it was meager if they wanted to procure powerful artifacts or purchase cultivation resources of a higher grade.

    Money made the world go round, and few people ever complained they had too much of it.

    ¡°Of course. You two stick close to me. I¡¯ll take on anyone who dares challenge us.¡± Long Yi said as he thumped his chest.

    Over the six months, they had each grown by leaps and bounds, especially Long Yi¡¯s figure. Perhaps because of the fast progress he made in cultivation or simply because he had an early growth spurt, the young boy was now over six feet!

    It made Li Lang and Wei Ping¡¯s growth pale in comparison, but if they could compare to their past selves, they would surely notice the difference. Li Lang in particular looked a little more normal, as his body caught up slightly with the size of his head. While Wei Ping was still considered small for his age, he was no longer as skinny as before.

    The trio soon moved through the orderly line and the Grand Elder¡¯s cauldron soon came into view. It towered over everyone and could easily fit dozens of people within it, but under the control of the Grand Elder, anyone who drew near it vanished into thin air.

    Seeing the scene, Li Lang adjusted his hat that had Ruby sewn into it.

    ¡°Ruby, is it okay for you to be with me as we enter into another artifact¡¯s space?¡±

    ¡°I¡­think so, master. I feel as if this cauldron is much weaker than me, but my instincts are telling me it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°What? This cauldron is a Saint-grade artifact! If it¡¯s much weaker than you¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course, master. While I don¡¯t have most of my memories, I still know that I have existed for eons. No average artifact could accomplish that!¡± The childish voice proudly declared.

    One didn¡¯t need to physically see Ruby to tell they had a smug look on their face.

    Seeing how it was okay to enter, Li Lang no longer hesitated. The line moved fast. With hundreds of people already having entered the cauldron¡¯s artifact space, Li Lang¡¯s group soon followed.

    The trio made sure to be holding onto each other¡¯s sleeves as they entered, but it proved to be unnecessary. They arrived inside a grand hall where all the other competitors gathered. The entire hall was made of golden material, including the pillars. The scene dazzled many of the young competitors.

    However, what stood out the most were the giant stone tablets that surrounded the room. On the tablet was the word ¡®Wait¡¯ inscribed on it.

    Most of the participants took that as the instruction, but some had other ideas.

    They believed the tournament had already begun and opted to launch a sneak attack on their competitors. However, when they attempted to do so, their body would suddenly glow brightly before they began to float into the air against their will.

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    They would hover helplessly, which became a reminder to everyone in the room not to act hastily. This only lasted until the last participants entered into the artifact space.

    As soon as that happened, all the people who had been floating were dropped, and the words on the tablets all changed in unison. The word for wait disappeared, replaced with several lines of text.

    ¡°Hunt the Qi beasts outside these halls for their seals. Return them to this hall to score points. The top half will proceed to the next round.¡±

    Having read the tablet, several quick-witted participants quickly left the grand hall. As the rest noticed, the entire room soon descended into a struggle to get out.

    However, Li Lang¡¯s group was still unmoved.

    ¡°Come on, what are we waiting here for?¡± Long Yi complained.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time limit declared, and the announcer outside said to survive. I don¡¯t think a minute or two would cost us much. Let¡¯s wait and see how others act first.¡± Li Lang replied as he put a hand on his chin.

    ¡°I a-agree.¡±

    ¡°If you guys think so¡­But if there turns out to be a hidden time limit, we¡¯ll be behind everyone else!¡±

    ¡°Calm down. Even if there was a time limit, it shouldn¡¯t be short enough that a minute or two will matter. With the organizers also hosting the gambling rings, they¡¯d want to give a show to the spectators, so they can set the odds and appeal to the gamblers.¡±

    ¡°...I didn¡¯t think about that.¡±

    ¡°Knowing people¡¯s motivation helps with everything in life, whether it is coming to an understanding with others or wanting to defeat your opponent in a fight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like an old man again.¡± Long Yi quipped.

    Li Lang shook his head as he surveyed the halls to see if anyone else was sitting back like they were. It turned out he had expected too much from a group of such young people when he found no one else. That was until he suddenly heard the sound of snoring.

    He turned to the corner of the room and found a young man with silver hair napping away on the ground.

    ¡°There¡­seems to be someone taking this easier than us¡­¡± Li Lang muttered as he shook his head.

    When Long Yi caught sight of the same person, he instantly burst into laughter.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s not get too relaxed. Come on, the exit is clearing up.¡±

    He then sauntered over to the exit, where the struggle to get out was coming to an end.

    The three soon exited the grand golden hall to come out into a luscious forest on a sunny day. It appeared normal except for the fact that all the greenery wasn¡¯t green but blue. The grand hall they exited out of was also enclosed within a yellow barrier, encompassing the stretch of open land around it.

    They could immediately hear the sounds of fighting from every direction as the other disciples hunted the Qi beasts on the other side of the barrier in the forest. However, if one listened closely, one could hear that the ones on the winning side were the Qi beasts more often than not.

    Li Lang¡¯s party quickly ran to the nearest fight to take a look. The trio quickly found a lone boy locked in a struggle with some type of bear-type Qi beast. While the boy was on the losing end, it didn¡¯t seem the fight would be settled any time soon.

    The trio didn¡¯t stop there, as there were still numerous disciples in the midst of fighting. They observed the others and passed by them one by one.

    Like this, they came across a dozen different encounters.

    ¡°Seems like all the overeager contestants challenged the Qi beasts alone and are being eliminated or bogged down into long fights.¡± Li Lang voiced his conclusion.

    ¡°The ones who were smart enough to distance themselves from the main pack are grouping together as well.¡±

    ¡°W-we should s-strike those who are s-struggling with their battles.¡±

    ¡°That¡­is quite bold of you, Wei Ping, but I agree. It isn¡¯t against any rules mentioned and is the best course of action. We¡¯ll have to do it somewhere others won¡¯t see, though. We don¡¯t want others meddling in our plans or cause pandemonium when all the contestants begin to fight amongst ourselves, after seeing our idea,¡± Li Lang replied.

    With their course of action settled, the three swiftly made their way to the nearest fight, which happened to be the one furthest away from others among the contestants they had witnessed.

    The trio silently sneaked up to the fight where two boys wearing similar white robes were battling a Qi beast by the name of Gale Ursula. One of them was desperately trying to hold the Qi beast¡¯s attention while the other occasionally unleashed attacks from its flanks.

    Just as the flanker managed to slip through another opening to stab out with a thrust, a strong gust of wind pushed him back as the bear stood on its hind legs and roared.

    The trio waited patiently for the fight to further progress. They didn¡¯t have to wait long as the duo began to get impatient and started to prepare for a decisive attack.

    ¡°Brother Diao, give me ten seconds!¡± The flanker announced.

    He then ran behind a tree and stood still as he gathered his Qi. Just as he foretold, after ten seconds, he unleashed a slash with all his might. As a result, a wave of fire rapidly closed the distance towards the Qi beast. The bear noticed it immediately and let out another roar, but the wave of fire managed to bypass the wind pressure, landing a direct hit on the beast¡¯s head.

    The flame continued burning the face of the Qi beast and the bear began to yell out in pain. However, the cultivator responsible for the attack appeared haggard after using his attack.

    It was at this moment that Li Lang¡¯s party decided to act.

    They swiftly split off, with Wei Ping going to attack the exhausted cultivator, while Long Yi headed straight for the Qi beast. This left Li Lang to deal with the man who had been distracting the Gale Ursula.

    He instantly jumped out from behind the cover of the tree line and unleashed his well-practiced Skysoar Kick from directly behind the clueless cultivator!

 Chapter 65: Kill Stealing

    After months of training, Li Lang¡¯s various martial arts techniques had improved drastically and could not be compared to before.

    Li Lang¡¯s Skysoar Kick landed squarely on the back of the other contestant who had been caught off guard. Even with his Qi protecting him, the kick instantly caused the young man to fall face-first into the ground. Before the victim could make out what had happened, Li Lang placed his new spear right against the back of his opponent¡¯s head.

    If someone was paying careful attention, they could notice Li Lang¡¯s breathing was uneven despite not having expended much stamina. He quickly surveyed his surroundings after having successfully carried out his ambush.

    He glanced up in time to see Wei Ping atop the cultivator, who had been exhausted after employing a powerful Qi art. His mask-wearing ally didn¡¯t hesitate to plunge his dagger into the neck of the man below him. Instantly, the victim was enveloped in a bright white light and vanished in the blink of an eye.

    Meanwhile, Long Yi had already finished off the Qi beast with his opening attack. It wasn¡¯t surprising considering Long Yi had made great strides in his cultivation throughout this half a year.

    Unlike Wei Ping or Li Lang, Long Yi had grade three aptitude. He was also afforded the same advantage as them, making ample use of Cleansing Drugs to further accelerate his progress. All this meant he had already broken into the fifth stage of the Energy Gathering realm two months ago.

    As for Wei Ping, he had broken through to the fourth stage shortly after his duel with Bai Yuchen, the young master they had encountered out in the underground expanse zone they had ventured into. The fight had served as inspiration for him, allowing him to break past his bottleneck after digesting the gains he made in the duel.

    Unlike his two companions, Li Lang didn¡¯t manage to make a breakthrough yet during this half a year. He was extremely close, just on the brink of it. It didn¡¯t mean he was lazy, but simply because every cultivation level was exponentially harder than the one before.

    Normally, a regular disciple with grade two aptitude would take two years on average to break through from the fourth stage to the fifth stage. The fact that Li Lang, who had grade one aptitude, had almost done it in half a year would shock the whole cultivation world if it became known. They would definitely suspect him of having a chance encounter or made use of a rare heavenly resource for him to make such progress despite his aptitude.

    All three of them were already deviants for their quick progress. It could be said that their progress matched even the once-in-a-generation geniuses of the average sect.

    With both Wei Ping and Long Yi having finished off their target, they turned to Li Lang with a questioning look.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Hurry up and finish him off. They won¡¯t really die and will be just teleported away,¡± Long Yi reminded.

    ¡°I thought rendering someone immovable to the point where they can¡¯t resist would mean the Grand Elder would also teleport them out¡­I¡¯m just testing it out.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s reply had been said without confidence. That was because he was actually struggling with finishing off his opponent. Despite knowing they wouldn¡¯t die, it was still hard for Li Lang to go through with murder using a melee weapon.

    It may have been different if he was using a ranged weapon where it was easier to disassociate with the violence, but stabbing someone produced a vivid sensation.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped that Li Lang struggled with this. Despite having memories of being an adult, he had lived in a world far away from any conflict and strife. He had never even considered murdering another person with his own hands. He was a scientist who stayed cooped up in his lab and not a soldier.

    Thankfully, Li Lang didn¡¯t have to continue struggling with his indecision.

    As if having heard Li Lang¡¯s words, the cultivator at his feet suddenly shone with white light before disappearing.

    Still¡­ this is quite a weakness I have. I¡¯ll have to work on it if I want to survive in this world. I doubt I¡¯m strong enough to hold back when the time comes that my life is in danger and running isn¡¯t an option.

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    ¡°...I guess you¡¯re right. That works too.¡± Long Yi muttered.

    ¡°Anyway, did you get the seal after killing the Qi beast?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ The beast turned into dust when it died and some of it was absorbed into my hand here and became a mark.¡± Long Yi held up his hand where there was now a circular mark on the back of his hand.

    ¡°I t-think that m-means we only g-get a seal for l-landing the killing blow. We¡¯ll h-have to be mindful of t-that since we a-are working as a team.¡± Wei Ping declared.

    Once the three young men reviewed how their ambush went, they quickly set off for the next. Despite having eliminated some competitors, they still needed seals themselves.

    Following the sound of fighting, it didn¡¯t take them long until they came across another fight. It was between two cultivators and a Giant Serpent. The two cultivators surrounded the giant serpent that was as thick as the nearby trees. They took turns inflicting blows when the snake¡¯s attention was directed at their partner, but they seemed to be holding back, as their attacks were too weak to deal a fatal blow.

    ¡°Those two should both be in the fifth stage of Energy Gathering. Why are they holding back so much?¡± Li Lang voiced his question as he crouched by the tree line.

    ¡°Who cares? It should be as easy as the last ambush. Let¡¯s get this over.¡± Long Yi retorted.

    Just as he was about to step out, Wei Ping quickly held back his companion.

    ¡°Let¡¯s w-wait and see, first.¡±

    Turning to find Li Lang agreeing as well, Long Yi could only shake his head as he crouched back down.

    Thanks to their cautiousness, the trio soon discovered the reason for the tepid fighting.

    ¡°Huang Dao, are you seriously going to fight me for this prey? We are both wasting our time and allowing our other competitors to get ahead.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Liang Nian. This was my prey in the first place. There¡¯s no way I would yield it to you! Besides, no one said it¡¯s against the rules to hinder other contestants!¡±

    Seeing the scene, Li Lang¡¯s group exchanged awkward glances.

    ¡±I expected the others to catch on soon about fighting each other, but these two are something else.¡±

    ¡°I t-think we can a-act now¡­¡±

    The trio quickly sprang into action after seeing everything to be seen. They rotated out who would be responsible for the Qi beast this time and made short work of their opponents. It was almost too easy to finish someone off when they were caught off-guard, but none of them felt ashamed about their method.

    It was a tournament, so if the organizers didn¡¯t intend for this to happen, they would¡¯ve made some rules against it beforehand.

    This time, Li Lang had time to adjust mentally to the ordeal and was able to successfully thrust out his spear in the opening attack. His hand had trembled, but it was already a huge improvement from his previous hesitation. The fact he had witnessed the contestants being teleported out instead of actually dying had helped a lot.

    When his opponent disappeared from his blow, a trail of glittering dust replaced them and sailed through the air, heading straight toward Li Lang. It quickly came into contact with his hand, and he soon found a circular mark similar to the one Long Yi had.

    So you can take the seals from others too¡­

    Like this, the trio continued to ambush others who were in the midst of fighting.

    By the time they encountered their fifth group, they had witnessed a completely different kind of scene from before. Instead of cultivators battling against Qi beasts, their fifth encounter completely consisted of human parties. Two groups of five were fighting against each other, totaling ten people between them.

    ¡°So the others have caught on. Let¡¯s return to the grand hall to bank our seals for now. It¡¯s not a good idea being so close to the battlefield when the fighting ramps up.¡± Li Lang immediately suggested.

    ¡°Return to the hall? Wouldn¡¯t there be even more people there?¡± Long Yi cried out.

    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯d be allowed to fight within the grand hall. Otherwise, we could just stay in there forever and ambush others as they finish hunting the Qi beasts. Wouldn¡¯t make for a very exciting show for the audience, would it? The entire area inside the barrier should be a safe zone.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes¡­It¡¯d be b-better than heading further i-into the forest like e-everyone else is thinking. We c-can rest in the grand hall w-while others fight e-each other,¡± Wei Ping added.

    The trio swiftly navigated through the forest back toward the giant yellow barrier that could be seen from the distance. The sounds of fighting grew quieter, as the battles had died down and people began to keep a low profile in fear of being targeted.

    Just when the trio caught sight of the resplendent golden building, Long Yi suddenly tackled the other two to the ground.

    By the time they landed, a deafening explosion rang out right where they were heading. Immediately following the explosion, three figures darted out from the treeline from different directions and surrounded the trio.

    Li Lang had just gotten up in time to make eye contact with one of his assailants. It was a familiar face, but it took him a moment to recall the name.

    ¡°You¡­I¡¯ve seen you before.¡±

 Chapter 66: Targeted

    ¡°You¡­¡± Li Lang stared at one of the men who ambushed him. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before at the headquarters!¡±

    Over the course of six months that Li Lang had stayed in Emberglow City, he would head to The Orchid Covenant¡¯s headquarters daily as an alternative to the Alchemist Guild. Their refining rooms were cheaper to rent, and they had the same materials for sale to their members. Their prices were even better than the Alchemist Guild¡¯s. It was all to encourage trade within their organization.

    Of course, with perfect attendance, the people in The Orchid Covenant had begun to recognize the strange young man with an adult-sized head. However, the reverse wasn¡¯t true as Li Lang was too self-absorbed in his own matters to connect with anyone else. He simply refined his daily quota and rushed back to cultivate the new skills they learned from the Bloodwave Conclave. Still, he was able to memorize a few faces he constantly saw, and the boy in front of him was one of them.

    ¡°You know them, Li Lang?¡± Long Yi furrowed his brows as he cautiously watched the men who had surrounded them.

    ¡°No, not really. I¡¯ve just seen him around when I went to refine pills. I think I overheard his name was¡­ Shu¡­something.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Sheng Haoran! Is your large head only for show?¡± the young man cried.

    ¡°Yes, Sheng Haoran. I take it you guys won¡¯t give us a free pass despite being from the same organization?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t blame us, but someone seems to have a grudge against you. They promised us plenty of remunerations if we take you out.¡±

    ¡°Someone?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already said too much. If you want to learn more, then beat us first!¡±

    At Sheng Haoran¡¯s words, his two other companions instantly unleashed the attack they had been preparing while they were conversing. They both let out a Qi art of entirely different properties. One unleashed a flurry of Qi attacks while the other erected stone walls around them to prevent escape.

    The combination attack spoke volumes about their teamwork. That didn¡¯t even take into account their cultivation, which was in the fifth stage of Energy Gathering.

    The trio immediately scattered as they dove to dodge the attacks.

    ¡°Run to the main building, we can¡¯t be wasting our strength for this fight!¡± Li Lang screamed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run now. Let us exchange some moves first.¡±

    With those words, Sheng Haoran joined the attack, thrusting out his sword multiple times to send out various Qi art attacks in the form of thrusts.

    ¡°You guys head on first! I¡¯ll hold them back!¡± Long Yi dramatically yelled out as he prepared to face the attacks.

    Both Li Lang and Wei Ping were dumbfounded at the sudden ¡®heroics¡¯ of their friend.

    ¡°Shut up and get over here already!¡± Li Lang yelled as he swiftly pulled Long Yi along by his collar.

    Meanwhile, Sheng Haoran grinned at the disorganized antics of his targets. He looked forward to his attacks landing, scoring himself a nice payday.

    However, the scene before him was suddenly obscured as a large cloud of smoke covered the surroundings.

    ¡°What the?¡±

    ¡°Senior Sheng, we can¡¯t see through this smoke. We should regroup first!¡± a voice yelled out from within the haze.

    It took a brief moment for Sheng Haoran to decide what to do, and that hesitancy would cost him.

    ¡°No, rush in and engage them. We¡¯re stronger in a free-for-all and we can¡¯t give them a chance to run!¡±

    Sheng Haoran dashed into the smoke, searching for his prey. He tried to predict the path Li Lang¡¯s group would take to escape to the grand hall. With their objective apparent, it was easy to predict their route.

    As luck would have it, he soon spotted a figure dashing through the smoke.

    ¡°Running are you? Wait for me!¡± He yelled out gleefully.

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    He unleashed several Qi art attacks to block their path as he closed the distance. As soon as he was within range, he didn¡¯t hesitate to lunge out.

    He got close enough to make out the shock on the big-headed boy¡¯s face and grinned at the scene before slashing his sword at him. The blade effortlessly sliced through the Li Lang.

    However, it had been too effortless. There was no resistance and no feeling of cutting into anything at all.

    It took a moment for the image of Li Lang to crumple to the ground, but it then vanished. It dissipated into the smoke unlike how a normal competitor would when they were eliminated. It was seeing this scene that Sheng Haoran realized he had been duped.

    ¡°Run to the grand hall, hurry! They used a decoy talisman combined with a smokescreen talisman to run from us!¡±

    By the time Sheng Haoran¡¯s group began to rush toward the grand hall, it had been too late. Their moment of hesitation when the smokescreen appeared allowed ample time for Li Lang¡¯s group to run straight to the grand hall under the cover of their concealing talisman.

    The moment they stepped out of the tree line and through the barrier, Li Lang let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°We barely made it, but¡­those talismans weren¡¯t cheap.¡± Li Lang then turned to Long Yi. ¡°In the first place, you should¡¯ve remembered our trump card! What was that earlier? Trying to be the hero? That¡¯s way too reckless of you, even if you can¡¯t die in here.¡±

    ¡°I¡­kind of¡­for¡ª.No, I was just surprised you even used them in this tournament. Weren¡¯t the talismans for real emergencies only?¡± Long Yi quipped.

    ¡°...Financial loss is fine when the rewards outweigh it. You heard how this pocket realm only opens once every ten years. We won¡¯t get a chance again if we lose.¡±

    Just as the two were starting to relax, Wei Ping picked this moment to pull on both their sleeves.

    ¡°L-look, they¡¯re r-right behind us.¡±

    They instantly turned to where they had just came in from and spotted three figures emerging from the tree line.

    ¡°Tsk, you got lucky this time.¡± Sheng Haoran spat before turning back into the forest.

    ¡°What are they doing? Aren¡¯t they targeting us, so shouldn¡¯t they be waiting for us to come out?¡± Long Yi asked with a bewildered expression.

    ¡°They¡¯re not stupid either. Their main goal should be the pocket realm, too. We¡¯re just an extra side trophy. Seeing how they were waiting around the grand hall, they must not have hunted any seals at all. They are going back to take seals from other participants.¡±

    Shaking his head at the figure of their retreating assailants, Li Lang began making his way back into the grand hall.

    He found it entirely empty¡ªuntil he spotted the same white-haired young man from before he left, snoring away, completely unmoved from his previous position.

    There wasn¡¯t time to investigate further as the mark on the back of their hands began to glow when they stepped into the building. The three watched in wonder as the circular mark unraveled itself, becoming a trail of glittering dust once again, heading straight into one of the tablets surrounding the room.

    It caused the words on the tablet to light up as the words began to change. In an instant, there were extra lines of words on it, showcasing their names and scores.

    Li Lang - 27 Points

    Wei Ping - 25 Points

    Long Yi - 31 Points

    ¡°Hmm, we all scored different points despite slaying two Qi beasts each¡­¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°It m-must mean each Qi b-beast is scored d-differently. Probably b-based on their strength.¡±

    ¡°So how long until we head out again?¡± Long Yi asked as he stretched his back.

    ¡°Just when everyone else is starting to return. They¡¯d be on their guard against attacks, and be less likely to chase after us then. Plus, that Shu something guy will be busy with all the people coming in to deal with us.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan, so I guess we should wait outside, then?¡±

    Seeing his companions nodding, Long Yi was the first to step out of the building. He quickly found an open spot with a good vantage point of the surroundings and plopped himself on the ground.

    Having prepared for the long haul, Wei Ping passed out some water and dried rations to his companions as they rested. Time passed quickly as they ate and chatted amongst themselves, and soon, the sound of fighting could be heard in the distance.

    The Trio got up and prepared to set out when they suddenly heard the door to the grand hall opening. They turned to find the young man, with disheveled silver hair, walking out with a yawn.

    He stretched out his body, pointing both palms to the sky before finally surveying his surroundings as he scratched his stomach with one hand.

    ¡°Is it time for everyone else to return, yet?¡± He spoke out loud to himself.

    A moment later, a loud metallic sound of swords clashing rang out, as if to answer the man¡¯s question. It was followed by a figure rapidly sailing through the air, not slowing down for a second. It quickly passed through the barrier around the grand hall and headed straight to the young man with silver hair.

    It almost clipped him, as it sailed past him with less than an inch between, but the man remained unfazed. The figure then only stopped when it slammed into the building.

    As the dust settled, everyone present could see a white light surrounding the person who had been sent flying. It swiftly faded as the victim was teleported out of the artifact space.

    The man with white hair barely spared a glance at the person who had almost crashed into him as his eyes were locked straight ahead toward the area outside the barrier. Someone with particularly good eyesight may be able to see a humanoid figure with claws for hands and a tail fending off a dozen different cultivators.

    ¡°I guess that answers my questions. But still¡­It seems like someone is experiencing cultivation deviation¡­¡± The white-haired man let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a pain, but I guess I¡¯ll deal with it.¡±

 Chapter 67: Liang Po

    On the outskirts of the grand hall, many contestants of The Orchid Covenant¡¯s annual tournament were currently rushing back to deposit the seals they had hunted from Qi beasts.

    The young demonic cultivators found the first round had changed drastically every few moments. From the beginning, they all rushed to hunt Qi beasts, but sometime after, the contestants found out they could rob others, which made them battle against each other instead. Then, the winners of these battles all hurried to deposit their gains in the grand hall to prevent becoming a juicy target.

    However, what they didn¡¯t expect was one of the participants suddenly suffered from cultivation deviation.

    ¡°Senior Ma, snap out of it! Don¡¯t you remember our master¡¯s teachings? You can¡¯t let the animalistic urges win out!¡± a boy yelled out toward his senior brother, who was panting heavily while kneeling, and both hands nursing his head.

    Despite his junior¡¯s attempts at calling out to him, the cultivator suddenly jumped up and let out a primal roar. Its intensity was so fierce that all the other nearby contestants reflexively covered their ears and wore pained expressions.

    It had been too late for Ma Zhongtian. Demonic cultivation always came with risks. The Fierce Beast Codex that he practiced allowed relatively easier progression by absorbing any quadrupedal Qi beast¡¯s essence. In exchange for more flexibility on the type of beasts it could absorb, the practitioner was more prone to the animalistic urges of their prey.

    Just as the sound relented, the culprit who unleashed the roar abruptly dashed forward on all fours. He easily knocked aside his junior brother, heading straight for the other contestants, who were still dazed.

    His first prey, a young girl, was completely caught off guard and could only make out the shadow of a tiger-like figure before claws came down on her. She instantly disappeared, replaced by white lights.

    All the contestants weren¡¯t stupid and quickly recognized the situation after having heard the roar. That was why shortly after Ma Zhongtian had claimed his first victim, the nearby cultivators swiftly gathered together for safety.

    Cultivation deviation may have caused the cultivator to lose their mind, but it also made them gain abnormal strength. It was only when half a dozen competitors joined together that they were able to hold their ground against the frenzied beast.

    ¡°We can¡¯t keep this up for much longer! The moment our formation falters, we¡¯re all going to get eliminated by this idiot! How come the elders aren¡¯t making a move yet? This clearly isn¡¯t part of the competition.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet and focus! We¡¯re almost at the barrier. I think it should repel this guy now that he resembles a beast more than a human!¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡­I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m running out of Qi,¡± one of the boys weakly cried out.

    The group all felt their heart lurch out at the news. They turned in time to find their companion faltering behind, and the beast-like deviator lunged at the opening. Just as the remaining cultivators each plotted for their own safety, a lazy yawn resounded throughout their vicinity.

    In an instant, a figure dashed by them with remarkable speed, arriving right between the faltering contestants and the man suffering from cultivation deviation, Ma Zhongtian. As if sensing the threat coming from the sudden appearance of the white-haired boy, even Ma Zhongtian, who had lost his mind, abandoned his charge and regarded the new opponent carefully.

    ¡°Deviation from practicing a quadrupedal technique of some sort? That won¡¯t do. Those methods are ill-suited for someone eager to make quick progress.¡±

    As the white-haired boy leisurely spoke, the entire scene suddenly came to a standstill as he stared down his fellow competitor, who had an animalistic glint in his eyes. Neither side moved, and the spectators finally had time to take in the sudden development.

    ¡°Is that Liang Po from the Myriad Bones Pavilion?¡±

    ¡°If he¡¯s here, then we¡¯re saved. We can leave the rest to him.¡±

    The group of six quietly began to slip away from the scene. As soon as they moved, so did Liang Po.

    He charged at Ma Zhongtian, who reacted by doing the same. The beast-like cultivator lunged forward at his prey, but his movements stilled the moment Liang Po held up his sword. Having lost his mind, he couldn¡¯t pull any tricks as he was swiftly cut down while immobilized.

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    By the time the deviator had landed on all fours, he was already surrounded by white light and swiftly disappeared as he got teleported out of the artifact.

    Not stopping there, Liang Po dashed across the treeline and materialized right in the fleeing group¡¯s path. They awkwardly shared glances, as they were surprised at the abrupt appearance.

    ¡°Umm, Senior Liang. Thank you for your assistance.¡± the previous boy, who had been saved, bowed politely.

    ¡°No need to thank me.¡± Liang Po shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re all competitors here.¡±

    It only took a split second for the group to realize what Liang Po had meant. The dawn of realization instantly turned into fear.

    Liang Po didn¡¯t bother elaborating further before he swung down his sword. Just like before, the moment he raised his sword, his targets froze, and could only be slaughtered like lambs. Liang Po didn¡¯t rest there. After he was done eliminating his competition, he ran off into the distance toward his next prey.

    <hr>

    Back inside the barrier around the grand hall, cries could be occasionally heard.

    Li Lang¡¯s group glanced anxiously around until they spotted a group successfully entering the barrier and immediately collapsing on the ground.

    ¡°We¡­made it!¡±

    They smiled and laughed as they caught their breath.

    ¡°Damn that Liang Po. Can¡¯t believe he¡¯s just eliminating everyone trying to return. How is it fair that he¡¯s in the competition too?¡±

    ¡°...It can¡¯t be helped. He meets every criterion to be here. There¡¯s no rule against contestants who have comprehended a way or law.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you normally wouldn¡¯t expect anyone in the Energy Gathering realm to have comprehended them already!¡±

    Soon, more people returned, as not even Liang Po could block off all the contestants.

    Li Lang¡¯s group gathered off on the edge of the barrier.

    ¡°Who knew that guy we saw earlier ended up being so dangerous?¡± Long Yi muttered.

    ¡°Everyone i-is waiting f-for him to return b-before they dare to head o-out again.¡± Wei Ping added.

    ¡°Let us wait as well. No point standing out from the crowd.¡±

    However, contrary to everyone¡¯s expectations, an announcement reached the ears of everyone within the artifact space.

    ¡°Half of you have been eliminated. We will now be ending the first round.¡±

    Immediately after, everyone found their vision obscured by white smoke, and in an instant, they found themselves standing in the middle of the stadium once again. They all gawked up at the audience, who were in the uproar up in the stands.

    It was only when an authoritative voice rang out that the venue began to quiet down.

    ¡°The second round will begin shortly! Each contestant will now be fighting a Qi beast for the second round, and the results will be based on how fast you are able to vanquish the beast.¡±

    Some gasps and complaining could be heard, as several contestants complained about jumping straight into the second round. However, Li Lang was dissatisfied with how fast the next round was proceeding for another reason.

    All my energy has been restored to peak condition¡­no¡­what happened inside that artifact wasn¡¯t real, so we hadn¡¯t actually expended anything! But how come my talisman was still consumed? Those cost a fortune! Too bad I can¡¯t place another bet since there¡¯s no downtime for us contestants.

    With one hundred and twenty-eight contestants left, the center ring was swiftly cleared, as groups of cultivators dragged cages into the arena. While this happened, the spectators all sprinted toward the nearby gambling stations to place the new bets.

    The staff knew what they were doing and created a sense of urgency for them to place bets quickly, but also allowed enough time for all of them to have the opportunity to do so. Time passed by very quickly as the audience returned to their seats.

    An expert then hovered right above the ring and formed several hand signs, causing the ground beneath it to let out a bright light. The elevated ring disappeared and was replaced by eight smaller arenas.

    Eight names were called and Li Lang watched each one step up to their respective stage. It seemed like all eight of them would be simultaneously undergoing the second round, but everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the boy with white hair.

    The cages were soon opened beside each arena, and the staff dragged their respective beast onto the stage by the collar.

    On Liang Po¡¯s stage, there was a giant ape-like Qi beast.

    A cultivator flew up to Liang Po and spoke a few words to him before he loudly yelled out to his companions to free the beast. The white-haired boy examined the beast with a smile, but didn¡¯t make a move. However, the ape wasn¡¯t so polite and quickly charged towards him.

    As everyone expected, Liang Po only had to swing his sword once before the ape was felled. After he was done, he even sat down in the lotus position and began cultivating.

    ¡°Liang Po, two breaths of time!¡±

    ¡°Interesting. The moment he held up his sword, the Qi beast¡¯s movement stiffened. And I wonder what type of demonic cultivation technique he employs,¡± Li Lang muttered to his companions.

    ¡°Do you have time to be worried about that? If we face that guy in the next round, you know we¡¯re done for, right?¡± Long Yi nervously said.

    ¡°We s-should be w-worried about this r-round first. Look, they¡¯re c-calling for y-you, Long Yi.¡±

    At Wei Ping¡¯s reminder, Long Yi glanced back over to the arena where Liang Po had just completed his fight. The referee there was holding up a sign with Long Yi¡¯s name on it.

    ¡°Next, Long Yi! Please hurry over!¡±

 Chapter 68: All-Out Attacks

    ¡°Xu Jiao, Twenty-two breaths of time!¡±

    After Liang Po¡¯s powerful display of vanquishing a Qi beast, more and more competitors soon completed their fight after him.

    Neither Wei Ping nor Li Lang was worried about Long Yi¡¯s match, so they scouted out their other prospective opponents. When they just happened to glance over at a ring, they caught sight of a familiar name.

    ¡°Next, Bai Yuchen. Please hurry over!¡±

    Li Lang immediately looked over at Wei Ping.

    ¡°Bai Yuchen, isn¡¯t that the guy you dueled half a year ago?¡±

    They both glanced over at the ring and watched a young man sauntering up the stage before Wei Ping nodded.

    ¡°Yes¡­That s-should be him.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, does that mean the person who got Sheng Haoran to target us in the first round is him?¡±

    ¡°M-most likely¡­¡±

    The two stared over at the ring in silence, carefully watching the fight between Bai Yuchen and a stag-like Qi beast.

    Whenever the beast charged at the young boy, Bai Yuchen would swiftly disappear just a moment before contact, as if he could teleport. He would then slash out at the beast from its flank, but couldn¡¯t land a decisive strike. He had to repeat this same tactic several times before finally wearing down the Qi beast.

    ¡°Bai Yuchen, twenty-seven breaths!¡±

    As fate would have it, the next person to be called to the same stage was Wei Ping. It was almost impossible for that to escape Bai Yuchen¡¯s notice as he made his way down the arena.

    Inevitably, the two boys reunited just at the bottom of the stairs up to the arena.

    ¡°You again! I¡¯m surprised you managed to get so far in this tournament. Did you employ every dirty trick in the book to have come so far?¡± the young boy taunted.

    ¡°Bai Yuchen, d-did you g-get others to target us?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. Those underhanded methods you speak of sound more like your thing.¡±

    The two stared at each other for a few moments before another voice called out to them.

    ¡°Wei Ping? Hurry on up here!¡± The referee called out as he peeked down at them from above.

    ¡°Well, good luck. You¡¯ll need it.¡±

    Bai Yuchen flung his sleeve as he took his exit while Wei Ping ignored him and went up the stage.

    It didn¡¯t take long before a boar-type Qi beast was unleashed as Wei Ping¡¯s opponent. A similar scene replayed itself as the new competitor also nimbly sidestepped from the boar¡¯s charge before striking the flanks, or so everyone thought, but Wei Ping simply kept up his guard and let the beast charge past him.

    On the next charge, Wei Ping almost failed his dodge, and a tusk tore a hole through the front of his robes.

    It was only on the third attack that Wei Ping finally counterattacked. However, he employed an attack that made all the nearby spectators gasp in fear for him.

    He dared to concentrate every last bit of Qi into the tip of his blade when he was up against a real enemy that was out for his life. The empowered dagger smoothly embedded itself into the neck of the boar before Wei Ping twisted it, causing a torrent of blood to gush out. The fight was quick and efficient.

    ¡°Wei Ping, fifteen breaths!¡±

    Having secured his victory, he glanced over to where Bai Yuchen was standing and nodded at him before returning to where Li Lang and Long Yi were.

    ¡°Good job. Looks like our training paid off.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Wei Ping glanced over at the six-foot giant. ¡°You finished, too?¡±

    ¡°Yep, I got it done in twelve breaths. Beat you by three breaths!¡± Long Yi gloated.

    ¡°It would seem all the Qi beasts they make us fight are all at the fourth stage, so it stands to reason that you would have an easier time than Wei Ping.¡±

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    The trio didn¡¯t get to converse for long, as it was Li Lang¡¯s turn next.

    Now that Li Lang had grown a little more, his large head didn¡¯t draw as much attention. However, everyone soon turned to him when they heard his results.

    Li Lang¡¯s fight turned out shockingly similar to Wei Ping¡¯s, where he dodged the first few attacks, before thrusting out his spear that was empowered by all of his Qi. It was enough to end the fight in one blow.

    ¡°Li Lang, eleven breaths!¡±

    Many may have missed it, but his friends for sure didn¡¯t. They watched him perfectly execute the all-out attack they had been training after a splendid dodge.

    As both Li Lang and Wei Ping had fewer spiritual roots than others due to their aptitude, the amount of Qi they could unleash in an instant was less than others. It didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t exert the same strength, but they needed more time to build up the power. However, that was fatal in a fight that could be decided in milliseconds.

    That was why the two had been training in a risky technique to observe their opponent before unleashing a risky all-out attack that ignored all defense. To most cultivators, this was a suicidal move to be employed only when one was forced into a corner.

    Li Lang had naturally arrived at this conclusion, as it was a simple solution to their woes. If their overall Qi was less, they just needed to overpower their opponent at the point of contact.

    It was also a good training method to control Qi.

    Over the past half a year, Li Lang studied how the middle stage of the Energy Gathering realm worked. He believed the reason one needed to master Qi control before breaking through to it was because it was how one broke past their bodily limits.

    Once one reached the peak of the third stage, their body had already stuffed as much Qi as it could with the maximum force it could exert. However, when one trained Qi control, one also increased the maximum force one could exert on Qi, allowing more of it to be jammed into the body.

    ¡°Good job.¡± Long Yi said upon Li Lang¡¯s return. ¡°You beat me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only this easy since we¡¯re going up against mindless Qi beasts. It¡¯s going to be hard for me and Wei Ping to perform well if we fight the other competitors.¡±

    As if the organizers had heard Li Lang¡¯s words, the announcer soon spoke out once again.

    ¡°The second round is over. Those whose names we will be announcing will be moving on to the third round that will take place tomorrow. Liang Po, Tong¡­¡±

    ¡°It seems like the third round really will be one-on-one fights¡­¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the classic format to attract gamblers. Them delaying the third round to tomorrow means they want more time for people to place bets and build up excitement.¡±

    As Li Lang expected, after announcing the names of those who qualified for the next round, they declared that one-on-one fights would be the third and final round.

    The three soon exited the stadium, along with the other contestants. They didn¡¯t return to their inn, but instead followed Li Lang to a stall just outside. They joined the long line for the lone stall there and waited over half an hour until it was their turn.

    ¡°Here to redeem my bet.¡± Li Lang placed a slip of paper down.

    The clerk didn¡¯t bother to look up and just grabbed it and marked off the entry in his notebook before calling out to his companions. He only looked up when he handed over a bag full of Qi stones.

    ¡°Here¡ªwait! You¡¯re that contestant, Li Lang!¡±

    Li Lang glanced around awkwardly at having been recognized now. The people in the line began to murmur about him.

    ¡°...That¡¯s right. There shouldn¡¯t be a rule on betting on yourself, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, there isn¡¯t. I was just surprised.¡±

    ¡°Good, then can I place a bet on myself for tomorrow again?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, of course. We are currently only doing bets on who will make it to the top sixteen. The bets for the next round won¡¯t start until tomorrow when the matchups are announced.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Let me place a bet on myself again, this time to make it into the top sixteen.¡±

    ¡°...Are you sure? You may face your companions here.¡± He glanced over at Wei Ping and Long Yi on the side. ¡°Since it is obvious you guys are acquainted, we will simply refund your bet if you end up facing them. We won¡¯t return the processing fee, though.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, then split the money evenly into three. We will each bet on ourselves.¡± Li Lang tossed the bag of Qi stones back on the table.

    ¡°...Okay.¡±

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, in the distant city of Night Shade, a lively and innocent-looking girl was currently kneeling before an old man in black robes.

    ¡°Sima Xue, you will be leading our disciples into the pocket realm this time. I want all of them to survive. Is that understood?¡±

    ¡°But Master, that would mean I will have to use up my precious cultivation time to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I made myself clear. With your talent, this small distraction shouldn¡¯t affect you, much less be your downfall, correct?¡±

    ¡°...Of course. Your disciple has received your order,¡± Sima Xue managed to squeeze it through her gritted teeth.

    As soon as she spat out those words, she darted out of the main hall. She turned the corner and rapidly collided with a man, but they both managed to keep their balance despite the impact.

    ¡°...Sima Xue, are you throwing a tantrum again? How many times have Master and I told you not to run around like that?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, if Senior Brother Jian wanted to dodge me, you could¡¯ve done it with ease. I should be the one complaining why. You stood in my path on purpose!¡±

    ¡°That is because you are being so rude in Master¡¯s presence again! I thought after your mission this time, you would grow up, but I was obviously mistaken. I guess I won¡¯t be treating you to any more tofu pudding, then.¡±

    ¡°What? No! You can¡¯t threaten me like this! I won¡¯t be able to have anything like it for years once I enter the pocket realm! Please, senior brother. You wouldn¡¯t bully me like this, would you?¡±

    Jian Beiyun could only sigh at the sight of his junior¡¯s sudden change in demeanor.

 Chapter 69: Long Yiâ€™s Qi Art

    The second day of the annual tournament hosted by The Orchid Covenant quickly commenced.

    The stadium that could hold tens of thousands of people was swiftly filled and all sixty-four remaining contestants were summoned to the center field. They were surrounded by the same arena platforms they had fought on the previous day.

    ¡°We will now be drawing the brackets for the third and final stage of the tournament. As many of you may have guessed, the final round will be single-elimination duels! Contestants, come with me!¡± an Elder announced as he floated in the skies above the contestants.

    The elder descended onto one of the elevated platforms. At the wave of his hand, a circular wooden cup appeared tightly packed with the lots to be drawn.

    The contestants, one by one, made their way up the platform, at the eyes of the entire stadium. Once everyone was in place, the elder spoke out once more.

    ¡°Time to draw the lots. We will go in the order of who had the fastest time in the previous round.¡± The man¡¯s gaze naturally wandered toward the white-haired boy. ¡°Lian Po, you¡¯re up first.¡±

    The boy in question had his eyes closed and only opened them upon hearing his name. He took a moment to regain his bearings before sauntering up to the elder. He casually picked out a lot from the cup and placed it on the table without bothering to even look at it before stepping back.

    The elder didn¡¯t seem to mind and simply scribbled down the number Liang Po had drawn on a piece of paper.

    ¡°Next!¡±

    Some took a moment to pray that they wouldn¡¯t draw a bad lot, while some carefully inspected the lots before making a decision. When they took too long, the elder would unleash a sliver of his aura to urge them, and it worked surprisingly well.

    It was soon Li Lang¡¯s turn, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to draw his lot right away. After noting the number forty-two, he returned to his companions.

    ¡°I got forty-two, but we have no idea what the others got. So there¡¯s no point in hesitating and just pick one,¡± Li Lang advised.

    ¡°U-understood.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    Some other contestants had overhead Li Lang¡¯s words, and their fellow competitors quickened their pace. The process moved smoothly and quickly and soon all the lots were drawn.

    The elder wordlessly flew into the skies again and crunched up the piece of paper detailing the tournament bracket. He then threw it onto the ground below him and formed several hand signs. A circle with delicate markings appeared, surrounding the piece of paper before the earth began to tremble.

    A giant stone slab quickly rose from the ground, reaching up to the height of the entire stadium. Inscribed on the slab were exactly the tournament brackets.

    ¡°The first match will start at noon. Do not squander your time; use it to make your preparations.¡±

    The elder then flew away, and the crowd descended into an uproar as they all raced to view the brackets with more eagerness than the contestants themselves.

    ¡°This valuable time to prepare is more like for them to rake in the bets,¡± Long Yi grumbled. ¡°Why can¡¯t this thing start already?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no harm in having some time to prepare. It¡¯ll allow us to check out our opponent and come up with a strategy,¡± Li Lang answered with a wry smile.

    They glanced up and carefully examined the brackets.

    The sixty-four participants were divided into two blocks. All the competitors soon found their names. Some cheered, while some looked downright crestfallen.

    As for Li Lang¡¯s group, they all smiled at the fact that none of them would be facing each other for the next two rounds. That was because the reward for a chance to enter The Great Trial of Water Crest pocket realm only required them to place in the top sixteen!

    ¡°Do any of you know anything about your opponents?¡± Li Lang glanced over at his companions.

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    They exchanged a glance between themselves before both shaking their heads.

    ¡°...In that case, we should go out to the gambling stall and ask around. Be sure to cover your faces, too.¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­ but about your matchups.¡± Long Yi glanced back awkwardly at the brackets on the giant stone slab. ¡°Liang Po is one thing, since you can just forfeit in the third round, but you¡¯ll have to defeat Bai Yuchen. He¡¯s already seen that¡­ ¡¯surprise¡¯ attack of yours, thanks to Wei Ping. Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay?¡±

    ¡°That was why we trained so hard these past six months. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Seeing Li Lang unmoved, the trio proceeded to make their way toward the front of the stadium to investigate their opponents.

    There were many people racing to place their bets. The entire crowd was filled with chatter about whom to place bets on and information for notable participants. Despite the large gathering, Wei Ping expertly spotted the knowledgeable insider who had been paying attention throughout the tournament.

    With Wei Ping in the lead, they soon got the information they wanted out of him after paying a small fee.

    The crowds came and went quickly, and soon, noon arrived.

    ¡°Let the first matches begin!¡±

    Some names were called forth to each of the eight stages and the single-elimination tournament went on its way.

    For the first matches, only Long Yi was called up while Wei Ping and Li Lang spectated.

    The tall boy with a youthful face stepped up onto the platform where his opponent and a young man awaited.

    ¡°Long Yi vs Wu Meng. The rules are simple. Fight until either party gives up or can no longer continue. If I judge that an attack may cause permanent harm, I will be stepping in, so fight to your heart¡¯s content.¡±

    Both Long Yi and his opponent nodded at the young man¡¯s word and the fight soon began. They both immediately drew their sword and took their stances.

    They cautiously regarded each other as they were both in the fifth stage of Energy Gathering.

    Unlike Wei Ping and Li Lang, Long Yi had no need to learn their risky tricks in order to overcome his opponents. He only needed to hone his technique and fight his enemies head-on. With his talent and experience in fighting, Long Yi spent half a year honing one Qi art.

    At the advice of his companions to focus himself on this one technique, his confidence in it was unshakeable. He had already felt attuned to the Qi art the moment he glanced over at the title of it during his trip to the Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s bazaar. Perhaps it might have been the fact that it was a technique that originated from the orthodox sects, but either way, Long Yi was glad to have chanced upon it.

    It was with this move that Long Yi confidently unleashed the opening attack.

    He swung out his sword horizontally toward his opponents. His blade shone with a dull light from the beginning and sent out a ranged attack of stone, but in the shape of a crescent moon.

    His opponent, Wu Meng, was immediately taken aback at the attack, but managed to parry the Qi art, albeit it pushed him several steps back.

    ¡°Look at that arena over there! Someone just used an Elemental Qi art!¡±

    ¡°What? At their cultivation level? That¡¯s quite impressive to be able to use it in combat!¡±

    ¡°What technique did he even use?¡±

    While the crowd was discussing the rare attack among middle-stage Energy Gatherers, Wei Ping couldn¡¯t help but smile proudly at his companion¡¯s display.

    ¡°B-boss, that Long Yi s-should be a f-formidable opponent for t-those who are seeing his a-attack for the first time!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a given. That Terra Moon Slash he practices has applications that can easily surprise opponents that do not have the ability to protect their entire body.¡±

    They both turned back in the fight, where it became a match of offense and defense. Long Yi continued to unleash his Terra Moon Slashes at his opponent, while Wu Meng parried it all as he closed the distance.

    Wu Meng had cleverly focused most of his Qi on his blade as he approached Long Yi. He was in no rush and steadily advanced. That was because offensive Qi arts were known to have high expenditure, so the more Long Yi exhausted himself, the more advantageous it would be for him.

    The spectators, who had all been drawn to the sight of a novel Qi art, began to sigh in disappointment at the display.

    ¡°He¡¯s just recklessly using the Qi art without a plan and exhausting himself.¡±

    ¡°This Long Yi is too wet behind his ears. What utterly poor application of that technique.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe one with such a good physique would resort to using a fighting style where he keeps his distance. What a coward!¡±

    However, just as Meng Wu made it halfway and was deliberating on whether he should dash forward to close the remaining distance, Long Yi wound up for a powerful strike.

    ¡°Oh, it seems like you don¡¯t want me so close. Come on, let¡¯s see if that full-powered attack of yours will be able to stop me!¡± Meng Wu proudly taunted.

    He swiftly focused even more Qi onto his sword in preparation for the attack. Long Yi repeated his attack once more and Meng Wu grinned at how telegraphed it was. The two cultivators didn¡¯t hesitate to clash head to head. Long Yi released his charged-up Qi slash while Meng Wu prepared himself to receive it by holding up his sword in the attack¡¯s trajectory.

    To all the spectators¡¯ surprise, their confrontation ended with the referee stepping in front of Meng Wu and back handing Long Yi¡¯s crescent slash away.

    ¡°Winner, Long Yi!¡±

    The declaration was shocking to many, but most of all, to Meng Wu.

    ¡°What?! You must be mistaken, referee. I had that!¡±

 Chapter 70: Li Langâ€™s Qi Art

    ¡°What?! You must be mistaken, referee. I had that!¡± Meng Wu complained to the referee, with a wronged expression.

    The young man glanced back at Meng Wu and shook his head.

    ¡°No, you would¡¯ve definitely gotten seriously injured just now if I didn¡¯t intervene.¡± He then gave Long Yi an appreciative nod. ¡°This young man has managed to truly make that technique his. It is apparent he didn¡¯t just follow a cultivation manual and has explored new possibilities.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Wasn¡¯t that just a more powerful version of the Qi attack that he had been employing throughout the match? Just that extra power he put into it wouldn¡¯t have beaten me!¡±

    The referee surveyed their surroundings and found the spectators in the stands all dissatisfied as well, so he made sure his next words were well projected.

    ¡°No, that last attack was entirely different. It may have looked like one cohesive strike, like all the other ones, but he managed to separate his attack into multiple parts. If you tried to block that with your sword, it would¡¯ve only blocked a tiny section of it. The rest would¡¯ve gone around your sword and severely injured you.¡±

    While the referee loudly explained the technique, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but sigh upon seeing his friend¡¯s trick being exposed to everyone.

    ¡°Well¡­the more observant people already realized, but did he really have to reveal the trick like that? Now his future contestants know what to watch out for. The surprise factor is entirely out now.¡±

    ¡°H¨Che does have to p-pacify the crowd.¡±

    The referee didn¡¯t dwell on the technique Long Yi used for long, as he knew he had already spoken too much. He quickly urged the two contestants to exit the stage and called out to the next participants.

    Like that, the trio were reunited, and they collectively spectated the other matches together. Particularly, they kept a close watch on Bai Yuchen. The man had lost a duel against Wei Ping six months ago due to his overconfidence, so the trio was still wary of him.

    The same trick was unlikely to work again and Li Lang would be in for a hard match if he made it through the first round.

    The saving grace was that the participants in this tournament were all around the same cultivation. While demonic cultivation allowed one to progress, disregarding aptitude, it still took time. It also had its disadvantages with the techniques affecting the mind, taking a toll on the body, and being resource-intensive. The most talented disciples from rich organizations wouldn¡¯t be participating in such a public event. Coupled with the fact the youth section was for those fifteen and under, all the participants were in the middle stage of Energy Gathering.

    It was one of the main reasons the trio felt confident about their chances of entering the top sixteen. Both of the opponents Wei Ping and Li Lang were facing in the first round were also in the fourth stage, and they had been practicing regularly against Long Yi, who was in the fifth stage.

    The eight ongoing fights all went by at varying paces, and before everyone knew it, it was Li Lang¡¯s turn.

    ¡°Li Lang, we meet again. Hopefully, you don¡¯t run away this time,¡± the boy immediately taunted as soon as they took the stage.

    ¡°Have we met¡­?¡± Li Lang scratched his cheeks as he dug through his memories. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re one of the people accompanying that Shu guy in the artifact space!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Senior Sheng Haoran for you! And I am Lu Weizi, the one who will defeat you. Remember it!¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t bother to respond as he watched the referee approach them.

    ¡°Enough talking. You both know the rules. Get in your position. Let the fight begin!¡±

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    The match suddenly started for the two young cultivators and Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate. He charged to close the distance while his opponent immediately sent out several Qi attacks from range.

    ¡°I know your tricks! I dare you to concentrate all your Qi away from your defense.¡± Lu Weizi said as he kept up his unrelenting assault.

    It had long been exposed that Li Lang won his previous match against a Qi beast by focusing all his Qi on an all-out attack. Lu Weizi knew that was the most threatening move his opponent had. That was why his plan was to keep him at bay with ranged attacks, so he couldn¡¯t afford to use an all-out attack.

    However, Li Lang hadn¡¯t been only working on his Qi control throughout the last six months. The trio had all rented new techniques at the Bloodwave Conclave bazaar and honed them to the best of their abilities throughout this time. Li Lang was no different, and he had selected a Qi art as well. It was hard to resist the allure of gaining a new way to utilize Qi now that he was in the middle stages of Energy Gathering.

    Contrary to what most young cultivators chose though, Li Lang did not select an offensive Qi art. Instead, he picked a utility skill that was similar to what he had once encountered.

    While dodging and parrying his opponent¡¯s attack, Li Lang began to channel his Qi as he had done in practice. The Qi gathered within him and, on reflex; he began to let his Qi flow according to the cultivation manual he had read.

    When he first practiced Qi arts, he found they were divided into two major categories. Elemental and non-elemental. When he tried to investigate Long Yi¡¯s Terra Moon Slash out of curiosity, he was surprised to find that his knowledge of the elements did not help him with the technique whatsoever.

    The elemental techniques required some understanding of their element. That understanding wasn¡¯t scientific knowledge, but to feel that element and bond with it. It was something akin to muscle memory that had to be built over time, which was why Li Lang gave up dabbling in several techniques at once.

    He picked a Qi art that was primarily of the fire element because he believed increasing his fire affinity could assist him in his alchemy as well.

    It only took him two seconds to finish invoking his new technique. Torrents of smoke began to emanate from Li Lang¡¯s palms, and it quickly consumed a good portion of the arena he was fighting in.

    ¡°Look over there! That entire arena is engulfed in smoke!¡±

    ¡°Interesting. A young cultivator actually practiced a utility technique instead of flashy attacks.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything¡­What¡¯s so good about it?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Fighting isn¡¯t just about who has the stronger move. There are many factors to it, and this smoke is like adding another variable. With the practitioner prepared to employ it, his opponent is now fighting in an unfavorable environment. Look, he¡¯s caught so off guard he¡¯s stopped sending out Qi attacks.¡±

    The smoke inevitably drew a lot of attention from all the spectators. The powerful and experienced cultivators among the crowd were able to employ various means to see through it, but Lu Weizi didn¡¯t have such capabilities.

    He quickly found himself consumed by the smoke, severely limiting his vision. He even began sweating, as he knew an all-out attack could be coming at any moment from any direction.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang was completely unaffected by this smoke. The creator of the Veiling Shroud Qi art wasn¡¯t stupid enough to not account for its practitioner suffering from the very thing it produced. In fact, the smoke was like a part of Li Lang, where he could feel everything within it, including the referee.

    Once he made sure his opponent had stopped attacking, Li Lang instantly capitalized on that. He was in the dark while Lu Weizi was in the light. That meant he had a huge advantage, being able to choose when to strike.

    Li Lang lurked around his opponent and thrust out his spear in a probing strike.

    Lu Weizi reacted violently to the attack. He instantly gathered all of his Qi to defend against the strike, as he thought Li Lang had done the same. When Lu Weizi realized how weak the attack was, he became agitated and wanted to retaliate. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t get a chance as Li Lang melded back into the cover of the smoke.

    The cycle repeated itself as Li Lang continued to harass his opponent, while Lu Weizi could only utilize all his Qi in fear of an all-out attack.

    The experienced spectators all let out a sigh at the scene.

    ¡°It¡¯s over. He¡¯s just being played around with by now.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. This Lu Weizi is truly too green, but this should be a valuable lesson for him. A cultivator needs to be flexible and be prepared for all types of situations. Only children solely focus on offensive techniques.¡±

    As the audience had suspected, Lu Weizi soon tired himself out as he expended his reserve of Qi. Sensing his sluggish movements, Li Lang intensified his attacks until he finally unleashed an all-out attack to finish his foe off.

    ¡°Winner, Li Lang!¡±

    Good, one more match.

    By the time he descended from the stage, he found his two companions staring off against Bai Yuchen.

    And here¡¯s my next opponent¡­

 Chapter 71: Martial Intent

    By the time Li Lang made it back to his companions, they were still in the midst of arguing with Bai Yuchen.

    ¡°Count yourself lucky you won¡¯t have to face me for your next match, shorty. I¡¯ll show you those despicable tricks you employ won¡¯t get you far in life! Though, I guess you are already ashamed of yourself if you¡¯re always wearing that mask,¡± he spat out toward Wei Ping.

    In response, Long Yi stepped forward and pointed a finger at his face.

    ¡°Are you sure you should be barking so loud without your bodyguard covering for you? He won¡¯t be here to bring you back home this time, you know?¡±

    ¡°The ones who should be worrying are you guys! Let me hear it. Which one of the unfortunate masters within The Orchid Covenant had taken you guys in?¡±

    ¡°Unlike you, we don¡¯t need a powerful expert to watch over our backs.¡±

    ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t even have a master? You guys are more worthless than I had thought. No wonder you employed such barbaric tactics the last time. Someone will need to discipline you people, and I¡¯ll gladly take on that role.¡±

    Li Lang quietly arrived at the scene and whispered toward Wei Ping instead of getting involved.

    ¡°Is it almost your turn yet?¡±

    ¡°N-no, I a-already fought while y-you were gone. I fought an i-inexperienced opponent and e-ended it quickly,¡± Wei Ping whispered back.

    ¡°Oh, good for you, then. So how did you guys end up arguing with Bai Yuchen here?¡±

    ¡°Long Yi s-spotted him strolling o-over here t-to spectate you a-and moved to block h-his way.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The two watched Bai Yuchen and Long Yi argue for a while longer before they decided to watch the other fights instead, as it was more interesting.

    Numerous displays of martial arts and Qi arts were taking place, opening their eyes to new possibilities and the mastery level of each practitioner.

    After several more minutes, the two that had been arguing finally noticed Li Lang¡¯s return.

    ¡°You!¡± he yelled while pointing at Li Lang. ¡°You better not get scared and forfeit now. You¡¯ll be the first I¡¯ll be teaching a lesson to.¡±

    Li Lang simply smiled and nodded back before turning his gaze back to the other competitors. He was too absorbed in studying how others fought to be bothered with unproductive arguments.

    ¡°Hey, you! I¡¯m talking to you! How dare you ignore someone from the Bai Clan¡ª¡±

    Before Bai Yuchen could finish, the entire stadium burst out into cheering. Everyone¡¯s attention was soon drawn to one of the stages where a white-haired boy was.

    ¡°Go, Liang Po! Beat him in a single move, please! I¡¯ve got my entire fortune riding on you!¡±

    ¡°Feng Xu, you better last at least five breaths of time, or I¡¯ll haunt you for life!¡±

    The crowd descended into an uproar as they were all excited for the match to come. Some were excited to witness a genuine good fight, while others worried about the massive sums of money they had bet. Either way, it was unmistakable that the entire stadium¡¯s attention was focused on this particular match.

    ¡°What do you think, Wei Ping? Did you hear anything about this Feng Xu that Liang Po is up against?¡±

    ¡°Just a l-little. They s-say he¡¯s a t-talented Brushweaver.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­Doesn¡¯t sound like that¡¯ll help him in this fight, then. If only they allowed talismans in these duels.¡±

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    ¡°Then that would just become a war of wealth, where the juniors from big organizations would just be throwing talismans around instead of fighting.¡± Long Yi quipped.

    ¡°That would be a sight to behold¡­but you¡¯re right. We wouldn¡¯t stand a chance if that was the case.¡±

    The match soon got on its way. Liang Po lazily picked his ear while the referee talked, and he continued to do so even after the match started. In response, his opponent, Feng Xu, formed several hand signs and then slapped both palms onto the ground.

    Immediately, the arena trembled as walls of earth shot up to surround Liang Po.

    ¡°That guy is a Formation Master, too?¡± Li Lang glanced over at his friend in the mask.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t h-hear anything about t-that¡­¡±

    ¡°Interesting. I think I would like to take a look at it sometime soon along with the other crafts. However, formation mastery in particular can be used in combat¡­at least if your opponents don¡¯t pressure you.¡±

    Over the past few months, Li Lang had been absorbed in his training and observing the effects of the Cleansing Drug on enabling progressive overload. While he still desired to research all the various pills available, like the Ascension Pill, looking into other crafts became one level higher on his priority list.

    From what he knew, a Formation Master¡¯s main calling was to create structures like houses and walls. When they simplified such a task to just an earthen wall, one could even utilize those techniques in combat.

    The other crafts, Brushweaver, Woodsmith, and Artificer, each had their own advantages as well. It was enough to make Li Lang desire to be able to split his consciousness into five to pursue all five crafts at once.

    As Li Lang fell into thought, the battle between Liang Po and Feng Xu raged on. Liang Po still showed no movement yet, allowing his opponent to trap him within the earthen walls. Feng Xu didn¡¯t waste this opportunity and began channeling a powerful Qi art attack.

    His sword grew in luminosity every second as he channeled more Qi into it. It was only when it became so bright that one had to squint their eyes that Liang Po finally moved.

    A slow clapping sound could be heard from within the earthen dome that grew louder with each clap. By the third clap, the walls cracked, and the fourth one made it crumble. Coming into view was the white-haired boy, who sauntered toward his opponent while he continued to clap at a slow cadence.

    ¡°Very good. It seems like you have some combat experience. However, the results will be the same. Thank you for putting on such a good show for everyone, but it¡¯s time to end it.¡±

    With those words, Liang Po drew his sword and raised it above him. Just the action of doing so was able to stifle his opponent. In fact, Feng Xu found himself frozen, unable to move. The only action he could do was to speak.

    ¡°This¡­martial intent is¡­ a little too unfair, isn¡¯t it?¡± Feng Xu closed his eyes for a moment before sighing. ¡°I... resign.¡±

    ¡°Winner, Liang Po!¡± the referee rushed to declare.

    The crowd was immediately in an uproar. As a match with a colossal amount of wealth behind it, numerous people had a stake in it in one way or another. As the cries of joy and lamentation mixed together, Li Lang was wearing a frown.

    ¡°What in the world is he doing to make his opponents freeze up like that?¡±

    ¡°T-they say it¡¯s h-his martial intent that h-he honed from the w-way of the sword,¡± Wei Ping replied, having heard Li Lang¡¯s muttering.

    ¡°Yeah, but what does that even mean?¡±

    Both Wei Ping and Long Yi shrugged.

    ¡°I h-haven¡¯t heard any d-details about it. Just that i-it normally is a s-skill only those in F-Foundation Establishment realm and above will usually learn.¡±

    Whatever it is, it seems no one knows how to deal with it¡­

    The other soon started, but Li Lang didn¡¯t have the mind to pay close attention to any of them. His mind was distracted with the so-called martial intent. Before he knew it, the first round ended, and it was his turn again.

    It may only be the second round, but the atmosphere in the air intensified among the competitors. That was because winning the second round meant they guaranteed themselves a spot to The Great Trial of Water Crest pocket realm. It was a once-in-a-decade opportunity that could accelerate the progress of young cultivators rapidly. It went without saying that everyone drooled at this opportunity.

    Walking up to the stage, Li Lang spotted his opponent, Bai Yuchen.

    Having learned he would be facing him when the brackets were first announced, Wei Ping made sure to acquire intel about this opponent as well. After all, half a year had passed since their encounter with him, and he could have improved dramatically during that time.

    It was only through this inquiring that the trio finally learned the background of this nemesis of theirs. Bai Yuchen was from the famed Bai Clan. They were famed for their talisman business throughout the Luminescent Domain, and their family was a middle-tier organization by itself. Some of their descendants were even influential members of other organizations like the Bloodwave Conclave.

    However, the most surprising part of their findings wasn¡¯t the background, but the demonic cultivation technique the Bai Clan was known for.

    Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but look at Bai Yuchen differently now that he had learned about his technique.

    Wei Ping got lucky to have defeated him last time before he could show off anything. I won¡¯t have such luck.

    Before Li Lang could contemplate further, the referee stepped forth.

    ¡°You both know the rules. Let the match begin!¡±

 Chapter 72: Possession Type

    As soon as the match started, Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to unleash his Veiling Shroud Qi art. A cloud of grey smoke quickly took over the platform they fought on.

    This was because Li Lang didn¡¯t doubt his opponent had already learned about the technique he had just employed the previous round. No matter how good Long Yi was at distracting, Bai Yuchen would have to be blind to not have noticed all the smoke.

    Another reason why Li Lang urgently employed the smokescreen was because of the demonic technique Bai Yuchen practiced.

    From their investigation, the Bai Clan were famed for practicing a type of possession technique, a technique that required them to absorb the essence of Qi beasts with an affinity with poison.

    As familiar as Li Lang was with poisons from his previous world, he would know best how fearsome an unknown poison was. One needed time to decipher the mechanics of a poison and how to neutralize it. Without this important time, any poison was easily fatal. And this wasn¡¯t even taking into account the variable Qi would bring to the table.

    That was why Li Lang feared Bai Yuchen rushing toward him at the beginning of the match. This decision also proved wise, as Bai Yuchen did indeed charge forward at the start of the match.

    Li Lang could sense his opponent dashing straight at his last known location through the smoke, so he quickly repositioned himself and attempted to repeat the skirmishing tactic he had employed in the previous match.

    From a blind spot, Li Lang ruthlessly thrust out his spear at his opponent.

    However, Bai Yuchen perfectly dodged out of the strike, as if he had eyes in the back of his head that could see through the smokescreen. He didn¡¯t bother to draw his sword and tried to claw Li Lang¡¯s wrist.

    He managed to nick Li Lang and grinned. Before he could follow up, Li Lang had already retreated back into the smoke.

    ¡°Li Lang! Your little pesky tricks won¡¯t help you win this. You¡¯ve already lost!¡±

    Unfortunately, Li Lang had yet to master the skills to speak within the haze without giving away his location. Even without a response, Bai Yuchen still laughed to himself.

    ¡°Ha ha ha. Don¡¯t be feeling shy now! You should be feeling my poison soon, and you¡¯ll be in so much pain that you won¡¯t be able to speak properly. You should speak while you still can.¡±

    Still, no response came.

    ¡°Very well. Do it the hard way instead.¡±

    Bai Yuchen realized he wouldn¡¯t get a response, so he kept quiet with a grin on his face. Dozens of seconds went by, with nothing happening, but the fog persisted. Just as he was finding it strange, another spear lunged rapidly toward him from behind.

    Just like before, Bai Yuchen was able to dodge it during the last second.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re still moving?! How can this be?!¡±

    In response, another spear was thrust toward his legs.

    Bai Yuchen began to question himself. He trusted his sense that his claw hand did make contact with Li Lang. His mind raced to the various possibilities such as Li Lang having natural immunity to his poison, he had prepared an antidote, or he hadn¡¯t applied his poison correctly.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang was busy contemplating how Bai Yuchen had been able to dodge his attacks from his blind spots. He had completely ignored Bai Yuchen¡¯s provocations and instead used them against him to catch him off-guard¡ªor it should¡¯ve been, but all his attacks still missed no matter where he aimed.

    Can it be? The books say possession-type demonic techniques turn the user closer to what they often absorb, but that is¡­

    Li Lang let out another attack, this time a horizontal sweep with his spear. He thought to change things up, but it only resulted in a mediocre swing that left him open for longer than before. While he had practiced with his spear regularly, he mainly focused on thrusts. He didn¡¯t practice any other moves, as the simplicity of it was the reason why he selected the weapon instead of other weapons, like swords.

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    His wide swing attack allowed Bai Yuchen to rake his wrist once more with his nails. However, just like before, the attack wasn¡¯t able to breach Li Lang¡¯s skin. This was thanks to the Iron Hide Art that Li Lang had practiced, turning his skin into a layer of armor for him. It only weakened most attacks, but against the scratching from Bai Yuchen, it was able to prevent his poisoned nails from sinking past the skin.

    From this single exchange, both parties immediately had a revelation.

    Bai Yuchen realized the defensive technique Li Lang employed was the reason his poison wasn¡¯t working.

    Li Lang confirmed that Bai Yuchen would dodge his attacks no matter where they came from. It gave rise to his theory that Bai Yuchen had taken on traits from the type of Qi beast he had often absorbed. One that was venomous and had sharp senses that allowed them to detect danger in the smoke unhindered.

    A lot of animals can do that, but what comes to mind first are¡­snakes. He should either be detecting my attacks through his sharp sense of olfaction or through vibrations. In that case¡­

    It didn¡¯t take long for the two to have yet another exchange within the haze. Li Lang struck out once again at full power, but this time, he aimed at the ground beneath him with the blunt end of his spear. The empowered strike managed to kick up a bunch of rubble, and he instantly charged toward his foe.

    The tremor from his all-out attack notified Bai Yuchen of his location, but he kept still. Before long, he once again sensed a faint vibration from behind him, in the other direction of the first tremor, followed by the smell of his opponent¡¯s sweat.

    He prepared himself to dodge yet another attack from that trajectory, only to find that nothing came. The vibration stopped, and the presence disappeared. The next thing he sensed came from the opposite direction once more. However, it came so rapidly that he didn¡¯t have time to reorientate himself.

    A spear lashed out of the smoke and managed to embed itself into his thigh. The spear had easily overpowered the thin layer of Qi, protecting him, causing large amounts of blood to gush out.

    ¡°Sssssssssss!¡± A sharp hiss escaped from Bai Yuchen¡¯s mouth.

    He didn¡¯t get the time to nurse his wounds as Li Lang pressed his attack. With one leg immobilized and heavy bleeding to worry about, the referee soon stepped in to stop the match.

    ¡°Winner, Li Lang!¡±

    It was only then that Li Lang relaxed and stopped his Veiling Shroud technique, allowing vision to be restored to his arena.

    Bai Yuchen was swiftly made to eat a Recovery Pill to stop the bleeding. It took an entire minute for the wound to clot up. With his wound stabilized, Bai Yuchen finally had the time to process what had happened.

    He glanced around and found Li Lang¡¯s robe on the ground a distance away, and several pieces of debris scattered about. He frowned at the pesky tricks employed. While he was angry at his opponent, he was more angry at himself for falling for yet another trick.

    As he sulked, Li Lang retrieved his robe and swiftly made his way back to his companions.

    ¡°G-good job, boss!¡±

    ¡°Congraulations, Li Lang. You¡¯re the first to secure your victory,¡± Long Yi greeted. ¡°But what happened anyway? I couldn¡¯t see anything at all the entire time.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it turns out those side effects of possession-type demonic techniques aren¡¯t just negatives. Bai Yuchen could detect me when I got close through his sense of smell or through vibrations, so I shook things up with an attack directed at the platform. Then I threw some debris around along with my robe on the opposite side of him and charged at him at full speed.¡±

    ¡°That¡­sounds almost like a chess game. Fighting should be more intuitive.¡±

    ¡°Not e-everyone is as u-used to fighting a-as you, Long Yi,¡± Wei Ping quipped.

    Hearing those words, Li Lang fell into introspection. He knew he won through the use of tricks and ambushes afforded to him by advantageous terrain. In a frontal fight, he would be hard-pressed to defeat others.

    I need to prepare more options. This is just a tournament, but in other instances, it would be life or death. I¡¯ll need to stack up on every advantage I can in my favor, whether it be talismans, pills, artifacts, or even poisons...

    As he mulled about ways to improve his survivability, his two companions¡¯ names were soon called one after the other.

    ¡°Well, it seems like it¡¯s my turn. Cheer me on.¡±

    ¡°I h-have to g-go as well, boss.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. You both got it. Hurry up, so you can help me come up with ideas on how to handle my next opponent.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Long Yi yelped. ¡°What do you mean by next opponent? You don¡¯t have to fight anymore. And¡­you¡¯d be up against Liang Po, you know?¡±

    ¡°I know. This is too great of an opportunity to turn down. It¡¯s a safe way to experience what a really powerful cultivator around our age can do.¡±

    ¡°B-boss¡­you j-just want to l-learn about his m-martial intent, right?¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s a bonus too.¡±

    Both Wei Ping and Long Yi shook their heads at their friend¡¯s antics as they walked over toward their fight.

 Chapter 73: Martial Intent Pt.2

    Long Yi and Wei Ping¡¯s matches started and ended uneventfully. Their opponents weren¡¯t anyone notable, and while they had sufficient cultivation, they were outmatched in practical combat experience or tactics.

    As the second and most important round continued, the trio contemplated together on ways to handle Liang Po.

    ¡°...There¡¯s just no way,¡± Long Yi sighed. ¡°How can we come up with countermeasures for something we know so little about? The guy just holds his weapon up and everyone freezes in place against him.¡±

    ¡°W-wait. Has anyone e-even seen Liang Po f-fight properly before? Or d-does he immobilize h-his opponents every time?¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve seen him do anything other than that move. He did move quite quickly back in the first round, but during fights, he¡¯s done the same thing throughout the tournament.¡±

    ¡°W-what stage of c-cultivation is he even in?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m not sure,¡± Li Lang frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t get a good sense of it. How about any of you?¡±

    Both his companions shook their heads.

    Then he has a way to block our perception of his strength somehow¡­

    ¡°Then¡­the only hint we have is that Liang Po always raises his weapon up, in preparation to slash down, before his opponents stiffen,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°So what if you don¡¯t look when he does it?¡± Long Yi suggested.

    ¡°L-looking away during a f-fight would j-just be as bad.¡±

    ¡°...Maybe it¡¯s some invisible Qi attack, then?¡±

    ¡°Is there some way I can test it? My main goal is to investigate how this martial intent works,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°...¡±

    Time flew by quickly and the second round soon ended. Many cried either tears of joy or disappointment at the results. For most competitors, the significance of the tournament was to get into the top sixteen. There were additional prizes for the top places, but mere artifacts and Qi stones paled in comparison to the opportunity to enter a pocket realm.

    While Wei Ping and Long Yi pulled their hair out to think up countermeasures for their friend, the awaited third round began. With only sixteen people remaining, all eight fights began at the same time.

    Liang Po lazily strutted up onto the platform where Li Lang and the referee were. The two competitors spoke no words as they waited for the referee to get things started.

    During their discussions, the trio came up with various theories on how martial intent had worked and how one could counter it. They were all theories based on nothing concrete, but it was better than going in without a plan.

    The only thing Li Lang was sure about was the existence of a counter. If it was invincible, martial intent would be a lot more famous and a bigger deal.

    ¡°Start!¡± the referee declared.

    Seeing how laid back his opponent was, Li Lang decided to take this opportunity to talk instead, aiming to glean any useful information.

    ¡°Liang Po, do you mind sharing your experiences in attaining your martial intent?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s a long story, so I¡¯d rather not. Just know that anyone could do it if they get good enough with a weapon. Or with the laws of an element, but that¡¯s not something I know much about.¡±

    ¡°Interesting¡­Would you say you¡¯re the strongest among our generation with it?¡±

    Liang Po let out a chuckle before he responded.

    ¡°There¡¯s always people who are better. The last time I dueled some stuck-up righteous brat, I got completely thrashed. Enough talking. I¡¯ll show you the real deal if you¡¯re so curious about it. It may even spur you on like it did with me.¡±

    Immediately after saying those words, Liang Po drew his sword and began raising it.

    Seeing this, Li Lang quickly maneuvered away, dashing toward the referee. He didn¡¯t hesitate to duck behind the young man, ensuring the referee was between him and Liang Po at all times. He also immediately enveloped himself with as much Qi as he could muster.

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    When the youth with white hair completed his action of raising the sword, Li Lang found himself still able to move. That was only until the referee decided to fly up to get out of the way.

    Instantly, Li Lang felt all his muscles tense up. However, the most debilitating effect was how his mind felt frozen. His heart rate went up, and it was difficult to form a thought. It almost felt like the mind fog Li Lang had experienced when his life as Langley had just ended.

    Having experienced something similar, Li Lang gritted his teeth and summoned forth all his strength to snap out of the mind fog he was placed into. It felt like he was put in a dream, but he was aware of it, so he managed to wake himself up.

    He broke out of it in time just to see Liang Po slowly stabbing out toward him with a nonchalant expression.

    The only action he could do from the sudden predicament he found himself in was to drop down to the ground.

    The inelegant move he performed somehow caused the entire crowd to roar in excitement.

    ¡°That kid with the big head broke out of it! Will we finally see an opponent that can cause Liang Po some trouble?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes! This counts as surviving more than one move, right? I¡¯m rich now, rich I say!¡±

    While the commoners cheered and jeered, the experts in the audience all remained expressionless. They kept their conversation at a low volume among themselves.

    ¡°That kid has strong willpower for his age. He recovered during that split second afforded to him. It¡¯s hard to believe someone like that is still only at the fourth stage.¡±

    ¡°Yes, too bad he doesn¡¯t know the correct method to defend against martial intents. He can¡¯t be blamed, though. That isn¡¯t something you would normally encounter under the Foundation Establishment realm.¡±

    Meanwhile, Liang Po was the one who was most surprised by the new development. He believed he had already won, and simply needed to stab out to force the referee to take action.

    He didn¡¯t even consider anyone in this small competition would be able to break through his martial intent.

    It was this moment of surprise that allowed Li Lang to lunge forward from the ground, thrusting out his spear at him. The sudden attack may have caught Liang Po off guard, but his superior cultivation and training pulled through for him with his superior speed.

    It was easy to forget that Liang Po wasn¡¯t only defined by his martial intent. It was also at this moment that Li Lang discovered his opponent was a genuine sixth stage Energy Gatherer.

    He was able to back away and raise his sword in time to call forth his martial intent once more.

    It caused Li Lang to freeze in place in the middle of his attack.

    This time, Liang Po didn¡¯t leave it up to chance and swiftly swung down his sword at his foe. As if the referee could read his mind, he instantly appeared beside him, grabbing his blade with his hands.

    ¡°Winner, Liang Po!¡±

    Li Lang regained control of his body shortly after that, but collapsed from his unstable position as soon as he did.

    This martial intent¡­It shouldn¡¯t be a physical phenomenon, but a mental one! I may not know the mechanics of it, but I¡¯ve never seen anything like it before!

    Just as Liang Po began descending from the stage, Li Lang quickly moved to catch up to him.

    ¡°Wait, can you tell me how I can learn this martial intent of yours?¡±

    ¡°Go ask your master. It¡¯s not my place,¡± the white-haired youth replied without looking back.

    Li Lang followed along without hesitation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not a qualified teacher myself. I just know that it came naturally when I attained partial achievement in the first stage of the Way of the Sword.¡±

    Despite claiming he couldn¡¯t help much, his words gave Li Lang a lot of food for thought. He quickly fell into his old habits and lost himself in his ruminations. It was something that always happened whenever his curiosity overwhelmed his rational side.

    By the time he snapped out of his deep contemplation, he found himself standing on top of one of the stages, alongside the other contestants. They were all standing at attention before an old man with a head full of white hair. His robes were also a pristine white, and he was in the middle of giving a speech.

    ¡°...you should all stand proud of your results. You have all earned yourself a valuable opportunity to continue to improve in five month¡¯s time. I look forward to seeing your growth.¡±

    The old man quickly floated away after giving his speech, and Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but lean over to his companion to inquire what had happened.

    ¡°Who was that?¡±

    ¡°...You really weren¡¯t paying attention, were you?¡± Long Yi sighed. ¡°That was Liu Haiping, the Head Councilman of The Orchid Covenant.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Before they could converse further, the tournament staff began calling them out to handle the rewards. Those placed in the top eight got further rewards, but Li Lang and his crew only received the privilege of entering the pocket realm. This meant they had to leave the stadium empty-handed for now.

    However, just as they were passing through the interior of the stadium, a middle-aged man suddenly appeared before them. He wore purple robes and had a bold and pronounced eyebrow that was arched sharply.

    ¡°You three are Li Lang, Wei Ping, and Long Yi, correct? The ones who had recently joined our covenant?¡±

    The three exchanged a quick glance before Li Lang stepped forward and clasped a fist in greeting.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Senior. I am Li Lang. How may we be of service to you today?¡±

    ¡°Dispense the pleasantries and follow me. The Head Councilman wants to talk to you three.¡±

    Surprised by the sudden invitation, Li Lang couldn¡¯t find the words to form a response.

 Chapter 74: Head Councilman Liu

    Following the elder from The Orchid Covenant, the trio soon found themselves inside their organization¡¯s headquarters. As they ascended the stairs, the guards they passed all greeted their guide politely.

    ¡°Good day to you, Councilor Sheng.¡±

    They soon found themselves on the fifteenth floor of the building. There was a long corridor with various doors on both sides of the hallway, but one in particular appeared far more grand than the others.

    It was made from an elegant type of wood that shone with power. Even the untrained eyes could tell it was special.

    It was exactly this door that their guide, Councilor Sheng, had led them towards. He didn¡¯t hesitate to knock three times on the door and made his voice heard.

    ¡°This is Sheng Zhaoming. I am here with the three you wanted to see.¡±

    ¡°Come on in,¡± a deep voice replied.

    To their surprise, when the trio entered, they found a normal room. It was furnished with expensive furniture, but it wasn¡¯t that out of the ordinary. The rest of the room appeared so plain that it contrasted with the doors.

    Sitting behind the wooden desk with finely carved markings was the same old man with a head full of white hair. He was the same man they had just seen a moment ago during the closing ceremony of the tournament.

    ¡°Thank you, Zhaoming. You can leave us for now.¡± Their guide nodded in response and swiftly took his leave. ¡°Now then, please take a seat.¡±

    The old man gestured for them to take a seat and then proceeded to fetch a few cups from the tea set on his desk. He poured enough for everyone present and took a large sip from his own cup before letting out a satisfied sigh.

    Seeing the scene, the three boys could only watch on in silence, waiting for the man to speak first before they dared to move. It resulted in them blankly staring at the old man as he continued to enjoy his tea.

    The old man had reminded Li Lang of the old bureaucrats he sometimes had to greet whenever budget season came around. He was never good at anything besides doing his research, but even he learned a few things after dozens of years. He reflexively responded in the same old way he was used to. Acting relaxed, as if speaking to his own grandfather.

    Li Lang fearlessly held up the cup of tea he was offered and took a sip. Almost immediately, he felt a warm energy coursing through his body. It made him feel stronger and more alert.

    ¡°Good tea, good tea. May I ask what kind of brew this is?¡±

    The old man smiled at the question and placed his cup down. He then fetched out a small pouch from his desk and placed it before Li Lang.

    ¡°Here, take a look yourself.¡±

    Li Lang carefully loosened the strings on the small bag, and when he did, a massive amount of Qi gushed out from within. All his hairs were on end and he felt a tingle run through his body.

    Even his companions beside him were visibly shaken and no words needed to be said. The trio knew the tea before them was something of an exceptionally high class. They believed it was at least an Earth-grade heavenly resource, maybe even one grade higher, in the Saint-grade.

    It took everything Li Lang had to restrain himself from commanding Ruby to instantly take a sample. He would¡¯ve too if he thought he could get away with it. He knew better though, as there was a powerful cultivator before him who was staring intently at his way.

    ¡°This¡­is a Saint-grade tea? No wonder I felt energy coursing through me with just a sip,¡± Li Lang voiced with excitement.

    ¡°Correct. This here is called Cloudfall Sun tea. It is good to alleviate both physical and mental fatigue. Feel free to drink more. You young people are always in a rush, so it is easy to overwork yourself.¡±

    At the man¡¯s words, Wei Ping and Long Yi finally moved to take their cup.

    The man waited until they had a chance to enjoy their drinks before he continued.

    ¡°Now then. Where was I¡­? That¡¯s right, I haven¡¯t even introduced myself yet. I am Liu Haiping, the current Head Councilman of The Orchid Covenant.¡±

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    ¡°Greetings, Head Council Liu. I am Li Lang.¡±

    ¡°Head council Liu, I am Long Yi.¡±

    ¡°P-pleasure to meet you, Head Council Liu.¡±

    ¡°Very good. From your bone age, the three of you aren¡¯t even fourteen yet and have already made such progress. I heard you¡¯ve recently joined our Covenant, despite being from Yellow Qilin. Have you three gotten used to life here yet? I know it is quite different, especially with our organization being so different from the sects you are used to.¡±

    The three paused for a brief moment at having their history so casually revealed. However, they had expected it as they had never kept it a secret since they arrived. It would be more surprising if the organization they joined didn¡¯t even bother to vet its members.

    ¡°We¡¯re doing well, Head Councilor. We are glad to have come here and been able to come into contact with so many wonderful techniques. Otherwise, I don¡¯t think me nor Wei Ping here would have been able to progress on the path of cultivation with our grade one aptitude.¡±

    Li Lang kept up a straight face as he told his side of the story. He alluded to practicing demonic techniques, but never said it outright. Seeing how Head Council Liu hadn¡¯t reacted or asked any questions, he continued.

    ¡°As for Long Yi, here. He¡¯s doing fine for now as well, but I believe it may be hard for him to find techniques suitable for the orthodox path in the future. Do you have any advice?¡±

    ¡°While, as a member of The Orchid Covenant, I will have to tell you to solve your own matters pertaining to your cultivation techniques. However, as an elder, I can tell you that it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to make transactions with the people from the Peerless Gate as long as you have something of equal value to trade. Just your quota to enter The Great Trial of Water Crest realm should be able to get you any technique that you want from them.¡±

    Seeing how Long Yi was too nervous to respond, Li Lang continued to chat as the representative of his group.

    ¡°Senior, you jest. There must be better ways to gather funding than that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. But that is for you young people to explore. Only those who can gather their own resources will make it far in this world. However¡­I can tell you that the pocket realm you will be entering is known to contain numerous lost techniques. You will need to pass the trials inside to obtain them, but it should be definitely something you should aim for.¡±

    ¡°...Thank you for your advice. Anyway, was there something we could do for you today?¡±

    ¡°Young people,¡± Head Council Liu smiled and shook his head. ¡°Do not worry, I have only called you over to see what our new rising stars are like. It¡¯s not every day we have such young children join who aren¡¯t under the tutelage of anyone. I also wanted to tell you to prepare for your stay inside the pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°Oh, are there any special preparations we need to make?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The Great Trial of Water Crest realm is a place that only opens every ten years. At the same time, those who get to enter will stay inside for a year at the minimum. Those who have passed sufficient trials will be able to stay longer. From what we know of, the person who had spent the most time inside had stayed for over five years.¡±

    ¡°Five years¡­!? Are you telling us to prepare five years¡¯ worth of food and water?¡±

    ¡°Correct. You¡¯ll want either a large quantity of Nourishment Pills or a handful that are Earth-grade or higher.¡±

    The old man then went on about other details they should take into account when inside the pocket realm and what to expect. He spoke slowly and in detail, which took up a lot of time, but no one dared to complain. The trio knew the mighty leader of their organization was doing them a favor by giving them free information.

    It would help them take advantage of this opportunity of theirs.

    By the time they returned to their inn, the sky had already darkened.

    They had a feast for dinner, to celebrate their victory and all the winnings they made from placing the bets. It was only after retiring to their room that they began to digest everything that had happened over the course of the day.

    ¡°How long do you guys think we¡¯ll be able to last inside the pocket realm?¡± Long Yi muttered as they sat down.

    ¡°They s-say many people b-break through their major bottlenecks d-during their time inside. Many r-reach other late stages of Energy Gathering o-or even Foundation Establishment.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only common for people who enter into the realm at the peak of Energy Gathering already. Plus, we¡¯ll need Foundation Pills or the breakthrough will be too risky. I don¡¯t think we have hundreds of Qi stones to spare for a pill, do we?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in worrying about it now, you two,¡± Li Lang interjected. ¡°We just need to prepare as best we can. I¡¯ll be mainly crafting Nourishment Pills from henceforth. We¡¯ll be taking a hit on our income for the foreseeable future. You two should also practice a craft.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡± Long Yi complained.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t y-you hear? The p-pocket realm has c-crafting-related trials as well. It¡¯d be a w-waste to not p-partake.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, which is why I am going to be learning Brushweaving starting from tomorrow. You two should pick one of the remaining three crafts, so we can hopefully gather a bunch of techniques from the pocket realm. Then we can teach each other.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t l-let you d-down, boss!¡± Wei Ping immediately responded.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll see if any of them interest me,¡± Long Yi sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t handle spending my time doing something I don¡¯t like.¡±

    Li Lang and Wei Ping shared a quick glance before shaking their heads. They quickly ignored Long Yi and turned in for the night. While Li Lang had his eyes closed beneath the sheets, he was doing everything he could to contain his excitement.

    Finally, it is time for me to embark on a new craft!

 Chapter 75: Finding a Mentor

    The next day, the trio split up early in the morning after breakfast.

    They had discussed which craft they wanted to pursue and planned to investigate further at the various guilds. Once they had settled on which craft they would like to learn, they would then head to The Orchid Covenant headquarters to find potential mentors.

    As a trade-focused organization, The Orchid Covenant was not unfamiliar with the benefits of employing its own craftsmen to control its own supply chain. One of its core focuses was to offer its younger members the guidance they needed to become these craftsmen. It was something that aided the various independent cultivators greatly when they banded together, as they would usually be inferior to united organizations with uninterrupted heritages.

    As for Li Lang, he headed to headquarters to do some pill-refining first before setting off on his mentor search. After all, he had already decided on which craft to pursue.

    Of the five crafts, Li Lang would be lying if he didn¡¯t say the Artificer profession interested him the most after alchemy. Perhaps because it had to do with metallurgy, which had the most connections to his world, but he still ended up selecting Brushweaving.

    This was because talismans were just too useful. While Artificers were famed for producing treasured weapons and armor, talismans had much more utility. As someone who had frequented talisman stores, Li Lang knew exactly how varied and useful the effects talismans had.

    It wasn¡¯t a coincidence all his trump cards so far were talismans. On top of having a myriad of uses, it also came at a cheap price for the maximum effect. The only downside was that they were single-use items. While Li Lang knew he couldn¡¯t craft the most powerful talismans right away, he wanted to have extra options. It was more sustainable to create his own than to rely on stores.

    By noon, Li Lang finished refining a batch of Nourishment Pills and made his way down to the usual counter, where he settled his business.

    ¡°Greetings, sir. How many pills would you like to sell today?¡± The clerk asked as soon as she recognized the young boy with a big head.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be selling today. I¡¯m looking to learn Brushweaving, so I¡¯m looking to see if you had manuals or mentors currently looking for disciples.¡±

    ¡°...I see. Please give me one moment.¡±

    The clerk quickly skimmed through her notebook, scanning for the relevant section with the information she wanted.

    ¡°Thank you for waiting. I see that there are currently three masters accepting students within Emberglow City that are part of our organization. Let me write down their details for you.¡±

    When Li Lang received the note, he found it had details about the background of the mentors and their requirements.

    All these Brushweavers had various reasons as to why they were looking for students. Some had legacies they wanted to pass on, while others simply wanted an assistant. There were even a few who wanted to view how other practitioners of their techniques would progress so they could gain inspiration for themselves.

    As Brushweavers were still people and they all came from various backgrounds and motivations.

    As luck would have it, the list Li Lang received contained all three types of these people.

    The first candidate on the list was a middle-aged woman named Mei Wanying. She employed a technique from an old legacy that was passed down to her. She accepted dozens of students in an attempt to spread those teachings.

    She happened to own one of the large chain talisman stores. This meant it didn¡¯t come as a surprise when her main condition was that during her mentorship, you had to sell the finished product to her business, which spanned throughout the Luminescent Domain. The main issue was that she would only pay a small flat fee for each completed talisman, so it wouldn¡¯t suit those looking to make money.

    The second candidate was a young man by the name of Yi Lin. His condition was mainly to have his apprentice be his assistant as well. They wanted their potential students to be their assistants for a certain number of hours each month. This made it unsuitable for those who were short on time and had other obligations.

    The last candidate was an old man named Huan Ming. His condition was, in a way, the most lax. He simply required the student to sign a contract that stipulated they would share their experiences as a Brushweaver every so often.

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    No one worked for free, and each of these mentor candidates had their own agendas. Li Lang fell into thought as he decided which mentor would fit his needs the best. His goal was simply to gain enough proficiency to be able to do his own research on the subject matter.

    While it was ideal for him to become good enough to pass whatever trials awaited him in the pocket realm, his main goal was to scratch the itch he had had since the moment he laid eyes on talismans. And to do that, it would be ideal for him to learn the basics before jumping into research.

    ¡°Sir, maybe you can go meet them before deciding?¡± the clerk suggested upon seeing the boy struggling with his dilemma.

    ¡°...You¡¯re right. Thank you for your help.¡±

    With that, Li Lang set off to the addresses written on the note he received.

    The first mentor candidate he would be visiting was the easiest to find. The address written down was a popular talisman store on the main street.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Li Lang to find the grand storefront among the hustle and bustle of the streets. There didn¡¯t seem to be many people heading inside, but that was typical for talisman stores, especially in a city with a high ratio of mortals.

    He stepped past the lacquered doors to find a long corridor with tables on both sides. Inside were half a dozen guests, silently browsing the various talismans on and behind the tables. There were more than double the amount of clerks than customers, which meant the idle workers immediately noticed the new arrival.

    ¡°Welcome! Is there anything I can help you with?¡± a young girl politely greeted.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m actually here to see Miss Mei Wanying. Please tell her my name is Li Lang and that I¡¯m also from The Orchid Covenant.¡±

    The young girl¡¯s smile twitched as she recomposed herself at the unexpected answer.

    ¡°...Of course. Please give me one moment.¡±

    The girl ran out towards the back while her coworkers glanced over for a brief moment before resuming their business with their clients.

    While he waited, Li Lang browsed through the various talismans on sale. He spotted all the ones he had previously used, the warding talisman, concealing talisman, and decoy talisman. The entire store was well stocked.

    Now that Li Lang planned to learn Brushweaving from scratch, his attention was naturally drawn to the more basic talismans. One of the cheapest talismans for sale was a simple water talisman. The explanation labeled below simply explained that it could produce a certain volume of water depending on its grade.

    It was a good choice for travelers heading to places that lacked water sources.

    The other rudimentary choices were talismans of different elements like fire and earth. Most of the more advanced talismans were offshoots from these elements.

    Just as Li Lang laid eyes on the explosive talismans he once saw the Clear Heart elder used to clear away the Abductress¡¯ smokescreen, the young clerk returned and called out to him.

    ¡°Umm, Sir. The master has agreed to see you. Please follow me.¡±

    Under the eyes of all the other customers, Li Lang was led into the back and arrived at a small courtyard. There was a bamboo water fountain on the side of a small pond. The girl led Li Lang around this garden toward one of the side buildings.

    ¡°Master, I have brought Li Lang.¡±

    ¡°Good, please come in. You may go back to work, Lan Er.¡±

    Seeing the young girl instantly take her leave, Li Lang took a deep breath before entering the room. He found a middle-aged woman standing by a table, holding up a large scroll with both hands. On the scroll was a painting of mountains and rivers, and she was holding it up to the candlelight.

    ¡°Greetings, Senior Mei. I am Li Lang.¡±

    It was only at Li Lang¡¯s introduction that she finally glanced over at the young boy with a large head.

    ¡°I take it you¡¯re here to learn about Brushweaving?¡±

    ¡°...Exactly. As expected of Senior, you¡¯re able to see right through me.¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t many reasons for the covenant to give out my name and location to someone as young as yourself. Let us cut to the chase. I stated my requirements for recruiting students clearly to the guild. Are you willing to accept them?¡±

    ¡°That¡­I¡¯m still considering and have come to see with my own eyes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and what do you think about what you have seen so far?¡±

    ¡°...You run quite a nice store, so I believe you must be a skilled mentor in the ways of Brushweaving as well. But can I learn the exact amount you will pay for completing talismans?¡±

    ¡°One Qi stone for every three talismans. That is already generous of me to pay for my students when I am the one providing all the materials. Back in my days, we would work for our mentors for free.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, do you mind if I take a look at your other students? I heard you accept a number of them, correct?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re in the room down the hall. While you won¡¯t be able to learn much from just watching, do know that our school of Brushweaving has been passed down for hundreds of years for a reason. If you want to learn Brushweaving the correct way, I am your best choice in this city.¡±

    With those words, Mei Wanying went back to appreciating the scroll in her hand.

    Li Lang awkwardly left her be and ventured into the adjacent room alone. When he opened the door, he found a spacious room with a dozen desks spread across, like a classroom. Behind each desk was a young cultivator, who all had their full concentration on the nascent talisman before them. They held their brush intently, and all had a serious expression on their face.

    In fact, none of them even bothered to look over at Li Lang entering.

    Instead of calling them out, Li Lang took the opportunity to watch them at work. It was obvious they were in the middle of inscribing talismans, and Li Lang welcomed the opportunity to observe.

 Chapter 76: Choices

    As a dozen young Brushweavers concentrated on their work, Li Lang silently observed them.

    On each desk was a small stack of talisman paper and ink. The young cultivators behind each desk carefully held their brush with their off-hand supporting their dominant hand¡¯s wrist. Each of them slowly drew onto the empty sheet of paper, going at a painfully slow speed.

    Sweat dripped down from their brow as they continued their work.

    I can¡¯t really see anything going on¡­I guess there¡¯s a reason why Mei Wanying let me visit without restriction. That tournament I watched some time ago in Spirit Grove allowed spectators to watch as they inscribe the talisman, as well.

    The apprentice Brushweavers took another hour until they all finished their work. Throughout that time, he carefully studied the condition of the talisman from its nascent form to completion.

    They all surprisingly finished within a minute of each other and they all instantly snapped their attention to Li Lang. Meanwhile, Li Lang was shocked to find that all of their finished product was almost identical. He was basing it off of visuals only, but even that was a hard task to accomplish by a dozen different people.

    A brief awkward moment befell the room as the apprentice Brushweavers stared at the young boy with a large head.

    An older girl among the group broke the status quo as she stepped forth toward Li Lang with a welcoming smile.

    ¡°Welcome. Are you Master Mei¡¯s new student?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you definitely should make up your mind soon. Master Mei is one of the most experienced Brushweavers in Emberglow City. She is also one of the few two-star Brushweavers around.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­Are all of you from The Orchid Covenant, as well?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we are all from various masters within the covenant. We¡¯re only a small group among all those who are learning the art of Brushweaving under Master Mei. We are free to come and go when we have to carry out other training or responsibilities.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a very accommodating arrangement¡­¡± Li Lang muttered as his eyes drew toward the brushes and ink the young Brushweavers had used.

    During his hour of observation, he theorized that the tools they used were special. It was hard to use a pure Qi technique to produce such consistent results among all the students. His urge to have Ruby consume these tools threatened to overwhelm him.

    ¡°...Do you think I can take a look at your tools?¡± Li Lang continued.

    ¡°Apologies,¡± the young girl smiled wryly. ¡°It is forbidden to show outsiders our Moon Brush and our other implements.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­I¡¯m sorry. I was getting ahead of myself.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no worries. I¡¯m happy you have such a passion for Brushweaving. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have your own set of tools soon.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be excusing myself. Thank you for allowing me to watch you guys work.¡±

    Li Lang clasped his fist to everyone in the room and quickly retreated. As interested as he was in getting started right away, he wanted to be prudent with his decision. He forced himself to visit the other two mentor candidates first before making a decision.

    He exited the spacious talisman store, returning to the hustle and bustle of the main street. He didn¡¯t hesitate to head over to the next address he received from the covenant and soon found himself walking down one of the narrow alleys in a residential district.

    The second mentor candidate, Yi Lin, didn¡¯t seem to own any stores and only sold through the covenant. He was known to specialize in custom orders, so he simply did all his Brushweaver work in his abode.

    After knocking on the door of a small house, a young man in his late twenties answered the door. He blankly glanced down at Li Lang for several moments before frowning.

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    ¡°Hmm¡­Do I know you? No name comes to mind, and I think I¡¯d remember someone with unique features like yours.¡±

    ¡°Hi, sir. Are you Senior Yi Lin? I am Li Lang and I have come to talk to you about potentially learning Brushweaving from you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, perfect! I¡¯d been struggling without an assistant ever since Tei Lun quit. Please come in and we can start right away!¡±

    The man opened his door wider, revealing a messy house with trash sprawled about. The smell of rot assaulted Li Lang¡¯s nose, but he didn¡¯t flinch.

    Researchers who were successful were either naturally talented or extremely obsessive towards their work. Li Lang was a member of the latter, so he was familiar with such a scene when he often lost himself in his research.

    Still, he was never this bad and had the decency to clean up during his moments between projects.

    ¡°Sir, I haven¡¯t made up my mind yet. I wanted to meet you before deciding if I want to study under you.¡±

    ¡°...What do you want to see? While I don¡¯t offer pay or anything, I¡¯ll make sure to teach you the basics.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that, but can you elaborate on how I will be trained? From the information you left with the covenant, I understand you want something akin to a live-in apprentice?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to live with me, but I expect you to be here during the day to assist me in various tasks. I¡¯ll be teaching you while on the job, so you¡¯ll be able to gain valuable experience watching me work from start to finish. In fact, want to take a quick tour now?¡±

    ¡°...Sure.¡±

    Li Lang took up the offer and entered into the young man¡¯s abode. He was guided to a room on the second floor that was somehow even messier than the first floor. There were pieces of paper of varying sizes lying everywhere. Several ink stones were scattered around as well, and only the center of the room, where his workstation was, was clean.

    The tour was quick, and Li Lang was glad to be out of there.

    ¡°Thank you for your time. I¡¯ll be making my decision soon, so I hope you can be patient with me.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± the young cultivator scratched his hair. ¡°I can wait at least one more day. Just know that the other Brushweavers probably won¡¯t have as much time as I do to personally tutor you.¡±

    Li Lang thanked the man again before getting on his way.

    He found the last candidate inside a teahouse, sipping on his cup while listening to a storyteller ramble on about an obviously exaggerated tale.

    When Li Lang made eye contact with the old man, he kindly smiled and gestured for him to sit and join him. Being swept along by the atmosphere of the teahouse, Li Lang could only silently listen along until the storyteller was done.

    After having half a dozen cups of tea, the story finally finished and the old man by the name of Huan Ming finally brought his full attention to Li Lang.

    ¡°You said your name was Li Lang? You look impatient. Young people these days need to enjoy the smaller things in life more.¡±

    ¡°...Yes, Sir.¡±

    ¡°If you study under me, I¡¯ll make sure you learn properly, whether it be Brushweaving or the way of life. As I have told the covenant, I only need you to relay any new techniques you develop based on my teachings. You can even do it through the merchant guild if you¡¯re traveling. Of course, that means we¡¯ll have to sign a binding contract with me.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t even bother asking what training under the old man was like, as he could tell it would be strict and steady. The old man liked to work things at his own pace and lecture the younger generation. He wasn¡¯t very different from the retired researchers Li Lang had met.

    After exchanging a few more words, Li Lang finally escaped from the grasp of his last mentor candidate.

    He walked down the street with a hand on his chin as he deliberated which mentor to choose.

    What do I want in the first place? To learn the basics of Brushweaving as soon as possible, so I can then research it further with the help of Ruby¡­The auto-analyzer may only return the makeup of the paper and Qi signature, but there should still be ways I can make use of it.

    The third choice with the old man was likely not under consideration, as his style was too long-winded and thus too slow for Li Lang¡¯s liking. The main issue was also how he would have to share his future findings with him. As willing as Li Lang was to share his research results, he wouldn¡¯t want to draw attention when he was still so weak.

    Li Lang knew that the first candidate, Mei Wanying, was the safest choice. There would be various fellow students to study with, and lots of data to record.

    The second choice with the messy young man likely offered the most hands-on experience and tutoring time. There was an unavoidable difference between studying in a large group and having one-to-one study sessions.

    Both the choices had their pros and cons, and satisfied his conditions.

    Faced with a dilemma, Li Lang reverted to old habits when he encountered such situations. He did something different. He went window shopping down the main street, studying the various kinds of stores.

    He passed by stores selling artifacts, pills, Skyrunners, and more. He ignored the talisman stores as he was trying to take a break from the topic, but by the time he made it through the main commercial street, he realized there was one kind of store missing.

    Professions like Alchemy had their hardware store, which sold their pill furnaces and related tools, and Artificers similarly had the same. However, there was none that sold the so-called Moon Brushes or the ink used by Brushweavers.

    That indicated each Brushweaver most likely crafted their own tools, and the methods to do so were part of their technique.

    In that case, I should probably go with that choice, then¡­

 Chapter 77: Brushweaving

    ¡°Sorry for disturbing you again, but I have decided to take you up on your offer to learn Brushweaving under you,¡± Li Lang politely bowed.

    The messy man in front of him scratched his head as he flashed a smile.

    ¡°You looked like a smart kid to me and I was right. I knew you would make the right choice. Come on in, there¡¯s still some time before sunset. Let¡¯s get started right away.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Master Yi.¡±

    ¡°Just call me Yi Lin. I¡¯m too young to be messing with formal titles.¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­¡±

    The two retreated into the mess of a house and went onto the even messier second floor.

    ¡°I was just getting started on a new order, so let¡¯s go over the basics together. First, what do you know about Brushweavers?¡±

    ¡°Not much¡­Just that they use brushes to inscribe talismans.¡±

    Yi Lin shook his head at the answer he got.

    ¡°Brushweaving is much more than that. Inscribing talismans and contracts are our most well-known works, but what we can inscribe on isn¡¯t just paper. There are many Brushweavers like me, who are sought after by various other professions like Artificers. We can inscribe runes onto their work to enchant them, adding or reinforcing various functions.¡±

    ¡°...I haven¡¯t seen that before, but then again, I haven¡¯t come into contact with many artifacts before.¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯d forgotten artifacts aren¡¯t something you normally see until you¡¯re almost in the Foundation Establishment realm. Hmm¡­Here¡¯s one. I haven¡¯t worked on it yet, but feel free to take a look.¡±

    Yi Lin lifted a heavy long sword out from a messy pile. He almost handed it over to Li Lang, but realized last second that the young boy would have trouble holding onto something so heavy. He laid it out carefully on the ground.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately lunged at the opportunity, feeling up the great sword that was as tall as him. The blade was so wide that he didn¡¯t doubt there was enough space for him to lie down on top of it.

    At first glance, it appeared like any regular steel blade, but upon further inspection, a dull sheen constantly enveloped it. Li Lang could instinctively feel that the sword before him was much more dangerous than it appeared.

    ¡°This here is a Skysword. It cuts through the sky faster than what cultivators can do by themselves, allowing them to fly at high speeds during combat. I got a job to improve its ambient Qi absorption rate,¡± Yi Lin explained.

    ¡°...Interesting. How does it work?¡±

    ¡°That, you¡¯ll have to ask an Artificer. I can only tell you what each rune does.¡±

    The conversation was quickly steered toward the intricacies of what runes were and how they were the basis of Brushweaving.

    After an hour of back and forths, Li Lang compiled a basic framework in his head.

    He learned that runes were like pathways that conducted Qi in certain ways to produce specific effects. It was almost like programming, but wasn¡¯t as predictable. Depending on the rune, the kind of Qi used, and the environment, the effects varied. The job of Brushweavers was to design a set of runes, with all these variables in consideration, to produce the desired result without overloading the ¡®circuits¡¯.

    ¡°Then what about the brushes and ink used? They can¡¯t just be normal, right?¡±

    Yi Lin looked amused as he nodded at his latest student.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The basis of being able to create these Qi pathways is reliant on the Moon Brush, the ink, and the Qi technique used to bind them to a surface. A Brushweaver¡¯s school of techniques encompasses all of these topics. From how to craft your own tools down to how to inscribe on different surfaces.¡±

    ¡°No wonder you have so many inkstones lying around. You swap them out depending on the task at hand, right?¡±

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    ¡°That¡¯s correct. You catch on quick.¡±

    Li Lang grinned at having reaffirmed his choice. The reason he chose Yi Lin instead of Mei Wanying as his mentor was that he noticed this. Mei Wanying¡¯s traditional school appeared to value consistency, and all her students used the exact same type of inkstones.

    Meanwhile, Yi Lin was much more flexible and changed up his tools according to the situation. This increased the variables at play and would occasionally net him surprising results. While consistency was good, Li Lang never liked limiting himself for the sake of it.

    He wanted to research all the variables. There was no way he would want to miss out on the many possibilities of Brushweaving.

    Hours passed by as they chatted. They soon realized there wasn¡¯t much of the day remaining for the two to dive further into the art of Brushweaving.

    Yi Lin showcased how he dyed a normal inkstone, but didn¡¯t have time to go into detail on the technique he used before it was time for Li Lang to return.

    ¡°Umm, Master Yi Lin, do you have any old tools you don¡¯t want anymore that I can have?¡±

    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t I tell you? We¡¯ll be going over how to craft your own soon. It¡¯s better to use your own creation.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s just that I want to examine your old work for inspiration.¡±

    ¡°...Whatever, go take whatever you find. I may not look like it, but I take good care of things I deem important. Everything lying around is replaceable or is already useless to me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to pick up several inkstones and blank talisman papers around the room. There weren¡¯t any Moon Brushes, but he was already satisfied with his haul. He then took his leave, as it was getting late.

    The sky was a warm orange by the time Li Lang stepped out of the house.

    When he returned to his inn, he found Wei Ping and Long Yi already there. They were both intently reading something.

    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Long Yi said. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡±

    ¡°Not bad, you could say. I found a mentor and everything. As a result, I¡¯ll be a lot busier from now on. How about you two?¡±

    The two exchanged a quick glance before they wordlessly decided Long Yi would share first.

    ¡°I went with Artificer and will be taking a test to become a student tomorrow... They gave me this beginner manual and only gave me one night to prepare.¡±

    ¡°As f-for me, I f-found a master Woodsmith to t-take me under their wing. I¡¯ll s-start learning from them tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°...So you both got accepted on the first day already. Why am I the only one who has to do some test?!¡± Long Yi yelped.

    ¡°Just try your best. Your goal is to pass whatever trials are waiting for us in the pocket realm, but we have no idea what standard we have to reach. You¡¯ll just have to tough it out,¡± Li Lang consoled.

    ¡°I will. Artificing seems useful, and we don¡¯t even own a single artifact. I don¡¯t know if you guys have seen or not, but having a single artifact would give a tremendous advantage in combat.¡±

    ¡°As f-for me, I¡¯ll stick w-with it even after the p-pocket realm. We¡¯ll need s-someone to repair our Skyrunner i-if it breaks, or to g-get a faster one.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, our current one is pretty slow. Thanks, Wei Ping.¡± Li Lang patted the masked boy on the shoulder.

    As much as Li Lang wanted to grill his friends about what they were learning for their profession, he knew better than to bother them when they were just starting out. He would have ample opportunities to do so once they visited the pocket realm and uncovered the various techniques buried there.

    Leaving his two friends to themselves, Li Lang went about doing his own matters for a few hours before bed. He had to continue monitoring the results from their use of the Cleansing Drug. Plus, now, he wanted to put his new trophies into the auto-analyzer.

    Without delay, he adjusted his hat where he kept Ruby and entered into the artifact space.

    ¡°Master, the latest report from analyzing your samples is on your computer. The auto-analyzer is now free. Do you want to select which ink stone or talisman paper to analyze next?¡± Ruby asked, knowing exactly what its master wanted.

    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s go with the paper. It¡¯s blank, so it shouldn¡¯t have any Qi and should only take a moment.¡±

    Li Lang then directed his attention to his personal computer to review the new data. It was an analysis report on their flesh. He continued to do these daily examinations to collect more data.

    Once again, he found their spiritual roots had slightly strengthened, allowing them to absorb a higher ratio of Qi to toxins. The consistent results he has seen were almost enough for him to confirm his theory of strengthening the spiritual roots¡¯ ability to filter toxins. The only thing that nagged at him was how small the sample size was.

    There was no way around that as Li Lang didn¡¯t want to spread his invention around casually. That would only land him in trouble.

    It¡¯s time to move on to something else, though. Should I continue to study these spiritual roots or change topics to demonic cultivating¡­? No, demonic techniques aren¡¯t relevant to our own cultivation progress right now. We need to get to Foundation Establishment as soon as possible so we can protect ourselves.

    Right now, we are easily at others¡¯ mercy. Plus, the wealth I could acquire at that level would afford us faster means of travel should the need arise.

    While the auto-analyzer fired up, Li Lang began brainstorming ways to continue his research. There wasn¡¯t anything particularly pressing for him to solve, now that he had the Cleansing Drug to bridge the gap in aptitude.

    This meant Li Lang was now thinking about starting from the basics. Defining what spiritual roots were and exploring if there was a way to expand the number a cultivator had.

    I only have five, I could sure use a little more¡­

 Chapter 78: Searching for Meridians

    Now then, how should I proceed with studying spiritual roots?

    Li Lang dove into his old memories of the few cultivation novels he had read. He normally only read the beginning parts and the ending, skimming for sections to do with immortality. Many of them never went into detail about how, except to absorb energy, but cultivation often had something to do with the meridians.

    So far, he hadn¡¯t heard anyone mentioning meridians, but he believed spiritual roots to be in the same line of thought.

    The issue is that the human body does not have such a thing¡­Unless the people in this world are different.

    He booted up his terminal and retrieved the old reports he had compiled back when he first experimented on Qi overdose. He had recorded every single participant¡¯s cultivation rank and number of spiritual roots back then, which has now come in handy.

    From that information, he concluded that people with grade one aptitude had up to seventeen spiritual roots, and all those who had eighteen or more were grade two. Long Yi with grade three aptitude had forty-one roots. He even remembered his childhood friends had over eighty spiritual roots back during the Clear Heart Sect¡¯s entrance exams.

    From what he had seen, the number of spiritual roots was directly correlated with aptitude.

    While he gleaned a lot from this information, it didn¡¯t help to verify what type of existence spiritual roots were. So far, he believed it filtered out the toxins in Qi, but he didn¡¯t know if it was something physical in the body or something intangible.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Li Lang¡¯s mind to wander off in brewing up ways to secure the remains of a body for study. He believed it could be worth it, despite the risk of being mistaken as a dangerous person or a grave robber.

    His urges only grew stronger when Ruby suddenly notified him that the auto-analyzer was finished with the blank talisman paper. He read over the report, which consisted of the material makeup of the paper and the Qi signature of the talisman. There was nothing special that caught his attention.

    ¡°Hmm, like I had suspected. The function of a talisman all lies in the Qi aspect, or in this case, the runes I¡¯ve started to learn about.¡±

    ¡°Master, should I proceed with putting the inkstones into the auto-analyzer now, or did you have something else in mind?¡± the child-like voice innocently asked.

    ¡°No, go ahead as planned. No point in wasting any time.¡±

    Li Lang moved over toward the large machine encased in glass to see the inkstone enter the mouth of the auto-analyzer. He stayed until the estimated amount of time appeared on the screen, showing a measly three hours. The catch was that it wasn¡¯t able to analyze the Qi aspect of it.

    ¡°Master, the inkstones contain small traces of Qi from someone in a higher realm than you. None of its Qi properties or signature can be analyzed.¡±

    ¡°That is fine. I¡¯ll get another sample at my level soon enough. Go ahead and analyze it anyway.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡±

    Seeing there was nothing else that needed his attention, Li Lang exited from the artifact space. He opened his eyes and found his two companions already dead asleep.

    However, he wasn¡¯t tired and was brimming with curiosity. If any of his old coworkers were here, they would not be surprised at all, especially if they knew Li Lang had embarked on a new research project.

    Under the sound of Long Yi¡¯s snoring, Li Lang carefully made his way out of the room, careful not to cause the wooden floorboards to creak.

    He passed by the quiet lobby only to make eye contact with a young man sitting in the innkeeper¡¯s seat. He politely nodded his way before exiting the inn.

    There were still a few pedestrians even during the late hours past midnight on the streets of Emberglow, but many of them were wearing a full-body cloak to hide their figures. A certain part of town stood out with its bright lights that could be seen in the distance, but Li Lang didn¡¯t bother dwelling on it. He knew it was the red-light district, and it had nothing to do with his objective tonight.

    During his time in Emberglow, he had heard many things from Wei Ping¡¯s daily reports. The masked boy enjoyed talking and learning from the people around him, and he wouldn¡¯t fail to do so every day.

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    That was why Li Lang knew exactly where to go.

    He soon found himself on the edge of the underground city, towards an area that had a dark path slanted downward. The path was not short, and it took Li Lang a whole half an hour before he arrived in a mini expansive zone. However, this expansive zone wasn¡¯t one with a wild ecological system, but had obvious manmade structures.

    Proper roads were well-maintained with lines of tombstones filling the area. From what Wei Ping had learned, only the relatively wealthy could afford a grave in this place. The poor simply cremated remains or left them out in the wild. It couldn¡¯t be helped, as the underground real estate was limited and difficult to expand.

    Li Lang scanned the area before heading in. He confirmed no one was present before he ventured even further inside. The area swiftly changed from that of well-maintained to that of rough terrain. He soon spotted a small building next to several large furnaces.

    He didn¡¯t hesitate to head into buildings that didn¡¯t even have doors, allowing him to stride unhindered into the morgue. Instantly, he found several cheap coffins lying around. Some were opened and empty, and some were closed.

    From what he had heard, this was the place where unidentified bodies were kept. If no one claimed them after a month, they would be cremated.

    Rather than approaching someone to inquire if he could buy a body, he chose to take a few bodies in secret instead. It was because he determined Ruby¡¯s ability to take in objects would aid him greatly. Without having to carry the body around, it became exponentially more difficult to catch him.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t waste any time and opened up a coffin with his augmented strength of a fourth-stage Energy Gatherer.

    Hmm¡­I should only take one or two, lest someone notices.

    <hr>

    The next morning, Wei Ping and Long Yi woke up to find their companion sitting by the desk with his head in his hands.

    ¡°Li Lang, what are you doing, sleeping in the chair? Your bed is only two steps away!¡±

    No answer came, so Long Yi jumped out of bed and shook Li Lang¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Hey, Li Lang! If you¡¯re still tired, go sleep in your bed.¡±

    It was only then that Li Lang opened his eyes, but his mood wasn¡¯t the best. He was in the middle of analyzing the latest results he got from his auto-analyzer, but Ruby¡¯s incessant yelling about his friends had broken his concentration. He couldn¡¯t even get mad at Ruby. It was Long Yi¡¯s actions that prompted Ruby to interrupt his time.

    That was why he glared at the towering boy with unkind eyes.

    ¡°Leave me be. I can take care of myself.¡±

    ¡°...Okay,¡± Long Yi recoiled back.

    ¡°B-boss, Long Yi was j-just worried about you. It¡¯s n-not comfortable to sleep in a chair.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay. Thank you for your consideration, but for today we can operate separately. You all have your own thing to do anyway.¡±

    Li Lang then dove into his bed and wrapped a blanket around his entire body. He slept with one hand grasping Ruby next to his temple and returned into the artifact space.

    Wei Ping and Long Yi shared a look before they both shook their heads. They got up and ran through their morning routine, no longer bothering Li Lang.

    While they were eating and cultivating, Li Lang resumed going over the new report. He couldn¡¯t precisely grasp what level of cultivation the deceased had in life, but found the body had died due to a wound in the torso. He believed a Qi beast had done him in, and didn¡¯t bother investigating further.

    His objective was to discover clues about the mysterious spiritual roots. From the report, he found the human body wasn¡¯t any different from what he was familiar with, which meant no signs of these roots or meridians could be found.

    Hmm, if it¡¯s not a physical thing, maybe it is a Qi construct? But then, I don¡¯t have a proper way to study it. The auto-analyzer only gives me the Qi signature, and I don¡¯t have anything that can observe internal Qi.

    Li Lang spent the rest of the morning brainstorming various ways to go about his next step. He concluded that he needed more information, so he added a trip to the Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s bazaar on his agenda to find some related texts.

    When he finally exited the space and ¡®woke up¡¯, he found Wei Ping and Long Yi missing. He rushed to complete his morning routine before heading out toward his new mentor as well.

    It was almost noon by the time he arrived at the house belonging to his Brushweaving teacher, Yi Lin. Li Lang had thought he was already late, but when his mentor opened the door, he found a man with a head full of bed hair, wearing a sleepy look.

    ¡°Good morning¡­You¡¯re early, Li Lang.¡±

    ¡°...Should I be coming later? It¡¯s almost noon.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­that¡¯s why.¡± Yi Lin lazily rubbed his eyes. ¡°Yeah. I usually don¡¯t wake up until noon. But since you¡¯re already here, come on in. Did you eat yet?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then feel free to read the texts up in my study. I have written a bunch of notes ever since I started Brushweaving, so there should be some beginner-level texts somewhere. I¡¯ll go make something to eat and I¡¯ll be there with you.¡±

    The young mentor quickly disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Li Lang to his own devices. As he was instructed, he climbed up to the second floor and arrived in the messiest room of the entire house. Somehow, after one night, his mentor had messed the place up even more compared to yesterday.

    However, the bookshelves in the corner were at least spared from the chaos. Books were properly lined up on the shelves and Li Lang simply had to climb through the mess of a room to reach it. He found an entire shelf dedicated to his mentor¡¯s research notes, which were ordered chronologically. He picked up the oldest texts and began diving into his mentor¡¯s former insights.

    He only made it past the first sentence before he grimaced.

    How in the world can someone in a profession that involves holding a brush all the time have such bad handwriting?! I can¡¯t read this!

 Chapter 79: Inscribing

    ¡°Master Yi Lin, how can you possibly have such bad handwriting?¡± Li Lang asked the moment he stepped into the study.

    Yi Lin stared blankly for a brief moment at the sudden question before scratching his head.

    ¡°Oh¡­That was when I was young. I¡¯ve improved¡­over the years. And I told you to just call me Yi Lin. No need to add master.¡±

    ¡°...I still can¡¯t read any of this.¡±

    ¡°Haha, my master used to have the same kind of handwriting and I mimicked it. He said it showed character and prevented people from stealing his research from just a glance.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get started! We¡¯ll need to have you craft your own Moon Brush and dye your inkstone first. Then I¡¯ll run you through the entire process of talisman inscription before I have you assist me in my work.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I look forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Come on now, no need to be so formal. So where did we leave off yesterday?¡± Yi Lin began rummaging through the mess as he racked his brain. ¡°Ah yes, we were just talking about how to create a Moon Brush.¡±

    Li Lang nodded along to urge his mentor to continue.

    ¡°Moon Brush is unique to each Brushweaver and is the most important medium we use to channel our techniques. One could say the Moon Brush is a reflection of the Brushweaver themselves. Just like their creator, the brush can be improved over time, so it¡¯s not too important what material you used to create it at the start. It just has to be materials that are suitable for your current rank of cultivation. In your case, any mortal-grade resources will do, and I happen to have plenty of those.¡±

    Li Lang waited patiently as Yi Lin fished out a box from within a large pile. He brought it up onto the table and gestured for Li Lang to examine it.

    Inside were several blocks of wood mixed in with some metal ingots, ivory, and various materials for the bristle of the brush.

    ¡°Go ahead and pick out a material. You can mix and match them as much as you want, though it¡¯ll just create more work for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­Are you sure I should select randomly like this? Doesn¡¯t the material affect my Brushweaving somehow?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­it does, but at the same time, it doesn¡¯t matter. It will change the way you interact with it and how you channel your Qi through it, but it won¡¯t matter once you get used to it. You will learn how to use techniques to control your output. Just channel Qi into these materials and find one that fits you best.¡±

    Taking a deep breath, Li Lang proceeded as instructed. He began fishing out different materials and channeled Qi into it. He was familiar with the process since it was exactly the same as when he wielded his spear. However, it was only now that he began to feel how distinct each different type of material was.

    Some allowed his Qi to flow straight through, while others snaked around inside. Some grew warm or required greater force to push the Qi through. Li Lang found the latter unsuitable for him as he couldn¡¯t exert the greatest amount of strength with his Qi due to his low aptitude.

    After half an hour of playing around, Li Lang finally settled on an ivory material for the body of the brush. It allowed his Qi to flow the fastest and unhindered while also being warm to hold.

    For the bristles, he used the same logic and selected one that allowed his Qi to flow the smoothest.

    ¡°A fang from an Elemental Serpent and Silverthorn Lion¡¯s Mane, good choice,¡± Yi Lin commented. ¡°Now onto inkstone. Here, take this new one I have here.¡±

    Yi Lin placed a plain-looking inkstone onto the table and then placed several ink sticks beside it. He then brought out a small bowl of water from out of nowhere and placed it down as well.

    ¡°As we talked about yesterday, go ahead and channel your Qi into the ink as you grind the ink stick down.¡±

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    Li Lang did as instructed and started by pouring water onto the center of the inkstone. He then ground down the ink stick on the wet surface as he channeled Qi into it. Slowly and surely, a small lake of ink formed on the inkstone.

    He could feel the Qi inside of him draining quickly, but thankfully, the ordeal finished when he was three-quarters drained.

    As soon as he finished, he immediately began sucking in the ambient Qi to replenish his stocks.

    ¡°Here, take a Qi Replenishment Pill or you¡¯ll tire yourself out if you constantly try to absorb it yourself. And it ruins the flow of Qi around here, which will affect the end product.¡±

    There was no reason to reject his mentor¡¯s goodwill, so Li Lang quickly accepted it. He had a few Qi Replenishment Pills on himself that he rarely used. He had never been in such a desperate fight where he needed to take one to persist, or if he did, he wouldn¡¯t have the leeway to ingest it. Now, he found another use for one of the pills in his repertoire.

    The pill dissolved inside him and a burst of Qi rushed to replenish his exhausted stocks. The mentor and student quickly resumed their lesson.

    ¡°Okay, now that you have a pond of ink infused with your Qi, steep your Moon Brush materials in there for a day. We¡¯ll craft them into a brush tomorrow. You can set it aside on the table over here.¡±

    Throughout the process, Li Lang¡¯s mind had been racing at its top speed as he thought about what he was doing. It was an entirely new experience for him to craft like this, as his usual pill-refining employed a lot more familiar techniques that made use of heat.

    This process he had just experienced was simply preparing for calligraphy back in his world. It wasn¡¯t creating anything new; it just dissolved some ink. However, he knew the variable of Qi added a whole new dimension to this craft. Brushweaving was something that stood equal to Alchemy among the five major crafts, and he would be foolish to discount it.

    After the mentor and student put away their latest work, it was time for Yi Lin to begin working on his projects.

    As a one-star Brushweaver certified by the guild, Yi Lin was not short of work. He was known for how much he was willing to customize the final product for his customers, which earned him high points with other crafters.

    As the two cleared the table, Yi Lin opted to go with an orthodox commission to ease his new student into it.

    ¡°I will now be inscribing a simple talisman,¡± Yi Lin declared. ¡°For this first task, you can assist me by simply grinding down this ink stick for me whenever the ink levels get low.¡±

    He then handed Li Lang another ink stick that appeared at the wave of his hand. Li Lang immediately felt something different about this new ink stick and furrowed his brows as he studied it.

    ¡°This¡­is already infused with your Qi?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The method you just used is the easiest to infuse your Qi, but you can also infuse ink in its solid form. Many Brushweavers at higher levels do this beforehand so they can focus on their work while they inscribe.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Seeing how Li Lang didn¡¯t voice any other questions, Yi Lin proceeded to bring out his tools. With the inkstone on the table and his Moon Brush in hand, he began to inscribe onto a piece of blank talisman paper.

    Different from Li Lang¡¯s session, the Foundation Establishment cultivator¡¯s tool sparkled. The pool of ink on his inkstone appeared to be like the night sky, with stars glittering brightly.

    His left hand supported his dominant hand by the wrist, while he first drew a rectangle along the edge of the paper. Despite his slow movements, it was apparent he was doing it with practiced ease. He even had the leeway to lecture Li Lang at the same time.

    ¡°Remember, the first step is always to plan out the talisman in your head first. You¡¯ll need to decide on the elements you¡¯ll include in your work. The more elements, the more complicated, because the runes may interfere with each other.¡±

    He then extolled the steps and meaning of each rune he was inscribing. His hand never stopped moving the entire time.

    It was only after an entire fifteen minutes that Li Lang actually did something and began grinding down the ink stick. The moment new ink dripped onto the inkstone, a small wave oscillated across the lake of ink.

    This was all Li Lang did before Yi Lin managed to complete the talisman. In slightly more than thirty minutes, the air in the room congregated on the talisman as it was completed.

    ¡°...Yi Lin, can I ask what this talisman does?¡±

    The man looked thoughtful for a moment before replying.

    ¡°This talisman can store one Qi art attack. It is still missing the final step of storing the all-important attack, but that is something I¡¯ll be doing at a later date with the client. I hope I don¡¯t have to remind you that this is a private commission.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The two then got started on the next piece of work. This time, it was something Li Lang had yet to personally witness. Instead of a regular blank talisman paper, Yi Lin brought out a spear. It wasn¡¯t just any spear, Li Lang could tell with a glance that it was an artifact. It radiated an intense aura even without a wielder.

    ¡°This time, just watch. It is too soon for you to be helping with this one.¡±

    With those words, Yi Lin immediately started inscribing onto the shaft of the spear. He used a different set of tools. A thin brush along with a transparent liquid with some degree of viscosity replaced the ink.

    Does this mean I can inscribe on my own spear, too?

 Chapter 80: Weapon Inscription

    Li Lang watched on as his new mentor continued to inscribe runes onto the metal spear. He believed he recognized a few of the runes, but it was hard to confirm when it was distorted by the rounded surface and the other ones overlapping with it.

    Yi Lin concentrated intently as he moved on from working on the shaft to the spearhead. He disassembled the spear and began inscribing on the interior side of the weapon before he finally set down the artifact.

    ¡°Is it done?¡± Li Lang asked.

    ¡°Yes, my part of it, at least. The Artificer who made this still has some finishing touches to do before this spear is ready to see battle, though.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a lot of steps involved¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy creating an Earth-grade artifact. Especially with enchantments on it. It is exactly because it is so time-consuming that they are so rare,¡± Yi Lin explained as he put the artifact away. ¡°Anyway, try to focus on what I showed you earlier. It¡¯s better to focus on the basics first before worrying about working with artifacts.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Li Lang watched and assisted in a few more commissions before the day was over.

    He promptly returned to the inn for some training before dinner time.

    With Brushweaving taking up a good chunk of his time, Li Lang needed to be more mindful of how he spent the day. While following a strict schedule could be stressful, it was something he was used to, so there were no problems.

    Over dinner, the trio got together again and began sharing what they experienced for the day. They were each exhausted in their own way, so after hearing about how Long Yi had passed his apprenticeship test, the three swiftly retired for the night.

    The next morning, the three kids split off once again. Li Lang trained throughout the morning and refined a batch of Nourishment Pills to stockpile for their upcoming trip. By the time he arrived at Yi Lin¡¯s abode, it was already the afternoon.

    ¡°Good timing, I was just going to check on your Moon Brush. Let¡¯s see how it turned out.¡±

    The two went upstairs and quickly found the item in question. It was still drenched on top of the inkstone. Yi Lin once again materialized a bowl of water from nowhere and carefully washed off the ink.

    After a night of soaking, both the Elemental Serpent¡¯s Fang and Silverthorn Lion¡¯s Mane appeared unchanged. However, Li Lang could immediately feel attuned to the two materials in front of him.

    ¡°Should be good. We just have to put it together now.¡±

    The assembly process was quite dull. Yi Lin took out some paste that acted as glue and got a metal band to hold the bristle in place with the handle.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Yi Lin smiled upon inspecting his new apprentice and his Moon Brush. ¡°Why don¡¯t we test it out right away? You have everything you need, so it¡¯s all about technique now. Bring over your inkstone and come over here.¡±

    Li Lang quickly found himself in his mentor¡¯s position, holding his Brushweaving tools before a piece of blank talisman paper.

    ¡°Hmm, for your first talisman, what would be a good fit? Your inkstone had been dyed with your Qi without any special prep, so it should allow you to create a talisman of any element, albeit weaker, so there are a lot of choices¡­¡±

    ¡°Umm, what are some choices you¡¯re thinking of? Maybe I can pick one out from what you¡¯re debating between.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, the simplest talismans would be the ones that just produce a single element, I guess. Like ones that can produce water or fire.¡±

    ¡°In that case¡­How about one with just light? It¡¯ll be the easiest to test right after I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°Light¡­Sure. Give me one moment.¡± Yi Lin went off to a nearby bookshelf and took out some dusty texts. ¡°There should be some common runes in here, but the most important part is to listen to the technique I¡¯m about to recite. My inheritance has been passed down orally throughout the generations, so there¡¯s no written text for you to refer to.¡±

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    Seeing Li Lang nod, Yi Lin began to lecture Li Lang on the Qi technique for Brushweaving. He went through the specifics of how to channel one¡¯s Qi internally, and unsurprisingly, the convoluted flow of Qi resembled the runes one drew.

    One had to maintain an uneven output, adjusting the Qi by varying amounts each second they inscribed. Different elemental affinities made a huge difference as well. It was the reason why they all drew their talisman so slowly.

    It took half the afternoon before the lecture ended and Li Lang had asked everything he needed.

    ¡°Ok, go ahead and try it out now. The best way to learn is by doing.¡±

    Li Lang breathed in deeply as he internalized the teachings he received. When he breathed out, he immediately picked up his brush and dipped it into the inkstone.

    Mimicking his mentor¡¯s stance, Li Lang supported his right wrist with his left hand and began drawing. He had the texts Yi Lin fetched for him, opened on the table, so he could refer to the runes on the pages.

    It didn¡¯t take long before his arm felt numb from holding onto the brush. He gritted his teeth and persevered.

    Several hours later, after a few failed attempts, Li Lang wiped the sweat from his forehead as he looked down at his completed work. When he had finished the last stroke, he felt the air currents in the room change. He couldn¡¯t help but be elated.

    The talisman didn¡¯t look like anything special, compared to all the ones he had browsed through before in stores, but every creator was partial to their creations.

    ¡°Very good. It¡¯s not hard to complete a basic talisman like this, but you show promise. Shall we test out your work right away?¡± Yi Lin asked with a smile as he moved to close the windows to block off the light.

    Li Lang nodded and quickly activated the talisman. Almost immediately, the talisman began to emit a soft white glow, lighting up the room.

    ¡°Perfect. This means you have the basics of the technique down. Now we just need to work on your knowledge, so you know how to mix several runes together without allowing them to clash or overload it!¡±

    Yi Lin continued to ramble on about his education plan. Li Lang listened for the first part of it, but when he began to repeat himself, Li Lang swiftly tuned him out. Instead, he thought back to his experiences and began brainstorming the mechanics of how the talisman worked.

    There are a lot of rules to follow in this with the runes and whatnot¡­It almost feels like programming, but instead of typing as many lines of code as you want, you have to slot in different pieces together like a puzzle. I¡¯ll also have to explore how each piece affects each other and their environments.

    While Li Lang wasn¡¯t able to gain much by throwing a talisman into the auto-analyzer, that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t study it. Sure, it may be harder, but the core aspect of being a researcher is to study what they observe with a systematic approach.

    Sooner or later, I¡¯ll figure out how these talismans work. In fact¡­I should delve deeper into Alchemy as well. If only I could get more time¡­

    <hr>

    When Li Lang returned to his inn that day after successfully inscribing his first talisman, he immediately shared his experience with his peers. From their retellings, each of them was making good progress in learning the basics of their chosen craft.

    ¡°Artificing is different. I probably won¡¯t be able to craft an artifact any time soon. I¡¯ll have to spend some more time learning the process and gaining experience as an assistant before I am ready to craft one,¡± Long Yi said with a sigh.

    ¡°That¡¯s t-to be e-expected. Otherwise, a-artifacts would be flooding the market,¡± Wei Ping quipped. ¡°I, on t-the other hand, h-have learned to create a s-simple Skyrunner¡­O-one that is even s-simpler than the one w-we have. However, t-they take at l-least a month to g-grow.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I knew it wasn¡¯t possible to completely learn your select craft in just several months. The most important part I think is to learn what is important to your profession and focus on it. The trials are for younger generations in the Energy Gathering realm only, so they must value talent over your current skills.¡±

    ¡°How can we improve our talent?¡± Long Yi asked as he scratched his head.

    ¡°Aside from aptitude, talent in the crafts is a vague concept that is hard to quantify. That means the tests we will face will have a hard time differentiating talent and foreknowledge. We can focus on mimicking our mentors and acquire as much knowledge as possible.¡±

    ¡°B-boss, these are a l-lot of assumptions you¡¯re m-making.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    The three then quickly went about their own training before bed.

    Like always, Li Lang cultivated once in the morning and once at night.

    While he was doing so, He couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about the experience of employing the new Qi technique he was taught to create the talisman. He knew without direct guidance from his mentor; he wasn¡¯t likely to succeed by himself yet, but remembering that feeling would help his body learn.

    With such thoughts in his head, Li Lang went through the motions of enveloping his entire body in Qi and began to suck in the ambient Qi into himself to fill up the space that was now vacant. He would normally then return the Qi coating him, causing it to ¡®jam¡¯ into his filled container.

    Inadvertently, this time, Li Lang managed to exert more force with his Qi. He felt as if his container had suddenly cracked and the previous restraints were broken. All the Qi he had been painfully trying to absorb all entered his body at once without resistance.

    His body burned with power, and he subconsciously shot up from his seat and let out a grunt as he stretched his limbs.

    Have I¡­ broken through? And why was I able to exert more force with Qi all of a sudden? Was it from the improvements of my spiritual roots or from practicing Brushweaving?

 Chapter 81: True Craftsmen

    Li Lang¡¯s abrupt actions had startled his two companions. They both jumped out of their bed in a reflexive reaction to Li Lang jumping up.

    ¡°B-boss?¡±

    ¡°Umm, are you okay over there?¡±

    Li Lang felt his heart pumping, so he took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before responding.

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­broken through. I think I¡¯m in the fifth stage now!¡±

    It was only at his words that his two companions noticed the aura coming from Li Lang had changed. They had been too preoccupied with their own cultivation, but in hindsight, they should¡¯ve instantly been able to tell Li Lang¡¯s aura had changed.

    It was now denser, thicker, and more resilient. It was the aura of a fifth stage Energy Gatherer!

    ¡°Congratulations!¡±

    ¡°Haha, so you¡¯ve finally caught up. But don¡¯t slack off. I¡¯ll make another breakthrough soon enough.¡±

    Li Lang had been on the cusp of a breakthrough even before The Orchid Covenant¡¯s tournament had started. He felt liberated.

    Was the catalyst the Brushweaving techniques or my spiritual roots strengthening? Hmm¡­It should be. Brushweaving is a Qi controlling technique first and foremost. That means my little bottleneck was caused by my lack of Qi manipulation skills¡­

    Li Lang made a lot of realizations from this breakthrough. While he knew the path forward was to absorb more Qi into his body. Qi control was the key to that. Before, he had to slowly train his control during his cultivation sessions. While the results took time to build up, it was steady.

    Now, he found that Brushweaving could help train his Qi manipulation as well.

    Does this mean the other crafts can do the same? In Alchemy¡¯s case¡­I didn¡¯t do it through the proper techniques. If I used my Qi sense to monitor the pill and control the flames, I should be able to improve my Qi control, too.

    I¡¯ll have to pick between the mass production method and the traditional method for quality, which also helps me train at the same time.

    Li Lang tired out his mind from thinking of all the possibilities before he fell asleep.

    The next morning, after refining more Nourishment Pills and morning training, he arrived at Yi Lin¡¯s house once again. However, when he entered, his mentor didn¡¯t welcome him inside, but instead dragged him out of the house with him.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re here. It¡¯s high time we get on our way, otherwise, those old fools at the guild will make us wait.¡±

    ¡°What? Where are we going all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°To the Brushweaver Guild, of course! Now that you have successfully inscribed a talisman, you should get certified so you can make use of their services. Plus, it¡¯ll look good on my record to have trained an apprentice.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    While Li Lang believed his mentor was doing this more for himself, he wasn¡¯t opposed to it. He benefited from his Alchemist certification, and he didn¡¯t doubt Brushweaving would be the same.

    The only issue he worried about was if the Brushweaver Guild allowed a member of the Alchemist Guild to join their ranks.

    ¡°Just one question¡­Can I still take the test to become an official Brushweaver if I am already an alchemist?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve seen that ring on you. I wouldn¡¯t take you over for a wasted trip.¡± Seeing Li Lang¡¯s skeptical expression, Yi Lin continued. ¡°Many cultivators dabble in multiple crafts. It¡¯s not rare to have certification from multiple guilds. What is rare are those who excel in all of them. You¡¯ll see that the people at the higher ranks mostly specialize in one profession.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°So no one has ever practiced all five of the crafting professions to a high level?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­It¡¯s not that there aren¡¯t, but those are chosen geniuses that are too rare to be part of the norm. Those who are able to practice all five to a high level are referred to as ¡®True Craftsman¡¯, but I haven¡¯t heard much about it besides the name. There hasn¡¯t been such a genius on our Violet Isles.¡±

    ¡°Then where did you hear about the True Craftsman?¡±

    ¡°The visitors from the mainland. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they did actually have a few True Craftsmen among them. They have much richer resources, heritages, bigger populations, and multiple immortals that have reached the Heaven Link realm.¡±

    ¡°...If that place is so great, why don¡¯t you move there instead?¡±

    ¡°Haha, I wish. It¡¯s not that easy. The mainland is blocked off by the Great Cloud Sea. Only those in the Spirit Divide realm can safely go through it. And I don¡¯t know about you, but I don¡¯t have any friends in the Spirit Divide realm to take me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The two passed the time quickly through their conversation and they soon found themselves before a grand building, much like the Alchemist Guild. However, the architecture and decoration of the place had a completely different feel.

    The Brushweaver Guild gave off the atmosphere one would expect from a gathering of artists, while the Alchemist Guild was closer to that of a pharmacy.

    This could be felt the moment Li Lang entered the grand building. As soon as they entered, the sound of water could be heard. That was because the entrance led to a wooden bridge that went over a small indoor river.

    On the two sides of the doorway, there were two streams of water pouring down into the waterway below. The two small waterfalls were only one story tall, but the impact they had on the atmosphere was enormous.

    The path ahead was obscured by mist, but the haze could not obscure the sound of people conversing.

    Under Yi Lin¡¯s guidance, the two quickly crossed the bridge into the real lobby of the Brushweaver Guild.

    While Yi Lin immediately headed for the counter, Li Lang lagged behind as he surveyed his surroundings.

    He found numerous people there. Many of them were sitting around on benches, chatting or meditating, while some were appreciating the various calligraphy pieces neatly framed on the walls.

    ¡°Li Lang, don¡¯t fall behind now,¡± Yi Lin¡¯s voice rang out.

    Li Lang quickly caught up with his mentor at the desk.

    ¡°Sorry about that, Xixi. As I was saying, I would like to have my apprentice here registered.¡±

    ¡°That, I can take care of, but the guild master still wants to see you.¡±

    ¡°...Oh, fine. Just make sure he¡¯s finished by the time I¡¯m done from being lectured.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault for always being late for your commissions,¡± the receptionist immediately quipped.

    ¡°...Well, Li Lang. You follow this ¡®nice¡¯ lady here. I should be done by the time you finish up.¡±

    With those words, Li Lang¡¯s mentor swiftly disappeared up the nearby staircase.

    ¡°Sorry, you had to see that. I¡¯m sure you may already know, but your mentor isn¡¯t exactly an organized person.¡±

    ¡°Haha¡­right.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, please wait a moment. One of our Brushweavers on duty will come to administer your exam.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t have to wait long before a tall and elegant old man strode toward him with a straight back, and the receptionist lady politely nodded his way.

    ¡°Come with me, young one,¡± the man kindly said like an old grandfather.

    He really does give off the impression of a scholar that fits right into this place.

    The old man guided him up the same stairs Yi Lin had taken and continued climbing until they reached the third floor. From there, they navigated to a narrow hallway with doors spaced evenly over every dozen steps.

    It was almost perfectly quiet on this floor, and the two soon entered one of the rooms.

    Inside was a spacious room filled with desks that were set up like a classroom. It had enough space for over twenty students, but there was only Li Lang and the old man there right now.

    ¡°Go ahead and pick any desk you would like. I take it you have brought your own tools, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Senior.¡±

    ¡°No need to be polite with me. I¡¯m just a caretaker around here. The one star Brushweaver who will be administering your exam will be here soon. Please use this time to prepare yourself.¡±

    The old man then quickly excused himself, leaving Li Lang alone.

    So he wasn¡¯t a Brushweaver¡­

    Li Lang soon threw any idle thoughts aside as he prepared his Moon Brush and inkstone for the upcoming test. However, even when he was done setting up and waited for over half an hour, no one came.

    Just when Li Lang was about to take a peek outside, the door opened in front of his face. He swiftly hopped back as a towering figure entered.

    The newcomer was at least a head taller than the six-foot Long Yi. He also had a muscular build, with arms thicker than Li Lang¡¯s thighs. He glared down at Li Lang with his arms crossed.

    ¡°Li Lang¡­Only thirty minutes and you are already getting impatient?¡±

    Don¡¯t tell me, this guy is the one star Brushweaver? He doesn¡¯t look like someone who would hold a brush at all¡­and he made me wait on purpose?

 Chapter 82: Brushweaver Guild

    ¡°Sir¡­You are?¡± Li Lang cautiously asked the muscular man by the door.

    He had a suspicion that this was the proctor for his Brushweaver test, but that would also mean he was an esteemed one star Brushweaver. Li Lang¡¯s mind just couldn¡¯t make the connection between the brawny man before him with someone who elegantly held a brush.

    ¡°I am Bai Yunfeng, the one star Brushweaver in charge of your test,¡± the man gallantly declared.

    ¡°...I see. I am ready, sir. Please give me your instructions.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, the test has already begun. My first test was testing your patience, and you already got impatient after thirty minutes.¡±

    ¡°That¡­Has to do with Brushweaving?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Brushweaving requires concentration and steady hands. Both of these things require great patience to hone.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°With that said, thirty minutes is acceptable for one as young as you. We will now proceed to the practical part of your test.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Now I¡¯m not sure if this was actually part of the test or just some excuse he came up with for being late.

    The man¡¯s straightforwardness had already gotten Li Lang exhausted, but he proceeded as directed.

    They slowly walked over to the table with all of Li Lang¡¯s tools set up.

    ¡°This part will be simple. You must make a proper talisman in order to become an official apprentice Brushweaver. Any kind of talisman will do.¡±

    I¡¯m starting to lean toward the direction where the patience test didn¡¯t matter at all¡­

    Bai Yunfeng then placed down several blank talisman papers and took a seat on the adjacent desk.

    ¡°You have one hour,¡± Bai Yunfeng declared before closing his eyes.

    Li Lang wasted no time and got straight to it. He took out an ink stick and began infusing his Qi into it before grinding it down into its liquid form.

    He had been practicing the same light element talisman so far, so he easily drew the required runes from memory. As he focused, he felt like the time around him accelerated until he heard a noise coming from the large Brushweaver beside him.

    The big man had fallen asleep and was snoring. The scene stunned Li Lang for a brief moment before he shook his head and continued working on his talisman.

    Like that, while Bai Yunfeng slept, Li Lang soon completed two talismans over the hour.

    ¡°Senior Bai, an hour has passed. Please wake up,¡± Li Lang said as he tapped on the man¡¯s shoulder.

    The man responded by lazily stretching out his back as he let out an unrestrained yawn.

    ¡°It¡¯s been that long already? Let me see.¡±

    He strode over to inspect Li Lang¡¯s work, giving the two completed talismans a thorough inspection. It didn¡¯t last long when he suddenly activated the two talismans.

    Two bright lights began to illuminate the room.

    ¡°It works, not bad. Follow me to complete the paperwork.¡±

    Li Lang blinked blankly at the response. The test had felt easy compared to the time he had at the Alchemist Guild.

    As if he read Li Lang¡¯s mind, Bai Yunfeng explained as he held the door open.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, kid. There are no more tests. Becoming an apprentice Brushweaver isn¡¯t too difficult as long as you can afford the resources to craft the tools and know a proper technique for the inscription itself. Anyone can do it. It¡¯s the test to become a one star Brushweaver that is hard. Inscribing multiple complicated runes is when things start to get messy.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    I guess I owe Yi Lin a lot for providing all that for me. Or maybe it is this easy to become an apprentice craftsman when you¡¯re studying under a mentor¡­

    As he thought about the convenience of having a proper mentor, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but reconsider finding one for Alchemy as well. He was already an apprentice, but he didn¡¯t know any Qi techniques for the profession. He relied on trial and error from Ruby¡¯s artifact space to brute force a solution.

    While it had worked so far, Li Lang had a hunch that the more high-level pills wouldn¡¯t be as easy. As the mysterious power of Qi got more involved, he wanted to attain proper methods to study new approaches to how pill refining worked.

    The large man known as Bai Yunfeng soon led him back to a counter in the lobby. He spoke a few words to the clerk there before they swiftly went into the back to retrieve something.

    A few minutes later, the man returned.

    ¡°Here you are, Master Bai.¡±

    ¡°Right here, Li Lang. You must sign this Qi contract to become our official member. Please look it over, but there shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    Li Lang carefully read over the terms.

    ¡°This is the type of contract that will alert both parties to any breaches, correct?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not powerful to do anything else, rest assured. Not even the guild is rich enough to waste those Heaven Smiting contracts.¡±

    It was at this moment that a hand landed on Li Lang¡¯s shoulder and he turned to discover it was Yi Lin, his mentor in Brushweaving.

    ¡°You¡¯re done?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, just have to sign and finish up the procedures.¡±

    Yi Lin then glanced over the contract himself before nodding.

    Seeing this, Li Lang went ahead and signed it after he found no problems with it and returned it to the clerk.

    In return, he received a metal ring with a pentagon-shaped bezel with the word ¡®Water¡¯ inscribed on it. Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to wear it immediately, putting it on his middle finger. He now had two similar-looking rings, one on the index finger and the other on the middle finger.

    The main difference besides the different words inscribed onto it was the color of the background. The alchemy ring with the word ¡®fire¡¯ on it had a red background, while the Brushweaver ring had a blue background.

    ¡°Good job,¡± Yi Lin said with a smile.

    ¡°You better keep up the work, kid.¡± Bai Yunfeng followed up immediately after. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you humble my nephew in Brushweaving, too.¡±

    ¡°Your nephew?¡±

    ¡°Bai Yuchen, the guy you beat up. He¡¯s told me all about you and your friends. Ha ha ha.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t need to ask to know what the boy in question had told his uncle. There were definitely no pleasant words, that was for sure.

    ¡°You¡¯re his uncle¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yep, but don¡¯t worry about it. I have nothing against you. In fact, I¡¯m happy you put Yuchen in his place. Kids his age easily let it get to their heads, and it¡¯d do him good to get a wake-up call sooner rather than later. Anyway, I won¡¯t take up any more of your time. See you around.¡±

    The mentor and student wordlessly watched the brawny man leave before Yi Lin turned his attention back to his student.

    ¡°That wraps up all the business we have at the guild today. Shall we head back?¡±

    Li Lang nodded, and they quickly got on their way.

    While they were traversing the busy main streets of Emberglow City, Yi Lin occasionally scratched his head awkwardly while staring at Li Lang. The strange behavior didn¡¯t escape Li Lang¡¯s notice.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°...I just want to tell you that I¡¯ll have to be away for a week or two starting next week.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no problem. I can study by myself during that time. I should be able to buy any materials I¡¯ll need too now that I¡¯m a member of the guild.¡±

    And I can look for an alchemy mentor during that time!

    ¡°Good¡­Sorry about this. It seems my procrastination has caught up to me and I have to go fulfill some requests in person. That stupid old guild master, holding my promotion qualification over me to get me to do things.¡±

    ¡°...Good luck.¡±

    The two soon returned to Yi Lin¡¯s abode and spent the rest of the day working on various requests Li Lang¡¯s mentor had piled up. While Li Lang acted only as an assistant or spectator at times, it was still fruitful for him to simply observe.

    With the auto-analyzer not being able to decipher anything other than the Qi signature of the talismans, the importance of these sessions was only magnified.

    During that night, Li Lang once again returned to the artifact space once he had finished his cultivation session.

    ¡°Welcome back, master, and congratulations on your breakthrough! The auto-analyzer should be even faster now!¡± Ruby¡¯s childish voice immediately sounded out.

    ¡°Thanks, Ruby. I also have a question for you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°If you consume my Brushweaving tools, will I be able to create talismans in here?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I am not so limited that I can¡¯t even do that. However, just like with anything else containing Qi, I won¡¯t be able to handle anything beyond your current cultivation. There¡¯s just no way to analyze or simulate Qi beyond Master¡¯s realm.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable¡­It still works out perfectly. Thanks, Ruby.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Having heard his answers, Li Lang began diving straight into the results from the previous day, monitoring their toxin levels and various parameters.

    Now then, I just need to procure another set of Brushweaver tools. I should also look into getting an Alchemy mentor while Yi Lin is away.

 Chapter 83: Back to the Basics

    A week passed, and Li Lang was hit with a cold hard truth.

    Brushweaver tools were expensive.

    The Elemental Serpent fang and Silver Thorn Lion mane he used for his Moon Brush were way out of his budget. They each cost hundreds of Qi stones and thus, out of Li Lang¡¯s means.

    This was because both these materials came from peak Energy Gathering Qi beasts. Only those in the Foundation Establishment realm could reliably hunt for them.

    The new information made Li Lang appreciate his mentor more and more because he casually gifted him these valuable materials. Even the talisman paper and ink sticks weren¡¯t cheap, as they were all products from esteemed Woodsmiths.

    While Yi Lin could easily afford it, as he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Li Lang was a different story.

    When Yi Lin finally had to leave town, he naturally had to lock up his abode and Li Lang now had to buy his own resources to practice with. Luckily, his friend Wei Ping had the connections he needed to purchase at a discount.

    Good thing I only need to buy them once since I have Ruby around. Now I can focus on searching for an alchemy mentor.

    With that in mind, Li Lang went back to The Orchid Covenant¡¯s headquarters and requested a list of all Alchemists currently taking in students.

    This time, he had fewer mentors to choose from. Only two were currently accepting students, and Li Lang could understand why.

    Unlike in Brushweaving, where the mentor had a good idea of how much they had to invest in an apprentice for their work to bear fruit, alchemy was a whole different matter.

    In Brushweaving, one needed patience, memory, proper tools, and techniques to become an apprentice. All of these qualities could be attained through hard work.

    In Alchemy, one had to rely on natural talent much more. The nature of working with materials that had slight variances, controlling the heat, and adjusting on the fly based on the minute difference in the environment, were skills that were hard to learn.

    In both cases, more practice would help. However, the material cost of alchemy in this case was much higher, as it was uncertain when the apprentice would grasp these soft skills. In comparison, Brushweaving¡¯s bulk of the expenses were in the tools, and they wouldn¡¯t evaporate into nothingness when one failed.

    This meant there were many more apprentice Brushweavers than Alchemists!

    This resulted in talisman stores flourishing with many successful Brushweavers running their own stores, while alchemists were much rarer, mostly selling through the guild. Alchemists were just too busy researching their techniques and pill recipes to be able to mass-produce cheaper pills. They also lacked enough apprentices to take over this task.

    That was why Li Lang had been so valued back in the Yellow Qilin province and had been recruited to Spirit Grove. The demand always outstripped supply. This was true regardless of low-tier or high-tier pills.

    Reading over the profile of the two alchemists recruiting, Li Lang quickly selected the one who seemed to have a deeper foundation in the craft. What he needed were tried-and-true techniques that he could learn from, not novel techniques that added complications. That way, it would be easier for him to unravel them.

    The two mentor candidates were between two one star alchemists where one of them was an old established member of the Alchemist guild while the other was a newer independent cultivator that had recently joined the covenant.

    Wasting no time, Li Lang headed straight to see his prospective mentor. They were located in the Alchemist Guild itself, so Li Lang was familiar with the path there.

    ¡°Excuse me, I would like to see Senior Zhao Longwei.¡±

    The receptionist glanced over at Li Lang¡¯s ring for a moment before responding.

    ¡°I can contact him. Was there a message you wanted to pass along?¡±

    ¡°Yes, tell him a disciple from The Orchid Covenant has come to visit him.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡±

    Soon, a middle-aged man with a full beard that ran all the way down to his chest descended the stairs and headed straight toward the counter where Li Lang was.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°An apprentice alchemist at such a young age?¡± the man muttered as he stroked his beard. ¡±Follow me.¡±

    They quickly went onto the second floor and entered a break room. There was a tea set sitting on the table in the middle, and various fruits beside it.

    The man gestured for Li Lang to get seated before fetching some water from a porcelain jug. The alchemist filled the teapot with some tea before pouring the cold water straight into the teapot. However, what surprised Li Lang was how the water that came out was steaming hot.

    There are no traces of anyone nearby, and the jug of water should¡¯ve sat there for some time. This must be his fire Qi art!

    The man only spoke once he finished pouring two cups of tea and took a sip himself.

    ¡°Tell me, I believe you should be looking to find a mentor if you¡¯re looking for me and from the covenant, but why? You¡¯re already an alchemist apprentice. Don¡¯t you already have a master?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you, Senior Zhao. I came here from the Yellow Qilin province, and I had no proper teacher before this. I had received some guidance, but no proper inheritance.¡±

    The middle-aged man calmly took another sip of tea and laid back in his seat, staring at the ground.

    ¡°You have read my requirements for taking students, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, to be your personal disciple and spread your techniques far and wide. However, I have a different offer for you.¡±

    At those words, Zhao Longwei looked up at Li Lang.

    ¡°You want to make an offer to me?¡± he smiled in amusement. ¡°What could you possibly have that could entice a Violet Core cultivator like me?¡±

    ¡°Senior Zhao, I am not foolish enough to believe anything I own would draw your attention, but I do have something I may attain very soon.¡±

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re talking about what¡¯s in the pocket realm?¡±

    Li Lang smiled and nodded.

    ¡°So you knew about that?¡±

    ¡°That competition was our covenant¡¯s event, after all. I at least know the names of those who venturing into the pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°Great, then I won¡¯t have to explain. What I want to offer you is the knowledge I will gain from the pocket realm. I plan on challenging the alchemy trials within.¡±

    Li Lang had heard all about what the pocket realm had to offer. It was an ancient training realm made by some large organizations. That meant it offered valuable resources and knowledge on every facet of cultivation.

    While numerous disciples had ventured into the pocket realm over the years, almost all of them received different benefits that catered to their needs. It wasn¡¯t surprising that there would be unknown tomes on alchemy lying in wait within the pocket realm.

    ¡°You know, I would¡¯ve sent my other disciples in if I thought they had a chance to pass those trials. I know of at least a dozen alchemy geniuses from other organizations that will be heading in this time. Why should I believe you will be able to attain something I could use? You¡¯re only in the fifth stage of the Energy Gathering realm. You might be able to get some mortal-level techniques at best.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say how I will place when compared with those other geniuses, but I can say I am a safe investment for you. I am already an apprentice alchemist, so you won¡¯t have to spend a large amount of resources to get me up to speed. You¡¯ll only have to share your guidance and techniques with me. Think about it. You won¡¯t be losing much, even if I fail.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Zhao Longwei didn¡¯t answer and instead closed his eyes for a few moments. When he reopened them, he stared straight at Li Lang.

    ¡°Very well, but we will have to sign a contract first. The spoils are often intangible or cannot be taken out of the pocket realm, so I will need reassurance that you will be sharing the authentic article.¡±

    ¡°Understood, no problem. Shall we head to the merchant guild?¡±

    The middle-aged man nodded, and the two swiftly departed. The merchant guild was always bustling, but with Zhao Longwei¡¯s identity as a one star alchemist, they were fast-tracked immediately.

    After both drafting and signing the contract, the representative from the merchant guild stowed away the pieces of paper, and the agreement was settled. It was one of their many services, so it went without a snag.

    The next day, Li Lang found himself inside a private refining room with his new alchemy mentor.

    ¡°Before we start going over any techniques, let us review what you know so far. You don¡¯t have to reveal any sensitive techniques, just the basics are fine.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­I used a strange method that allowed me to refine pills ever since I was in the third stage of Energy Gathering. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m familiar with any basic technique at all.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Zhao Longwei¡¯s tone instantly became more serious. ¡°You know nothing at all and have been certified as an apprentice alchemist?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­a certain elder did walk me through the steps. I at least know the importance of using Qi sense to monitor the pill and Qi arts to control the fire, but not actually how to do it properly.¡±

    ¡°...I see, a natural alchemy genius,¡± the man muttered. ¡°I will go over the basics then. Bring out your pill furnace.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­I don¡¯t have one either. I normally use the ones available in the refining room.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    An exhausted sigh could be heard from the middle-aged man as he stroked his beard.

    ¡°Very well. Since I have decided to invest in you, there¡¯s no point in skimping. Here, you can take one of my spare furnaces.¡±

    At the wave of the hand, Zhao Longwei materialized a brand new pill furnace. It greatly resembled what Li Lang had once seen in the various stores he had visited.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Senior! How do I stow it away and bring it out like you did?¡± Li Lang immediately asked.

    ¡°That¡­you¡¯ll have to figure out yourself. Spatial rings aren¡¯t something I can afford to hand out. Even if I did, it would only put a target on you. It is a disaster to have wealth you cannot defend.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    I guess I¡¯ll have to carry it around?

 Chapter 84: Traditional Alchemy

    Li Lang quickly accepted the reality of having to carry his new pill furnace around from now on. It was almost the size of a person, but with his cultivation now in the fifth stage of Energy Gathering, it shouldn¡¯t pose too much of a problem.

    ¡°Now then. Since you claim you have no experience employing the basic techniques of alchemy, let us start with that.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Zhao Longwei summoned yet another furnace for himself before he began taking out various materials like Jade Leaves and Lighthorn.

    ¡°A pill furnace is a vital partner of any alchemist. You should know the ins and outs of your own furnace so that you may skillfully monitor and react accordingly during a refining session. While you should still be able to use other furnaces, if you want quality, then you must master using your own.¡±

    ¡°Then why is it so common for there to be furnaces inside each refining room?¡±

    ¡°Those are good for specific situations. For example, if you were researching a brand new pill recipe you weren¡¯t familiar with, you may want to use these furnaces instead. That way, if it explodes, it isn¡¯t your furnace that gets damaged. It is also used in exams and competitions to prevent underhanded tricks.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Having heard the explanation, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but brush his hand over his new pill furnace. The explanation resonated with him, as the consistency of using the same furnaces allowed them to remove another variable at play. Eliminating these variables was always good for his research.

    ¡°So, was there a pill you would like to learn first?¡±

    ¡°We can go with the Recovery Pill. Every batch I create using my techniques results in subpar quality. I would love to learn the basics with this pill and compare results.¡±

    ¡°Good choice,¡± Zhao Longwei nodded. ¡°While it is basic, it definitely tests your foundation. Now watch. The first step is to always examine your materials. Even though we often use Jade Leaves as a medium between the other materials, each and every leaf varies slightly. These slight differences could cause drastically different results that you¡¯ll need to learn how to address.¡±

    The middle-aged man held up the material in question and showed it to his new student before continuing.

    ¡°Using your eyes isn¡¯t enough. Use your Qi sense as well.¡±

    Li Lang picked up one of the Jade Leaves on the table and began channeling his Qi into it. He was able to clearly sense its shape, temperature, and condition. However, it was just a feeling, and he didn¡¯t have any precise instruments to tell him exactly its size and temperature. Still, it was as if he was touching it with his hands, but not getting burnt.

    So traditional alchemists memorize the feeling? That doesn¡¯t sound the most reliable¡­I wonder if there are any artifacts I could use to get precise measurements with Qi sense. If Ruby could do it, it should mean it¡¯s possible.

    ¡°Once you have familiarized yourself with each material, you will then process them using the techniques I will be teaching you.¡±

    The middle-aged man quickly materialized a small knife, a mortar, and a pestle. He then proceeded to show Li Lang the various techniques to prepare the materials for refining. It involved enveloping the tools with his Qi and how to handle certain parts of the materials.

    ¡°You will then inspect your furnace the same way you did with the materials. After that, you will channel your Qi into the furnace to power it. By default, it comes with a basic fire formation inside. It should be sufficient for now, but at a higher level, many alchemists tame special fires with unique properties.¡±

    Zhao Longwei¡¯s furnace swiftly lit up and the temperature in the room rapidly rose along with it. Seeing this, Li Lang mimicked his mentor.

    ¡°Next, you will begin following the recipe. Throughout the refining process, do not forget to maintain your Qi sense on the furnace. You will need to monitor how the materials are changing in real-time and adjust accordingly. There are some specific Qi techniques you will have to learn in order to manipulate what is going on inside.¡±

    The next technique Li Lang learned was a type of Qi art. It was similar to telekinesis in that it allowed him to handle the materials inside. However, he was only able to do so by keeping physical contact with the pill furnace.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    That was because he was still in the middle stages of Energy Gathering. He could only maintain Qi arts that were still connected to him.

    Having gained the ability to control the materials, Li Lang could now address the peculiarities of each material. Some had to be stretched while being refined, or it would crunch up and affect the results. While some had to be rotated around to prevent them from being burnt on one side.

    Again, each material was unique, so one had to pay careful attention during each session even when refining the same pill. It was one of the reasons why high-level alchemists didn¡¯t bother refining mortal pills. It was too below them, and they had better ways to spend their time.

    These methods¡­are completely incompatible with my current methods. The core of my refining technique is to make all the materials and processes consistent enough that the same results can be achieved each time. This new method requires carefully catering to the materials used while mine makes the material conform to my standards.

    No wonder all my pills are subpar in quality. By Standardizing the materials, it reduced some of their efficacy. It is like I use a mold while others carefully adapt their techniques for the material.

    The mentoring session went on without a hitch. Zhao Longwei walked through every step of refining the pill.

    Li Lang found the entire process much more tedious than what he was used to. It was like he was carefully taking care of an active toddler, tending to its needs every moment and keeping it away from trouble. His previous methods were more akin to babysitting a teenager. He could leave them to their own devices most of the time, just having to monitor them.

    The first pill refining Li Lang attempted ultimately ended in failure. The conditions within the furnace were too unruly, and he didn¡¯t have the techniques to correct the issues that arose. While it made him miss his own methods that made it a lot more tame, it also excited him at the prospect of being able to craft higher quality pills. He was tired of always producing subpar work.

    Afterward, Zhao Longwei carefully guided Li Lang on how to employ the Qi art that allowed him to manipulate the materials when it was within the furnace.

    They only stopped when the sun began to set.

    ¡°That is all for now. Practice those techniques until you can freely employ them. Often, a delay of one-tenth of a second may ruin the entire batch, so I cannot stress how important it is to practice.¡±

    When Li Lang left the Alchemist Guild, he left with his new furnace. He heaved it up on his back while he walked, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.

    Like that, he made his way through the streets of Emberglow City until he arrived back at his inn.

    ¡°Li Lang¡­You bought a pill furnace?¡± Long Yi yelped at the sight of the bulky furnace.

    ¡°No, we don¡¯t have enough money to spare for that. My new mentor gifted it to me.¡±

    ¡°Y-you found a m-mentor for alchemy, boss? W-why? Don¡¯t you already k-know how to refine pills?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I figured my current method may not do too well in certain types of trials I may face. After all, I can only refine subpar-quality pills.¡±

    ¡°Then what about Brushweaving?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I can handle both.¡±

    The trio then shared their experience with each other before each doing their own thing. Long Yi had a lot of texts relating to Artifcing to read, while Wei Ping was channeling Qi into various seeds.

    Li Lang was busy training his new alchemy techniques with his furnace as well.

    Like this, the trio cultivated and practiced their craft until it was time for the opening of The Great Trial of Water Crest¡ªor so that¡¯s what they had planned.

    What they didn¡¯t expect several weeks into the training was an incident that happened within their inn. This incident forced them to divert their attention.

    On one particular night, just when they were all in the middle of practicing, dozens of footsteps could be heard outside their room. They only ignored it until knocking could be heard at their door.

    ¡°Open up! We are the enforcers from the Bloodwave Conclave!¡±

    Instantly, the three exchanged glances before both Wei Ping and Long Yi rested their gaze on Li Lang.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± they both asked in unison.

    ¡°What? Why are you looking at me? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    Li Lang was speechless at the doubt in his friends¡¯ eyes.

    The door was knocked on once again, prompting them to take action. Li Lang went ahead and opened it, revealing two figures in black and red robes. Behind them, they could see another pair of people in the same clothing, knocking on the rooms on the opposite side of the hall.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Li Lang innocently asked.

    ¡°There has been an incident at this inn. Everyone is to gather in the lobby.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Save your questions for later. You¡¯ve got five minutes before we forcefully move you downstairs.¡±

    With those words, the two men from the Bloodwave Conclave moved on to the next room.

    ¡°I g-guess we don¡¯t have a c-choice,¡± Wei Ping muttered.

    The three quickly descended to the lobby, where they found two dozen other guests already there. The innkeeper was sitting in her usual spot, looking weary.

    However, the person who drew the most attention in the room was a man in black and red robes. He had a commanding presence, and everyone could tell he was the person in charge.

    Li Lang and the gang instantly recognized him as soon as they made eye contact. It was the same man who had interrogated them when one of their test subjects had been murdered when they first arrived.

    ¡°Senior Tai?¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°You kids again¡­¡±

 Chapter 85: Murder

    For a moment, everyone in the room alternated glances between the three strange kids and the expert from the Bloodwave Conclave.

    Despite the tension in the room, Li Lang cleared his throat and walked closer to the man in charge.

    ¡°Senior Tai, it¡¯s been a while. I hope you¡¯ve been well.¡±

    ¡°...I remember telling you kids to stay out of trouble. And what do I find here?¡±

    ¡°What? Are we in trouble for just staying at an inn?¡±

    Tai Xilun narrowed his eyes at the boys for a moment before letting out a sigh. He then turned to the innkeeper.

    ¡°Is this everyone?¡±

    ¡°No, there are still a few more people upstairs.¡±

    Tai Xilun nodded and gazed over at one of his subordinates.

    ¡°Tell them to hurry up.¡±

    After several more minutes, more and more people trickled into the lobby. The group of Bloodwave Conclave disciples who had knocked on Li Lang¡¯s door returned, nodding to Tai Xilun, marking the start of their discussions.

    ¡°Thank you for your patience, everyone. I¡¯m sure most of you are confused as to what is happening, so I won¡¯t keep you in suspense any longer. A murder has happened within this establishment today. Our examinations showed that it happened within the last two hours, so we have detained you all for our investigation. I hope for your understanding and cooperation in keeping Emberglow City safe.¡±

    Murmurs could be heard around the room as the guests each reacted differently to the news. Some were calm while some panicked, but they quickly settled down when Tai Xilun cleared his throat.

    ¡°Now then, we will be interviewing each of you separately. Please follow our disciple¡¯s instructions.¡±

    With that declaration, several Bloodwave Conclave members went ahead and picked out several guests. Tai Xilun did the same, except he went straight to Li Lang.

    ¡°You, come with me.¡±

    Letting out a sigh at the misfortune he found himself in, Li Lang begrudgingly followed. They went inside the kitchen and went into a small room where they kept miscellaneous tools.

    ¡°So, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been testing out your new pills around here again, are you?¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯ve put a pause on that for now.¡±

    Tai Xilun silently stared at Li Lang for a moment before continuing.

    ¡°Then have you heard of the name Yong Hua?¡±

    Li Lang shook his head.

    ¡°How about Hei So?¡±

    Li Lang shook his head.

    ¡°Was there anything suspicious you might have noticed during the past few days, then?¡±

    Again, the young boy shook his head.

    ¡°...I may not have suspected you that much, but can you be more cooperative with me here? I heard from the innkeeper you¡¯ve lived here for a while now. How can you possibly not have noticed anything?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­we mostly keep to ourselves and eat in our room. We¡¯re out during the day as well.¡±

    It was only then that Tai Xilun looked down at Li Lang¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You have a new ring¡­You¡¯ve become a Brushweaver as well? And I see you¡¯ve also joined The Orchid Covenant.¡±

    ¡°Apprentice, but yea¡­¡±

    ¡°Look, can you think a little harder to see if there is anything that may be helpful to us?¡± Tai Xilun asked in a dreary voice. ¡°Since you¡¯re part of The Orchid Covenant, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. These strings of murder have tired out my patience. I feel like I¡¯m going to drain the blood of everyone suspicious until someone talks if we don¡¯t get to the bottom of this!¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Li Lang visibly gulped at the words of the man before him. He still remembered the first day he arrived in the city, where he witnessed Tai Xilun doing exactly as he had just described. It didn¡¯t help that his powers over blood gave the impression of the typical villains on the demonic path.

    I heard demonic cultivation techniques affect the mind. Is he close to deviating?!

    ¡°Umm, maybe I can help if you tell me more details?¡±

    ¡°What details¡­¡± the man shook his head with a disheartened expression. ¡°It was a messy crime scene with a lot of blood, but our divination didn¡¯t work. We can¡¯t even tell if it¡¯s the victim¡¯s or perpetrator¡¯s blood. There isn¡¯t much for us to go on.¡±

    Blood¡­In that case, maybe I can help, after all.

    ¡°I may be able to help with that¡­Can you bring me to the crime scene?¡±

    Hearing those words, Tai Xilun furrowed his brows.

    ¡°What? You? What can a boy like you do?¡±

    ¡°From my¡­alchemy techniques, I have a knack for analyzing things. I might be able to find some clues from the blood left behind. I¡¯ll at least be able to tell if it¡¯s the victim¡¯s blood..¡±

    ¡°...Whatever, it doesn¡¯t hurt to give it a try. Prepare yourself and follow me.¡±

    The two exited the room and returned to the lobby. Li Lang found his friends missing, likely being interrogated, and shook his head in condolences.

    He then followed Tai Xilin up to the second floor, into a room at the end of the hallway. He waved at the two guards by the door, who respectfully opened it for him.

    Immediately, Li Lang could see that Tai Xilun hadn¡¯t been joking when he said it was a gruesome scene. A large pool of blood covered half the room. There was even a lifeless body of a woman lying in the middle of it.

    ¡°You guys left the scene untouched?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the divinators are fussy like that. Even though we met their demands, they still couldn¡¯t find anything,¡± Tai Xilun sighed. ¡°Whoever we are chasing is thorough and knowledgeable in ways to avoid us.¡±

    ¡°...Do you mind if I touch things in here, then?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, we are cleaning it up after questioning everyone, anyway. Just don¡¯t make more of a mess.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t want to stay at the crime scene any longer than he needed to, so he went straight to it. He kneeled down by the pool of blood. He only hesitated for a brief moment before dipping a finger into the pool of blood while his other hand held pressed on his hat.

    ¡°Ruby, take in some of the blood.¡±

    ¡°Consider it done, master!¡±

    Li Lang then stood up and took on the thinking pose, but in reality, his attention was within Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    He swiftly generated a bottle and materialized the blood into it before putting it into the auto-analyzer.

    Just from the timer that showed up, Li Lang found out the blood no longer contained any Qi. It was a rare sight, as few people abstained from cultivating entirely. He went over the report and obtained a basic profile of who the blood belonged to.

    The report showed the blood was from a male with amber eyes and brown hair. From the telomere length at the ends of the chromosomes, the person was estimated to be between forty-five and fifty-five.

    Hmm¡­but what if the results were from a much older cultivator who was only physically around fifty years old? That Elder Nong from a while back had the appearance of a kid because he broke into the Foundation Establishment realm early, or so he says.

    But there aren¡¯t any traces of Qi in the blood¡­

    Having gone through the entire report, Li Lang swiftly exited out of the artifact space. He turned around to face Tai Xilun who had been silently waiting.

    ¡°From my techniques, I can tell you that this blood belongs to a man with amber eyes, around his fifties, and no cultivation.¡±

    ¡°What? You actually found something?! You better not be joking around¡­¡± the senior from the Bloodwave Conclave frowned. ¡°Are you saying none of this blood belongs to the victim?¡±

    It only took an instant for Li Lang to realize what he was implying. He glanced over at the body and was reminded that the victim had been a woman. It was extremely strange that the blood around her all belonged to someone else.

    ¡°...That¡¯s right. But then who does it belong to?¡±

    ¡°The culprit, of course.¡±

    ¡°What? I¡¯m fairly certain the blood belongs to someone with no cultivation. How is it possible for someone like that to give you guys so much trouble?¡±

    ¡°No¡­Among the techniques I know, there are some that hinder others from tracking them down. They do this by eliminating every trace of Qi, and this is likely the reason why our divinators couldn¡¯t find anything.¡±

    ¡°...If that is true, then maybe this blood does belong to the culprit. How in the world did he manage to get all the blood around here to be his without bleeding out? There are also no traces of this woman¡¯s blood mixed into it, either.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±

    ¡°I can do another test to make sure, but I think so.¡±

    ¡°...In that case, we may be dealing with someone from within the conclave¡­We have several techniques that can do exactly this; turning the victim¡¯s blood into our own.¡±

    Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but stare over at Tai Xilun¡¯s way. His assistance had led the man to arrive at the conclusion that there was a traitor amongst his own ranks. He could sense things were about to get messy, and he dreaded getting involved.

    At the same time, his curiosity was lit. Unknown techniques that could hide their users¡¯ tracks. It could prove useful for him in the future, but more than that, he simply wanted to research novel techniques.

    As he struggled between sating his curiosity and taking a cautious approach, he knew he had to make a decision when he sensed Tai Xilun had turned toward him with a scheming glint in his eyes.

    ¡°Li Lang, can you help us out one more time?¡±

    ¡­What am I getting myself into?

 Chapter 86: Lending a Hand

    After a long night, the people from the Bloodwave Conclave finally finished their investigation of the inn where the murder had happened.

    Li Lang and his crew immediately dove into their bed as soon as they were allowed to go. They discussed what had transpired while they were separated as they lazily lay on their bed.

    Their entire party fell silent after Li Lang had finished narrating how he got a new task foisted on him and his newfound worries.

    One may have presumed they fell asleep after staying up all night, but they were still too anxious.

    ¡°And you didn¡¯t decline right away, Li Lang? What¡¯s the matter with you? This isn¡¯t something we should get involved with!¡±

    ¡°B-boss¡­Did you j-just want to s-study their techniques?¡±

    ¡°...Come on guys, it¡¯s not for certain there¡¯ll be any follow-up, right? They might just catch the culprit overnight and be done with it all,¡± Li Lang said to lighten the mood.

    ¡°W-we¡¯ve been here for h-how many months? They s-still haven¡¯t caught the c-culprit yet. If they f-find out we had a p-part in hunting them down, then¡­¡± Wei Ping shook his head, afraid to continue.

    ¡°Maybe we can still find a way to decline to help somehow. We still haven¡¯t given him an answer yet and we¡¯re part of The Orchid Covenant. There should be some room for negotiations,¡± Long Yi muttered.

    ¡°B-Bloodwave Conclave runs this city. They have t-the most say, so if t-this Senior Tai persists on h-having your help and make a f-formal request to the c-covenant, we¡¯ll be hard-pressed to d-decline.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there was a rule saying we must risk our lives anywhere. We can just claim we¡¯re too busy with our preparations to enter the pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be burning some bridges,¡± Li Lang shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Senior Tai to reach out again and discuss it. Maybe we can delay it until it¡¯s almost time to enter the pocket realm. It¡¯s not like anyone can come after us once we¡¯re in there.¡±

    The trio soon used up their brainpower and fell asleep. But they then had to force themselves awake by the time noon came. They were all busy, so they decided to go a day with minimal sleep.

    The next morning, as they had suspected, someone from the Bloodwave Conclave had come to see them. However, they were wearing plain clothes instead of their usual black and red robes.

    He was a young man who appeared only a year or two older than Li Lang.

    ¡°I am Huang Si. Senior Tai sent me to guide you.¡±

    ¡°...Lead the way.¡±

    Li Lang and the gang exited the inn and slowly walked down the main street of Emberglow City. It didn¡¯t take them long to realize they were being led away from the Bloodwave Conclave headquarters rather than to it.

    ¡°Umm, are you sure we¡¯re going to the right place?¡±

    The young man didn¡¯t even bother answering them and kept walking.

    The trio begrudgingly followed. They soon made it to the edge of the red-light district and entered one of the many restaurants just on the fringe.

    The clientele at the place consisted mostly of men suffering from hangovers. It was inside the private room of this restaurant that they met up with Tai Xilun once more.

    ¡°Sorry about meeting here when you¡¯re all so young¡­We need to be discreet, considering it¡¯s not easy knowing who to trust. The information you¡¯ve provided me is not easy to act on, to say the least.¡±

    ¡°About that¡­¡± Li Lang quickly interjected at the first opportunity. ¡°We were thinking of only getting involved when it is almost time for us to enter the pocket realm¡­¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s words had wiped the smile off Tai Xilun¡¯s face. He closed his eyes for a moment in contemplation.

    Their guide, Huang Si, worriedly alternated glances between his senior and Li Lang. The tension in the room grew as no one made a sound after Li Lang¡¯s roundtable rejection.

    ¡°Name your price. I¡¯m willing to handsomely reward you if you agree to help. Now.¡±

    ¡°...Senior Tai, it is better you find others who are more capable. We are middle-stage Energy Gatherers. There are many who are more capable than us.¡±

    ¡°No, I want you to continue helping me until I catch the culprit. If you can identify the traits based on blood, then you can do it again and confirm if we have the same person from the scene of the crime, right?¡±

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    ¡°That¡­¡±

    ¡°No need to try to lie to me. I know what you¡¯re thinking, but don¡¯t underestimate me. I am Tai Xilun, the head disciple of the Bloodwave Conclave. With a target to protect, I won¡¯t allow any harm to come to you or your friends here.¡±

    Tai Xilin unleashed an aura of authority and power that made it hard to question his strength. Seeing Li Lang still undecided, the Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s head disciple pressed on with an enticing offer.

    ¡°I will reward each of you with a Foundation Pill to assist in your eventual breakthroughs.¡±

    At the new offer, the three kids instantly sucked in their breath.

    Foundation Pills were an asset that every organization treasured because they allowed their disciples¡¯ breakthrough process to be much safer. Without it, one could suffer fatal consequences if they failed to ascend to the next realm. That was why every proper sect ensured their top talents had access to this pill before their breakthrough. That way, they would have another chance if they failed.

    Some even say it increases the chance of a breakthrough, but no one has confirmed that fact. It may be due to increasing the user¡¯s confidence, but it was still undeniable that every sect valued their Foundation Pills.

    As much as Li Lang wanted to study it, he likely wouldn¡¯t be able to do so until he stepped into the next major realm of cultivation. That was because Foundation Pills were Earth-grade pills at the very least, which meant he needed to be in the Foundation Establishment stage for Ruby to analyze it.

    Still, the value of it was immense even if Li Lang was just to use it on himself.

    The trio exchanged a glance before nodding in unison¡ªOr so they thought. Instead, Li Lang pressed for more.

    ¡°The Foundation Pills, plus the technique used to remove any traces. You said you know it, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡­is a technique only usable by those who practice our techniques. It would be useless to you even if I can share it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I just want to study its principles, not practice it.¡±

    Wei Ping and Long Yi both glared daggers at their greedy companion. They both decided then and there that there would be hell to pay if he ruined their opportunity at Foundation Pills. Thankfully, the other party responded positively.

    ¡°...Fine. We¡¯ll have to sign a contract that says you won¡¯t spread it, though.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Li Lang quickly accepted.

    ¡°...Is there anything else, or have we reached an agreement?¡±

    ¡°No, we trust you. You¡¯ll protect us until The Great Trial of Water Crest opens, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. You kids managed to secure a spot.¡± Tai Xilun revealed a cathartic smile, as if a stone had been lifted off his chest upon hearing a positive reply. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we can go ahead and set my plan into motion right away. No one will be able to harm you under my protection.¡±

    ¡°...I guess,¡± Li Lang glanced around at his friends hesitantly.

    However, due to the lure of Foundation Pills, none of them dared to decline.

    For Li Lang, that was just a big cherry on top. He also wanted to investigate this technique that allowed one to cover their traces. It would be a valuable asset to add to his arsenal.

    ¡°Good. My plan is to investigate various members of our conclave with your help. You can perform your tests to verify if the blood matches the one from the crime scene, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­but it won¡¯t work if it¡¯s from someone with a higher cultivation than me unless the Qi is removed again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I can do that much.¡±

    Li Lang hesitated for a moment about whether he should reveal that he could analyze, not just blood samples. Ruby was one of his core secrets. The more capabilities he revealed, the more others got curious.

    At the same time, he wanted to get this matter over with. If he let the culprit get away and his involvement was exposed, he would have to fear retaliation. Holding back now meant he may come to regret it.

    ¡°Actually¡­it doesn¡¯t have to be blood. I should be able to do it if you can get your suspects¡¯ hair, a piece of their fingernails, or even some saliva.¡±

    ¡°Saliva you say?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­like from a used handkerchief or from their drinking cups.¡±

    ¡°That¡­is a lot easier than I had thought. If that is so, we can go ahead with our plan right now.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we being a little too hasty, Senior?¡± Huang Si interjected from the side.

    ¡°Time is of the essence. There may be more victims if we let this serial killer go free for even one more day. Let us prevent that.¡± Tai Xilun then turned his gaze to Li Lang and his friends. ¡°You three, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to disguise yourself as our attendants.¡±

    ¡°Umm, Senior, do we really have to come along? You only need Li Lang, right?¡± Long Yi asked.

    ¡°I promised to protect all three of you, and I will do just that. Quickly, we should be able to go through everyone I had in mind within two or three days. That is assuming Li Lang can actually deliver, of course.¡±

    Feeling the intense gaze of a formidable cultivator, Li Lang nodded back with confidence.

    Tai Xilun swiftly summoned his Skyrunner, and the group set off. Huang Si took the time to explain to the trio how to act and speak to fit their disguise as attendants. He also handed them a set of clothes to change into.

    It wasn¡¯t long before they arrived before the massive entrance merged into the cliff walls. They were familiar with the front entrance to enter the bazaar, but this time, they would be heading in from the side entrance for members of the Bloodwave Conclave.

    It was a lot plainer, being a simple hole in the cliff walls. Li Lang didn¡¯t doubt there were several other entrances, and the one they took was specifically for Skyrunners.

    Tai Xilun and Huang Si exited from the Skyrunner first. They strode up to the disciples awaiting them at the Sky Bearth they landed in.

    ¡°You two, go tell Elder Yun, and Elder Nei I will be coming to greet them shortly.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Senior Tai!¡±

    The two Bloodwave Conclave disciples didn¡¯t dare say no to their powerful senior and quickly went off to carry out his errands.

    Seeing them gone, Huang Si called out to their new companions.

    ¡°You can come out now.¡±

    With that, three young men awkwardly stepped out of the Skyrunner, wearing the red and black robes that they had once been apprehensive about.

 Chapter 87: DNA Analysis

    ¡°Huang Si, you go guide them and set up the room. I¡¯ll go make my reports before inviting ¡®guests¡¯ over.¡±

    Tai Xilun quickly disappeared into the halls of Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s headquarters, leaving the four young men behind.

    Huang Si cleared his throat to fill the silence that ensued and drew the party¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Follow closely and keep your heads down. I¡¯ll explain your roles as we move.¡±

    Li Lang and his crew were soon led through the base of the reigning organization of Emberglow City. Huang Si explained whenever no one was within earshot. At times, they all fell silent as others walked by.

    Either way, they kept their words vague, as they didn¡¯t know if anyone with an unfathomable cultivation would overhear them. It wasn¡¯t likely as they had better things to do, but they still had to take precautions due to the sensitivity of their mission.

    Throughout the conversation, Huang Si was successfully able to convey how to conduct oneself as an attendant. The crash course on etiquette was brief, but that was fine. Most cultivators didn¡¯t pay any attention to them. They just needed to keep their heads down.

    Within ten minutes, they arrived.

    Huang Si had led them to Tai Xilun¡¯s personal courtyard. Despite being inside the cliff walls, the conclave still managed to create separate houses inside that came with neat courtyards. It was as if the entire headquarters were an expansive zone in itself.

    Huang Si wasted no time and dismissed the existing attendants so Li Lang¡¯s group could replace them.

    The group then cleaned up the place and went over to where everything was. They needed to at least know where to go to brew tea or bring snacks.

    ¡°So, who are you to Senior Tai, anyway?¡± Long Yi nosily asked as they worked.

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m just one of the many disciples within the Bloodwave Conclave. I just hang around Senior Tai because we get along.¡±

    ¡°What? That guy? He seems like he¡¯d torture me the moment he got evidence of any wrongdoing.¡±

    ¡°That¡­may be true¡­But that¡¯s how our organization does things. It¡¯s not easy keeping this town in order with so many people around. Senior Tai is actually quite nice if you get to know him.¡±

    ¡°No thanks. No offense, but I¡¯d prefer not to see your senior or anyone from your group if I can help it.¡±

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯d have to say sorry,¡± Huang Si smiled wryly. ¡°I secured a spot to enter The Great Trial of Water Crest as well. I¡¯ll be heading in with you guys.¡±

    Hearing the mention of the pocket realm, both Li Lang and Wei Ping tuned in to their conversation. In fact, Wei Ping immediately jumped in.

    ¡°You a-are? Is there a-anything you can tell us a-about what to expect? You must¡¯ve h-had seniors who''ve b-been inside before, right?¡±

    Huang Si was taken aback by Wei Ping¡¯s vigor but quickly recollected himself.

    ¡°What¡­? Yes, there are some past records about the realm, but The Great Trial of Water Crest hasn¡¯t been around that long as far as pocket realms go.¡±

    ¡°Still, p-please tell as much as y-you can about it!¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­I¡¯m not sure what to say. It¡¯s just a bunch of boring old trials run by the artifact spirits there. If you do well, they will reward you. If you perform poorly, you eventually get kicked out of the realm.¡±

    Wei Ping didn¡¯t waste the opportunity and began unleashing a torrent of questions as the rest watched on.

    Luckily, the sound of footsteps was soon heard, marking Tai Xilun¡¯s return.

    He glanced around the reception room and nodded toward the young men.

    ¡°I¡¯ve secured meetings with several suspects. They should arrive shortly. Huang Si, you retire for now. We¡¯ll call you after.¡±

    Hearing their instructions, Huang Si left, and the boys got started preparing the tea.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Just as the water boiled, the doors to the reception room opened.

    ¡°Elder Ming, thank you for coming on such short notice!¡± Tai Xilun greeted.

    ¡°No problem. I heard it was important.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but please take a seat first. We can at least discuss it over a cup of tea.¡±

    It was only once both men were seated that Li Lang got a good look at the newcomer. He was a middle-aged man wearing the characteristic red and black robes. He was cleanly shaved and had sharp eyebrows.

    Li Lang quickly placed down the cups of tea and quietly retreated to the corner. Off to the side, Wei Ping and Long Yi stood straight as a pole. They breathed softly, careful not to draw any attention to themselves.

    ¡°You see, Huang Jingyi had recently discovered a clue relating to the murders. He is having trouble identifying the material he found. Knowing Elder Ming is a seasoned Woodsmith, I wanted to tap into your knowledge to see if we can identify this substance.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    The two men began chatting away. For several more minutes before they parted. As soon as the elder had left, Tai Xilun immediately picked up the elder¡¯s teacup.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to learn about this technique, you might as well watch it in action,¡± He off-handily spoke out to Li Lang as he focused on the cup.

    Long Yi soon let out a yelp as blood came out from Tai Xilun¡¯s orifices. The man in question didn¡¯t seem to be in any pain, but it didn¡¯t change the ghastly sight. Blood began to flow in midair. It gathered right above the teacup and began spinning around it.

    The stream of blood began to rapidly pick up speed.

    A moment later, the vibrant red blood appeared to have lost some energy. It then swiftly returned to its owner through the same entry points it came from.

    ¡°There. Quickly examine it with your technique.¡±

    Li Lang nodded and picked up the cup.

    ¡°If you would, please look away.¡±

    ¡°...Just be quick with it.¡±

    The young boy then stuffed the teacup into his robes before Ruby consumed it. If someone was paying careful attention, they would have thought it disappeared into a space ring.

    Wasting no time, Li Lang assumed the lotus position as he went into the artifact space. It didn¡¯t take long to throw the teacup into the auto-analyzer. The results came equally fast due to Tai Xilun having already eliminated any traces of Qi within the sample.

    After five minutes, Li Lang had already read the results. He returned to reality and opened his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s not him.¡±

    ¡°It couldn''t be that easy. Go make preparations for the next guest.¡±

    Like this, the group repeated their ploy. Tai Xilun chatted briefly with his guests, one after the other.

    Li Lang would then examine the DNA sample from their saliva. The day quickly went by.

    It was only when they finished examining the last guest of the day that something turned up. A young man by the name of Gui Hong had DNA that matched the blood on the scene.

    ¡°...Inner Disciple Gui Hong you say? He¡¯s been stuck in the middle stages of Foundation Gathering for a while¡­Is that why he succumbed to his urges?¡± Tai Xilum mumbled. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll proceed to observe him for a while first. We need to see if he has any accomplices.¡±

    ¡°Is that really wise?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Every time we catch a culprit, a new one appears to replace them. It may be because they have people within our organization covering for them but still. We need to cut the problem at the root. You three should stay the night here while we investigate. There are ample rooms for attendants.¡±

    ¡°...Staying the night. Can you at least give me the cultivation manual now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that would work out better for me. The manual belongs to the conclave, so it shouldn¡¯t leave our grounds in the first place. Here, sign this contract first.¡±

    At the wave of the hand, a book and contract materialized in Tai Xilun¡¯s hand. He handed them off to Li Lang and received the signed contract back. He then walked off while sighing to himself. Li Lang could pick up some complaints he mumbled about having to do the investigation.

    Thankfully for Li Lang, the investigation was none of his business. Tai Xilun soon summoned Huang Si again, who then in turn guided them to their lodgings.

    After a rollercoaster of a day, the trio finally had time to rest.

    ¡°Do you think you can help us pass along a message to our mentors? We¡¯ve suddenly gone missing for an entire day, and now, probably even longer,¡± Long Yi asked.

    His words didn¡¯t match his face, which was excited. No words needed to be exchanged to know that he was happy to take a break from his Artificer training.

    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll personally inform them tomorrow morning.¡±

    With that, the trio were left to their own devices inside a modest room.

    Li Lang had no idea what his friends were up to after Huang Si left. That was because he immediately dove headfirst into his new cultivation manual. A grin escaped him as he stared down at the book. It was titled ¡®Blood Qi Dissolution Art¡¯.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to be intoxicated with the new information contained in the book. It talked about how Qi could be traceable, and how to prevent it. The technique was simple in theory. One just had to exhaust all the Qi in what they wanted to conceal. By doing so, divinators would no longer be able to use it as a medium to track one down.

    However, in practice, it wasn¡¯t so easy to exhaust the Qi. This was especially true since it dealt with parts of the body that had already separated from the practitioner. One needed a good Qi control technique, even at a distance away from the main body.

    It was a requirement only those who were at least in the late stages of Energy Gathering could fulfill. That was because the characteristic ability of late-stage cultivators was exactly that. To manipulate their Qi even at range.

 Chapter 88: Demonic and Righteous Sects

    The middle stage Energy Gatherers Li Lang had fought so far could only send out range attacks. Doing so did not require controlling their Qi at range. They simply needed to send it out, akin to throwing a rock. Right after they throw it, they would lose control of their Qi.

    However, late-stage Energy Gatherers were different. They could control their Qi attacks even after firing them off. That was because they could control the Qi even when it was a distance away from their body.

    This allowed for more complicated techniques and accuracy. It opened cultivators up to an entirely new category of Qi arts.

    The Blood Qi Dissolution Art was part of this new category of techniques.

    A lot of the texts went over how they actually carry out this technique, and not a lot of it was on the theory. There was enough of it for Li Lang to realize how hard it was to drain the Qi out of things.

    The blood techniques weren¡¯t something he could easily learn, as it was a special technique practiced by the Bloodwave Conclave. That was why he repeatedly took trips from the artifact space and reality to copy down the contents. He believed it could still prove useful as reference material in the future.

    By the time he was done copying over the manual, it was deep into the night. Li Lang quickly went to bed.

    Throughout the next three days, the trio stayed at the Bloodwave Conclave. They performed the same duties, as Tai Xilun had already arranged various meetings. They still tested the DNA of these guests, despite already having found their match, just to be safe.

    On the fourth day, all the meetings were completed. They found themselves with some free time, as they were warned not to wander. The last thing they needed was someone questioning their presence.

    They spent the time redoubling their efforts in their training. They all had martial arts and Qi arts to practice, as they were far from true mastery of any of them.

    As they trained, only Huang Si came to see them. Tai Xilun had been too busy with his shadowing of the culprit they had discovered. Still, unbeknownst to the trio, Tai Xilun had kept his promise and had been keeping a watch over them.

    It was at the end of the week that they finally came face to face with Tai Xilun once more.

    ¡°Is it over?¡± Li Lang cautiously asked.

    ¡°...That is a good question. I would like to say yes, but things weren¡¯t so simple.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Did that Gui Hong guy escape?¡± Long Yi quipped with a tinge of fear in his voice.

    ¡°No, he¡¯s dead.¡± Tai Xilun gestured for them to remain silent as he elaborated. ¡°He¡¯s been dead before we had even talked to him. Someone had been disguising themselves as him. Someone powerful. Thankfully, I had informed the conclave master about the matter before setting up my ambush. He wasn¡¯t someone I could handle alone. Still, even with the conclave master¡¯s help, he got away.¡±

    Long Yi looked between his friends with a grimace.

    ¡°What do we do? Are we screwed or what?¡±

    ¡°About that¡­¡± Tai Xilun continued. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anything you need to fear. Your involvement is well hidden, and this mysterious culprit should be fleeing out of the Luminescent Domain soon. Our conclave master had wounded him and had gotten a good look at his real face. He would be stupid to remain here unless he wants to be hunted down.¡±

    Wei Ping, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.

    ¡°W-will he come back o-once he recovers?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I would say the chances are low. Most demonic cultivators who run to righteous sects¡¯ territories never come back. The only way they survive there is to become dogs of those sects.¡±

    At those words, it was Li Lang¡¯s turn to break the silence.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I guess you kids may not know. No¡­ it¡¯s more accurate to say the orthodox sects kept it from you. After all, they rely on these rogue demonic cultivators to instill loyalty in their disciples.¡±

    A look of realization hit Li Lang all at once.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°...You can¡¯t mean.¡±

    ¡°The orthodox sects employ demonic cultivators to do their bidding. They most famously use them to murder any relatives of potential disciples with high talent. An orphaned child with a grudge is one of the easiest people to brainwash. They justify their means as a way to control potentially dangerous people, but they¡¯re really just scared of someone overtaking them.¡±

    So it¡¯s true after all¡­

    Immediately, various scenes from the past flashed through Li Lang¡¯s eyes. He had already suspected something was off back when he first encountered a demonic cultivator. They had appeared at such a convenient time, just after the Clear Heart Sect entrance tests.

    It was difficult to believe that a random demonic cultivator would have caught the news of Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei¡¯s high aptitude so quickly.

    But in that case, is the Abductress under the employ of a sect too? No way¡­everyone I¡¯ve talked to was scared of her. And her actions did not benefit any sect, and only herself¡­

    ¡°What those so-called righteous sects do may not be common knowledge in the Luminescent Domain, but it is still known among many. Nevertheless, there¡¯s nothing we can do to warn people outside our territory, as they would never believe in our words. We have no reach in their territories. There¡¯s no longer anything we can do to the fake Gui Hong as long as he stays there.¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t demonic cultivators attack their territory often, anyway? Surely, you can send people after him.¡±

    Tai Xilun smiled wryly and shook his head.

    ¡°That is too dangerous. The risks aren¡¯t worth the benefits.¡±

    Seeing Li Lang¡¯s unconvinced expression, he continued.

    ¡°Since you have embarked on the path of demonic cultivation, you should know it¡¯s dangerous for us to infiltrate into hostile territory. The isolation and tension make us prone to cultivation deviation. That is why we always invade their territory in groups.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Seeing no response, Tai Xilun also stayed silent as everyone organized their thoughts. They wordlessly agreed to no longer pursue the matter, as it likely wasn¡¯t getting anywhere.

    After a while, they decided to end the meeting. The news was relayed and matters were settled. They each had other business to attend to.

    Huang Si proceeded to guide them out of the Bloodwave Conclave headquarters. Once they were outside, he discreetly handed over a small bottle to Li Lang. No words needed to be exchanged to know it contained their reward; three Foundation Pills.

    ¡°Take care. I¡¯ll see you guys in a few months,¡± the Bloodwave disciple clasped his fist together at the trio.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll be in your care then.¡±

    The two parties parted amicably.

    However, they didn¡¯t return immediately. They veered back into the Bloodwave Conclave bazaar and visited their knowledge repository. There, Li Lang searched for any texts that had information about various Qi techniques that eliminated their traces, or one about meridians.

    His search soon turned up to be fruitless, and he had to leave empty-handed. The topics he was searching for were either rare or kept secret.

    When Li Lang¡¯s group returned to their inn, they found that Huang Si had also taken care of their bill while they were gone. Their room was left untouched. Having finally returned to their temporary home, they took some time to laze around.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to be back in my own bed,¡± Long Yi celebrated.

    ¡°T-that is the i-inn¡¯s bed. N-not yours.¡±

    ¡°You and your technicalities. Let me have my moment.¡±

    As Long Yi snuggled up against the blankets, Li Lang was busy preparing for the day.

    He was currently learning both Brushweaving and Alchemy. In his spare time, he also had to monitor their condition from using the Clearing Drug. He didn¡¯t even have enough time to investigate how to increase the number of spiritual roots. However, that was mostly because he didn¡¯t have any clues about how to get started.

    That topic was just too intangible. He would have to spend too much time to stumble upon something viable. In order to better make use of his time, he only pursued research topics that were most likely to produce results. Li Lang lamented that even in this life, he had to prioritize the research based on results.

    After lunch, the trio split off to resume their crafts training. Li Lang naturally went back to Zhao Longwei¡¯s place while carrying his pill furnace with him.

    ¡°Senior Zhao, sorry for being absent for the past week.¡±

    The middle-aged man stroked his chin and gestured for Li Lang to place down his furnace.

    ¡°No big deal. The people from the Bloodwave Conclave had already informed me you¡¯d be away. I¡¯ll refrain from asking for the details. Now that you¡¯re here, I expect you to be fully dedicated to my teachings and to being my assistant.

    ¡°Of course, Senior.¡±

    Li Lang spent half the afternoon there, being instructed by his mentor as he performed basic pill refining using the new techniques. Then they discussed the details and tricks on how to make use of those techniques.

    However, Zhao Longwei couldn¡¯t dedicate all his time to Li Lang. He had other things to do. When he excused himself, so too did Li Lang.

    It wasn¡¯t because he was lazy, but because he wanted to meet up with his other mentor.

    Yi Lin had indicated he would be gone for a week and more than enough time had passed since then. Li Lang wanted to greet his mentor after his brief hiatus and continue learning more advanced techniques.

    When he knocked on his Brushweaving mentor¡¯s adobe, he was greeted with a familiar face.

    The man hadn¡¯t changed, and his place was still in a mess. He scratched his head as he opened the door. The moment he recognized Li Lang, a faint smile formed on his face.

    ¡°How have you been? Did you keep up with practice?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­It¡¯s a long story, but I did the best I could.¡±

    ¡°Then come on in. We have time.¡±

    With that, the teacher and student reunited, and Li Lang began his second lesson of the day.

 Chapter 89: The Use of Ruby in Brushweaving

    A month quickly passed ever since the incident with the Bloodwave Conclave.

    Li Lang had been making decent progress in all his studies.

    In alchemy, the success rate of his pill-refining has been steadily going up. It was only one in three tries, but it was unmistakably an improvement. As a result of all the refining he had done, his Qi sense had improved as well.

    He was now able to monitor the situation in the furnace with more clarity. It allowed him to really observe the difference between his new techniques and his old methods. When he did personal practice, he didn¡¯t forget to use his Qi sense to observe the inner workings of how his old technique worked.

    Li Lang had dubbed his old technique the mass-production technique. From his observations, he found that the pill furnace was much more tame throughout the entire refining. That was because he had already processed the materials. They were already powdered or cut into uniform pieces. It was as if the material had been neutered.

    This meant the reaction when the materials combined was more predictable. No interference was needed for the pill to form. However, the quality was sacrificed as a result.

    His new traditional alchemy techniques did the opposite. He did not prep the materials ahead of time. Instead, he closely monitored how the materials were doing in real-time, and adjusted accordingly. This allowed him to produce pills of higher quality by making better use of the materials.

    ¡°Congratulations. You have succeeded in refining a Recovery Pill of good quality,¡± Zhao Longwei said with a grin. ¡°Your success rate is decent as well. I would have you go take the apprentice alchemist exam with the guild now if you hadn¡¯t done so already.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Senior Zhao,¡± Li Lang clasped his hand to his mentor.

    ¡°No problem. It is what I should do. Now then, you should try to refine another type of pill yourself this time. The techniques are all the same, but you will have to learn the characteristics of the new recipe yourself.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I will definitely take your teachings to heart.¡±

    After asking a few questions to his mentor, Li Lang departed.

    He then once again went to his Brushweaving mentor for the rest of the day.

    Even in Brushweaving, Li Lang had taken decent strides. He had learned how to inscribe various basic talismans. He had also taken the time to dye another inkstone with his Qi and stuffed it into the auto-analyzer.

    As with the talismans, the results were only on the material makeup and Qi signatures. In the future, Li Lang planned to take a more thorough look at the material composition and how it affected Brushweaving, but that would have to wait until he had more time. He would also need to learn more about the art first, to find various alternative materials to test.

    ¡°Now that you have a basic foundation in inscribing, it is time to move on to the harder parts of inscription,¡± Yi Lin said. ¡°Until now, you have only inscribed basic talismans. It is good training on the basic techniques, but most talismans aren¡¯t this simple. Most useful talismans mix and match various runes together on the same surface.¡±

    Yi Lin took a pause to allow for any questions. Seeing Li Lang had none, he continued.

    ¡°Mixing of different runes may result in them interfering with each other, and could even result in the talisman activating prematurely. I¡¯m sure you know, but that could have fatal consequences depending on what you¡¯re inscribing. Make sure you take into account your surroundings before you inscribe. You don¡¯t want to inscribe any fire element talisman somewhere that can easily burn.¡±

    Li Lang nodded at the explanation. He was amply familiar with his work blowing up if he made a mistake. Even when practicing alchemy using traditional techniques, a small explosion may happen in the furnace if he messes up. Luckily, there weren¡¯t any real consequences as the level of power was low. However, Zhao Longwei had warned him that wouldn¡¯t be the same when working with Earth-grade materials.

    There was a reason why most pill-refining rooms had heavily reinforced doors. They were there to keep the damage of any alchemy incidents contained.

    As Yi Lin finished explaining the points to watch out for, Li Lang struggled to contain his grin. He realized this was the part where Ruby would finally shine. He could make use of Ruby¡¯s artifact space to practice all he wanted, without fearing repercussions. After all, his physical body wasn¡¯t there, so any accidents wouldn¡¯t result in any damage.

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    ¡°Yi Lin, do you think I can have some more of those materials I used to craft my Moon Brush?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Elemental Serpent¡¯s fang and Silver Thorn Lion¡¯s mane? Why?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to have a spare, in case something happened to mine. I don¡¯t exactly have the wealth to buy those materials¡­¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­if it¡¯s just enough for a brush. I rarely use that stuff anyway.¡±

    ¡°Thank you! What do you use it for, anyway? Aren¡¯t they too low-level for you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I can use them to add to the ink. It helps empower the talisman if you use materials of compatible elements. Still, mortal-grade materials are only good for mortal-grade talismans. Only every so often do people order these lower-level talismans for their juniors.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, interesting.¡±

    Seeing Li Lang¡¯s thinking intently on the matter, Yi Lin quickly warned his pupil.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much for now. Only after you can inscribe most talismans normally, should you think about changing up the ink. The consequences of failing a normal inscription are already a pain to deal with. Don¡¯t bite off more than you can chew.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Li Lang then spent the remainder of the day learning from Yi Lin before returning to his inn.

    He would truly start practicing after dinner.

    ¡°Ruby, you are sure that no matter how much damage my inscription causes, it won¡¯t affect the auto-analyzer?¡±

    ¡°Yes, master. Like I previously said, this is all really just like a simulation.¡±

    Li Lang breathed in deeply as he nodded. He had known that the artifact space was special. He couldn¡¯t absorb any Qi, or even feel his Qi while in it. It was like only his consciousness was in the lab.

    ¡°Change this table to one like Yi Lin uses.¡±

    ¡°Master, can I examine your memory again then?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Very soon, Ruby replicated the same setup Yi Lin used in his home office in a corner of the lab. Li Lang¡¯s Moon Brush and other tools were perfectly recreated too, having donated his new gadgets to Ruby.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate and tried to put everything he had learned to use.

    He carefully inscribed the talisman like he had always done. This time, he would create a talisman with two different runes. He needed to be a lot more careful.

    The Earth Wall Talisman he was working on did exactly as its name suggested. It erected a wall where the user threw the talisman. While it sounded simple, it required two different runes to create. One for generating the hardened earth for the wall, then one for the upward movement to form the barrier.

    It was still one of the simpler talismans, as it combined an earth element rune with a neutral rune. The chance of interference was much lower.

    As Li Lang¡¯s hand continued to inscribe, he soon arrived at the trickiest part. It was the section where the two runes almost touched. While there were advanced techniques to overlap them, Li Lang wasn¡¯t there yet.

    As he drew the second rune only a millimeter away from the first, Li Lang accidentally let his brush stray a little too far. As soon as the ink touched the first rune he had drawn, the talisman began to glow.

    A moment later, a wall of stone suddenly materialized above the desk. Its weight easily buckled the desk, splintering it. The desk was created from Li Lang¡¯s memories, not the actual article. It meant it was only as strong as a normal desk that he imagined it to be. Unbeknownst to Li Lang, if it were Yi Lin¡¯s actual desk, it could¡¯ve easily withstood the weight.

    ¡°Ruby, reset!¡±

    Thankfully, Ruby was able to quickly clear away the entire mess and revert everything to how it was before the incident.

    Good thing I didn¡¯t try practicing in the real world yet. I¡¯d rather not cause a mess at this inn¡­

    Li Lang didn¡¯t rest and made another attempt.

    Like this, Li Lang trained for another few weeks. He even used up the winnings from the tournament betting to buy another pill furnace to add to the artifact space. He wasn¡¯t working on a particularly difficult recipe yet, but he was able to practice without caring about resources.

    Still, his focus was on Brushweaving, since he could already refine what he needed with his current alchemy skills.

    It allowed him to progress at such a fast pace that even Yi Lin was surprised.

    ¡°Hmm¡­Not bad at all. It took me more than half a year to even inscribe the simplest compound talisman back in my days. You seem to have a talent for it¡­Should we move on to the next step? What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we can move on. I won¡¯t forget to keep practicing the basics. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s get started on how to inscribe on other surfaces then. I think the one most useful for you is enchanting; the art of inscribing on artifacts to empower them.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve been wanting to learn more about that. Can I empower my spear with the inscription, too?¡±

    Li Lang was immediately excited about the new research direction. He currently planned to look into mass-producing talismans somehow. Over practice, he realized how complicated the degree of Qi control was needed to inscribe. He believed it was possible to make a printer of some sort. It would only be able to print one specific type of talisman, as the detailed processes each required its separate machine, but he felt confident he could realize it.

    However, now he had to weigh which research direction he wanted to proceed in.

    Yi Lin shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯d advise against it. Mundane weapons likely won¡¯t be able to handle anything but the simplest rune.¡±

    With that, Yi Lin began to explain the requirements and intricacies of artifact enchanting.

 Chapter 90: Heading Out

    After months of training, it was finally time for The Great Trial of Water Crest to open up.

    Throughout this time, Li Lang, Wei Ping, and Long Yi had each made great strides in their training. They had focused entirely on their respective crafts, but that didn¡¯t mean they had neglected their cultivation.

    On this very important day, the trio got up early, before dawn. They headed straight for the headquarters of The Orchid Covenant. When they arrived, they could spot a small gathering of people just outside.

    Many of them were adults, so it was apparent they weren¡¯t the main characters for today. The Great Trial of Water Crest only allowed cultivators under the bone age of fifteen to enter. That was why the main characters of the day were all those who secured a spot in the pocket realm.

    That meant all the adults nearby were here as spectators. They merrily discussed the upcoming event together as Li Lang¡¯s group approached.

    ¡°I wonder how long members of our Orchid Covenant will be able to stay this time? In the previous decade, Jin Ting managed to stay there for a full three years. It put him in a respectable eighth place overall among all the organizations within the Luminescent Domain.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I think it should be at least two years. None of our members had made waves as big as Jin Ting did back in the day.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only because the other organizations have had a bumper harvest these past few years.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no kidding. It isn¡¯t easy to stand out when there is the young princess from the Nightmoon Valley, the Qi arts prodigy Tang Yulian from the Eternal Wave sect, and that Liang Po from the Myriad Bones Pavilion around in the same generation.¡±

    Each person there was well-informed. It wasn¡¯t surprising that someone in the crowd soon recognized Li Lang and his group.

    Almost half a year had passed since their appearance in the annual tournament. Li Lang and his companions had grown even more. While the size ratio of Li Lang¡¯s head to his body had reduced, their group still drew a lot of attention.

    Wei Ping was wearing his eye-catching mask, while Long Yi had grown even taller than six feet. His youthful face remained, but one would be hard-pressed to tell if he was an adult or not. As for Li Lang, the young teenager was carrying a bulky pill-furnace on his back. It was hard to miss him.

    One of the cultivators from the crowd immediately leaped out to greet them.

    ¡°Li Lang, Wei Ping, Long Yi, correct?¡±

    The trio nodded.

    ¡°Good, follow me. There is still some time until we depart, but the Head Councilman wants everyone to gather first.¡±

    The crowd quickly parted ways for the group to pass, and they soon entered into one of the large halls within the headquarters.

    Inside, several other teenagers were already there. They had already formed cliques, making them hard to approach. Some of them were familiar faces, having participated in the same tournament to secure their spot.

    Li Lang led his friends toward an open area and kept to his own group as well.

    ¡°These will be our allies, right? Shouldn¡¯t we go get to know them?¡± Long Yi suggested.

    ¡°There are no allies this time around. Weren¡¯t you listening when the Head Councilman explained it to us?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­that was quite a long time ago. I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    Li Lang sighed at the response.

    ¡°The trials within the pocket realm are taken alone. No one will be able to help you but yourself.¡±

    ¡°S-still, it doesn¡¯t h-hurt to greet them,¡± Wei Ping interjected. ¡°We w-will still share living space w-with them. It¡¯ll be u-useful to share our e-experiences.¡±

    ¡°You are right. Let¡¯s see who we have here¡­¡±

    Li Lang began analyzing those around him.

    Right off the bat, he could tell two of the groups in the back were elitists. They seemed to have an arrogant air around them, and their cultivation was also the highest. Li Lang suspected they were the group that had secured their spots from the auction.

    Li Lang knew better than to try to get friendly with them, so he searched among the familiar faces.

    As he expected, Liang Po wasn¡¯t here as he returned to his own organization. However, all his other competitors were present. The only person whose name he recognized was the one who had tried to ambush him.

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    ¡°There¡¯s Sheng Haoran. I doubt he¡¯ll want to be friendly with us, though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no kidding. You beat his friend to secure your spot here. It¡¯d be a miracle if he was friendly with you.¡±

    After taking another look, Li Lang finally decided to chat with a lanky boy standing alone in the corner.

    Unfortunately for him, he had taken too long to decide. Before he made it over to the boy, the doors slammed open, and an imposing figure walked in.

    The current Head Councilman of The Orchid Conclave, Liu Haiping, had arrived.

    ¡°Good morning everyone, and welcome. I¡¯m happy you all seemed to have made it.¡±

    ¡°Greetings, Head Councilman Liu!¡± various voices resounded throughout the room.

    ¡°Good, good. Now, before we head off, I wanted to say a few things. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all done your preparations and are excited, but let this old man have his moment.¡±

    No one made a sound, so the Head Councilman continued.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure all of you have ambitious goals in mind, heading off to the pocket realm today. That is good. Young men should be ambitious. However, I want to remind everyone that ambition is no excuse for impatience. Please remember your own limits.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Head Councilman!¡± several voices responded in unison while several others followed after a brief delay.

    Liu Haiping had to hold out a hand to quiet them down.

    ¡°I want to remind you all that you will be representing The Orchid Covenant when you head out today. There will be other talented youngsters from other organizations. You may not be friends with all of them, but try your best not to make enemies. That is all. Does anyone have any questions?¡±

    Silence filled the room for several seconds before the Head Councilman nodded.

    ¡°Very well, then. Let us head out. Follow me!¡±

    Liu Haiping soon led them outside to their Skyberth, under the view of the onlookers.

    Like Li Lang had come to expect, the man waved his hand to materialize their ride. However, it wasn¡¯t the usual Skyrunner they were used to. Instead, it was a huge wooden ship. It almost took up the entire space of the Skyberth, as it was made specifically to fit.

    Li Lang surmised it could easily hold over a hundred people, and he was right.

    A dozen protectors of the organization accompanied the thirty or so adolescent cultivators. They quickly boarded the large boat at the behest of Liu Haiping, and it soon took to the skies.

    ¡°This¡­ is a Skyrunner?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but mutter.

    ¡°N-not exactly, boss,¡± Wei Ping answered. ¡°Woodsmiths c-call this a Skyvessel. It¡¯s much m-more complicated to produce, and¡­¡±

    Contrary to his normal self, Wei Ping began babbling about the Skyvessel. It spoke to how passionate he had become about Woodsmithing. He normally only spoke a few lines before stopping because he was self-conscious about annoying the other party with his stutter.

    Li Lang quickly jotted down another topic to research in the future. For the past few months, he had been compiling a list. He wanted to prepare ahead of time. The pocket realm he would be venturing into would be full of things to investigate. It was almost as if he had prepared for a long research session.

    The large ship traveled as fast, if not faster than most Skyrunners. That was understandable given all the high-level experts on board.

    The participants entering the pocket realm were quickly shown to their rooms, but most idled on the deck.

    This inevitably led to Li Lang spotting the previous lanky boy he had been trying to talk to. The three of them walked over. The boy spotted them and watched them approach with a neutral expression.

    ¡°Hey, there. I¡¯m Li Lang, and these two are Wei Ping and Long Yi.¡±

    ¡°I know who you three are,¡± the young man responded in a murmur.

    ¡°Hmm? What did you say?¡± Long Yi stepped forward, pointing his left ear at the boy.

    ¡°...What do you three want?¡±

    ¡°We wanted to see if you wanted to share information about the trials while we¡¯re inside.¡±

    The lone boy fell silent for a few moments before shaking his head.

    ¡°It won¡¯t help. The records all say each trial is carefully attuned to each participant. The spiritual artifact inside won¡¯t make it that easy for us.¡±

    Having heard this young man seemed to be more knowledgeable about the pocket realm than they had thought, Wei Ping quickly stepped forth to pester him.

    Like that, the lone boy was surrounded, forced to chat with the trio.

    The saving grace was that it made the trip feel short. Before the sky even darkened, they had already arrived.

    The place they hovered above was a simple plot of grassy plains. There were a few houses in the surroundings, but the most attention drawing structure was the giant rectangular blocks of stone. There were a total of four of them, and each of them was an equal distance apart.

    Right beneath the stone pillars were numerous tiny dots. There was already a large crowd down there. Each group wore their uniform, which made it appear like neatly colored blocks from above.

    The colossal Skyvessel landed just off to the side of this crowd. Several other similar vessels were already parked beside their respective organizations.

    The participants were quickly ushered out, which included Li Lang. The trio looked around curiously and exchanged glances the moment they recognized the robes of the group adjacent to them.

    Perhaps it was because they were from the same city. The Bloodwave Conclave were right next to them, as denoted by their red and black robes.

    However, within all the red and black robes, there were two figures amongst them wearing grey robes.

    As the trio followed along with the rest of the juniors from The Orchid Covenant, they couldn¡¯t help but gasp when they recognized the two people there.

    One of them was the man who had brought them into the Demonic Cultivator Territory from Polarity City, Jian Beiyun. He was someone who had helped them, so he could be referred to as a benefactor.

    That couldn¡¯t be said for the other person they spotted. It was a young girl who Li Lang recognized very well. She was Ling Xue, the girl who had colluded with the demonic cultivators who had assaulted Spirit Grove. She was also the reason why he had been banished from the sect.

 Chapter 91: Meeting Again

    Upon seeing Ling Xue once again, Li Lang frowned while Long Yi was taken aback. Seeing his friends¡¯ expressions, Wei Ping placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

    ¡°What¡¯s w-wrong?¡±

    ¡°That girl¡­¡± Li Lang let out a sigh. ¡°She¡¯s that Ling Xue I told you about. The one who was in Spirit Grove and got me banished. I suspected we may have a chance to see her now that we¡¯re in the Luminescent Domain, but still¡­¡±

    The trio each had their own thoughts on the matter, but they were forced to keep walking. They had to keep up with the others from The Orchid Covenant.

    However, their eyes never wandered from the girl. It made it hard for the other party not to notice.

    Ling Xue and Jiang Beiyun both felt their gaze and quickly ended their conversation with their peers. They then headed straight toward the trio.

    Jiang Beiyun amiably nodded their way before steering over toward the Head Councilman of The Orchid Covenant. They exchanged a few words with the old man before finally heading to Li Lang.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, you three. I¡¯m surprised to see you here, but your Head Councilman explained to me how you performed admirably and earned yourself a ticket to the pocket realm.¡±

    The three faltered for a moment as they struggled with how to respond. Jian Beiyun had always been friendly with them. However, standing beside him was someone who had a complicated history with them.

    Before the three boys could respond, Ling Xue interjected.

    ¡°Big head kid! So you¡¯ve decided to come to the Luminescent Domain! Good for you!¡± the girl cheered with a smile. ¡°Welcome! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a much brighter future here!¡±

    Her sudden antics had entirely stunned Li Lang into silence. The present Ling Xue was unreconcilable from the one in his memories.

    He had remembered her to be the silent, cool beauty type. She never bothered talking with him more than needed. While it made her unapproachable, it gave her a sense of mystery and intellect.

    The girl before him was now entirely the opposite. She was cheerful and expressive. Worse of all, she reunited with Li Lang as if she hadn¡¯t wronged him in the past at all.

    Seeing how Li Lang didn¡¯t respond, Jiang Beiyun stepped in to diffuse the awkward silence.

    ¡°So you know these boys here, Junior Sister?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, just big head boy, here. We were fellow disciples during my time in Spirit Grove.¡±

    ¡°Junior Sister¡­ have we spoiled you too much?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? What do you mean, Senior Brother?¡±

    Hearing her side of the story and the obliviousness of his junior sister, Jiang Beiyun face palmed as he stared up at the sky.

    ¡°Where do I even start?¡± the young man sighed. ¡°First, don¡¯t call people by their features. It¡¯s rude. His name is Li Lang.¡±

    The boy in question blinked blankly as the spectacle unfolded before him. He chose to remain silent to gather more information and allow his brain to process everything.

    ¡°Besides that, you last saw him was during your time in the righteous sect, right?¡±

    Ling Xue nodded.

    ¡°Then you¡¯re still a traitor in their eyes. A hostile party. You can¡¯t just be friendly with them all of a sudden without an explanation.¡± Shaking his head as he sighed, Jian Beiyun looked over at the trio. ¡°Apologies about my Junior Sister. She may have wronged you, but I ask that you give her the chance to explain herself.¡±

    Jian Beiyun then whispered a few things to his junior sister. Then, at his urging, Ling Xue stepped forward and bowed.

    ¡°Sorry! Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Sima Xue, a disciple of the Nightmoon Valley. I was previously undercover, so I ended up acting cold to everyone, including you. I hope you won¡¯t hate me for it.¡±

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    ¡°...Sima Xue?¡± Li Lang managed to squeak out.

    ¡°Hmm? That¡¯s right. Ling Xue was just an alias I used while undercover. My real name is Sima Xue.¡±

    Seeing Li Lang¡¯s frown, the girl continued.

    ¡°Are you still holding a grudge at how I threatened you? I couldn¡¯t help it. One misstep and I¡¯d be trapped in enemy territory. I couldn¡¯t risk having you tell someone about my whereabouts. I would¡¯ve brought you along as well if I could¡­but I had my hands full with Liu Xing. I figured you¡¯d be fine since you didn¡¯t have high aptitude.¡±

    It only took a moment for Li Lang to internalize what had happened once more. The girl before him had been an undercover plant. He had coincidentally caught her in the act of ¡®rescuing¡¯ Liu Xing and was forced to tag along with them until they escaped. As a result, he was blamed for assisting the enemy and banished.

    ¡°...What was the deal with Liu Xing anyway? I thought you guys didn¡¯t bother the orthodox sects and stayed in your territories?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the mission I was assigned. To infiltrate a sect and rescue a talented young cultivator in need.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a dangerous mission for someone of your age.¡±

    It was here that Jian Beiyun decided to interject.

    ¡°The danger level is somewhat limited owing to her young age. Few righteous sects would bother monitoring someone so young. It was also a great experience to temper my Junior Sister as well. As you can see, she still needs some work.¡±

    ¡°What?! What do you mean by that? I¡¯m perfectly fine the way I am!¡± Sima Xue cried.

    As the pair bantered with each other, more and more organizations arrived one after the other.

    The entire area began to fill up, forcing the pair of Nightmoon Valley disciples to return to their spot.

    ¡°You¡¯re heading into the pocket realm too, right? We can chat more inside!¡±

    ¡°Farewell, you three. I hope you get along with my Junior Sister during your time inside the pocket realm.¡±

    While the pair left, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Li Lang¡¯s group had drawn the attention of everyone around them. They whispered about how they knew the esteemed disciples of Nightmoon Valley and their close relationship.

    The trio didn¡¯t pay it any mind, and the time to enter into the pocket realm soon arrived.

    ¡°Everyone!¡± a strong voice silenced the entire area. ¡°I am Sima Kong. As the leader of Nightmoon Valley, I declare the opening of The Great Trial of Water Crest! We will now be having the promising youths from each organization enter. Please follow our instructions in an orderly fashion.¡±

    The voice seemed to come from above, and when Li Lang looked up, he gasped. He saw a giant projection of a person hovering in the sky. It was so large that there was enough room for several buildings to replace the space it occupied. It was something he believed was only possible with a holographic projector from his world, but it was apparent that it wasn¡¯t the case.

    Unfortunately, the image of the man quickly faded as he was done talking.

    Numerous people in dull grey robes then spread out across the crowd. They wore the same clothing as Jian Beiyun, so Li Lang knew they were members of the Nightmoon Valley.

    Under their instructions, orderly lines formed to enter into the pocket realm.

    Li Lang¡¯s group took the time to double-check their belongings. They planned to stay inside for years, so they couldn¡¯t forget the vital Nourishment Pills that would be keeping them fed. After half a year of refining, Li Lang had built up quite a batch.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Head Councilman Liu commanded them to step forth. He had already spoken all the words he wanted before setting off, so the process was fast.

    Li Lang found himself in the middle of a line, slowly inching toward the four colossal stone pillars at the center of the place. He soon spotted the people ahead disappearing the moment they stepped into the center. There were three other lines coming from the other directions, all heading toward the center of the four pillars.

    This is a lot more people than I imagined¡­

    The lines moved at a consistent pace. Every young disciple was able to enter, as their organization thoroughly vetted them already. Otherwise, it would only embarrass their entire organization if someone older managed to sneak by them.

    The trio could only let the flow of the crowd sweep them away, and before they knew it, their vision changed.

    It was almost like their experience with the Grand Elder¡¯s artifact space. In the blink of an eye, Li Lang found himself standing on clouds. There was nothing else, but the other young disciples in the same situation.

    They glanced up at the bright blue sky. It was empty, with nothing in sight.

    Li Lang had found himself separated from his two companions, despite having held onto each other¡¯s robes. The pocket realm didn¡¯t seem to care and teleported them randomly.

    However, that didn¡¯t mean Li Lang didn¡¯t recognize anyone around him. It was the opposite. He quickly found himself face-to-face with a familiar face.

    ¡°Li Lang, I knew we would see each other sooner or later.¡±

    ¡°Huang Si, it is good to see you too. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve seen my companions?¡±

    The young man shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯ve separated from my fellow disciples as well. What do you say? Shall we proceed together for the time being?¡±

    After taking another brief glance at his surroundings, Li Lang nodded.

    Time to see what this pocket realm has to offer.

 Chapter 92: The Great Trial of Water Crest

    The young cultivators conversed openly with each other as they all waited for something to happen. They were calm, as expected of cultivators from established organizations. That was because they had been briefed about what to expect from the pocket realm.

    ¡°So I take it you will be taking a shot at the alchemy trials as well?¡± Huang Si asked the boy standing beside him.

    ¡°Yes¡­Did Senior Tai tell you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re carrying a pill furnace on your back¡­but yes. Heard you ran tests on your own creations. Either means you must be that good or you¡¯re irresponsibly playing with what you don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°And which one do you think it is?¡±

    Huang Si grinned.

    ¡°The former, of course. Otherwise, Senior Tai would¡¯ve never bothered to enlist your help.¡±

    ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t fair. You know so much about me, while I barely know anything about you.¡±

    ¡°Fine then. Ask away,¡± Huang Si said as he held up both hands to gesture his surrender.

    ¡°What trials are you going to be taking? Your seniors should¡¯ve thought out a detailed plan for you, right?¡±

    ¡°I wish,¡± Huang Si shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not talented enough to draw their attention. I¡¯m only taking part in the combat trials. I have no talent in any crafts.¡±

    ¡°Really? I would think an organization as big as the Bloodwave Conclave would have an equally impressive heritage.¡±

    ¡°They do. It¡¯s just that they are only available to those with talent. Our elders don¡¯t like wasting time on those who aren¡¯t exceptional.¡±

    ¡°I see you have your own issues in large organizations¡­¡±

    ¡°You got that right.¡±

    The two didn¡¯t get a chance to converse any further as the other participants finished entering into the pocket realm.

    The change was apparent, as the previously bright blue sky suddenly turned violet. Several bright stars then filled the sky and began spinning around in circles.

    ¡°So the pocket realm has closed,¡± Huang Si muttered.

    Before Li Lang could ask Huang Si for clarification, their surroundings changed once more. This time, all the young cultivators abruptly found themselves inside a grand hall.

    There were giant pillars that supported the roof, each so thick that it would require dozens of people to wrap around them. They were all painted a crimson red, that matched the color of the wooden walls. The room was so spacious that it easily allowed for thousands of people to be there at once. Perhaps tens of thousands.

    However, the people around Li Lang hadn¡¯t changed. It was still the same faces, with Huang Si right beside him.

    Giving no chance for the young teenagers to think, bright lights materialized above each cultivator. The light was very quickly dimmed, revealing a violet card. They slowly fell down toward the cultivators.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to reach out and take hold of his card, as did everyone else around him. The Head Councilman of The Orchid Covenant had explained to him how things worked inside The Great Trial of Water Crest.

    The card held the trial points for the cultivators. It was almost like a debit card.

    Inside The Great Trial of Water Crest, everything costs trial points. Whether it be to take a trial or to stay idly in the pocket realm, trial points were required.

    Li Lang channeled Qi into his card as he had been instructed, and a number appeared on it. It showed one hundred points.

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    ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll be heading off to the combat trials now. There isn¡¯t any time for me to waste,¡± Huang Si declared, waking up Li Lang from his thoughts.

    ¡°Okay. good luck. My companions and I will be meeting up at the mess hall during dinner time. Feel free to come join us.¡±

    ¡°...You guys don¡¯t plan on spending your trial points on food, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s just a good meeting place. If we all got rooms, we wouldn¡¯t know where to find each other.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine then. I may come if I am free.¡±

    With those words, Huang Si followed the crowd, and all headed toward the edge of the room. There were various pathways on every side of the grand hall, with signs that directed the disciples.

    Li Lang let the crowd get their head start and only began to move when the traffic died down.

    He used the time to organize all the objectives he had for this venture.

    First, the combat trials were something he planned to participate in, but he would save that for later. While he wanted to obtain various martial arts and Qi arts, they could wait. Each one he obtained would require many long hours to become proficient.

    Meanwhile, Ruby could assist with practicing the crafts, accelerating his progress. This, in turn, allowed him to take on the tougher trials for better rewards.

    That was why he wanted to focus on his crafts. Li Lang had split four of the five crafts among his companions. He personally was responsible for two of them. They had planned to pass their assigned trials, so they could share the techniques later.

    It was something Wei Ping and Long Yi had done at his request. Li Lang would only study them one at a time, but the pocket realm was a valuable opportunity to gather knowledge.

    That was why Li Lang planned to tackle the alchemy and Brushweaver trials first.

    Should I do alchemy or Brushweaver first? Hmm¡­It¡¯s the same to me, so whichever is closer, I guess.

    Seeing the crowd thinning, Li Lang started moving toward the pathway side of the room that was closest to him. When he got there, he found a wooden sign on the walls above the nearest passageway.

    It was labeled with the word ¡®Earth¡¯, and also had arrows pointing in the other directions. The arrow pointing right had martial, fire, and wood on it. The one pointing to the left had water and metal labeled on it.

    Assuming they were ordered based on distance, Li Lang headed left toward the Brushweaving trials.

    The vast majority of people all went for the combat trials, and barely a tenth had other intentions. It wasn¡¯t surprising, as they were all still so young. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for cultivators to pick up on a craft much later on in their lives.

    That was why Li Lang easily spotted a familiar face heading toward the same trial. In fact, the other party noticed him first and headed straight toward him.

    ¡°Li Lang, we already meet again!¡± the young woman cheered.

    ¡°Ling¡ªSima Xue¡­Are you here to take the Brushweaver trials, too?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But I thought you were an alchemist? You¡¯ve become a Brushweaver too?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Sima Xue curiously tilted her head as she examined Li Lang. ¡°Good for you. Shall we go, then?¡±

    ¡°...Sure.¡±

    Hearing the hesitation in Li Lang¡¯s voice, Sima Xue stopped dead in her tracks and turned to fully face Li Lang.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t keep it from me!¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t get used to the¡­ difference in your personality.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that! My master warned me not to develop any bonds with the people I met in the righteous sects, so I adopted a cold personality to keep everyone away. Didn¡¯t work exactly as planned, though. They still followed me around, just from a distance. I was honestly troubled about it.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­Then why did you even bother to talk to me? Thinking back, you did try to warn me of the attack.¡±

    ¡°I heard about how you managed to join despite your low aptitude from somewhere. I didn¡¯t want or think someone like you would become as arrogant as the average member of the orthodox sects. You still had a chance to get away from their clutches, and everything seemed to have worked out!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Li Lang took another deep breath as he forced himself to reset his mental image of the girl before him. They soon walked together down the hallway labeled with the word ¡®water¡¯.

    ¡°If only the trials could be taken together¡­I really want to see what someone who can refine pills with a hundred percent success rate will do in Brushweaving!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­We¡¯ll be discussing our experiences about the trials in the dining hall during dinner time tonight. You¡¯re welcome to join us if you would like.¡±

    ¡°Oh, a get-together! I want to, but I have to go find my junior disciples first. Maybe once they are settled, I¡¯ll drop by.¡±

    The two soon found themselves at a dead end. There was a giant calligraphy scroll hanging at the end of the path. Once again, the artwork featured the word ¡®water¡¯.

    ¡°Well, see you later!¡±

    With that last remark, Sima Xue ran toward the scroll and reached out her hand at the scroll. Her hand phased through as if it wasn¡¯t there, and she took that as a cue to jump straight at it. Her entire figure vanished into it.

    Umm¡­They didn¡¯t tell me about this one. Is this an entrance to an artifact space, or a hidden entrance of some sort?

 Chapter 93: Brushweaving Trial

    Li Lang shook his head as he walked toward the calligraphy scroll on the wall. Imitating Sima Xue, he reached out with his hand first.

    He watched as his limb passed through it. There was no feeling as if it was just an illusion. Unlike Sima Xue, he didn¡¯t instantly jump through. He retrieved his hand and examined it first before touching the wall around the scroll.

    He then took a peek at the area behind the scroll and found nothing but the wall. Brushing his hand over it, he found it to be a solid obstacle. His hand could touch the edge of the scroll fine, but once he touched a little closer toward the center of it, it directly passed through.

    Seeing this curious sight, Li Lang decided to consult with the only person around. He pressed his hat against himself as he felt up the scroll.

    ¡°Ruby, do you know what this is before me? As in, can you take it into your artifact space?¡±

    ¡°Master, the Qi in this is so powerful it would take years for even an attempt. I¡¯d advise against it unless you want to stand here for who knows how long. As for what it is, it should be a high-level artifact, but it¡¯s strange. It doesn¡¯t have an artifact spirit residing in it.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    Seeing there was nothing more he could do, Li Lang bravely walked straight into the scroll. He quickly found the scene before him changed once more. He was now in the middle of a lake, on a colossal lily pad.

    However, there was a proper desk before him. The same kind his mentor, Yi Lin, had in his own office, meant for Brushweaving. There were even brushes, talisman paper, and ink supplies on it. There was nothing else around, so Li Lang started testing his footing. He was worried about the stability of the lily pad below him.

    It was only when he found it as stable as solid ground that he placed down the pill-furnace from his back.

    When he looked up, he found some lights appearing from thin air. The lights carefully formed words for Li Lang to read.

    ¡°Create any kind of talisman within an hour. Fail and you lose five trial points.¡±

    Seeing the time limit, Li Lang immediately got to work. He took out his own Moon Brush and inkstones and neatly laid them down. He then inspected them for any issues before he got started on inscribing.

    As the trial provided the supplies, Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to make use of them. He examined a piece of talisman paper and began infusing his Qi into the ink stick.

    He didn¡¯t need to refer to any texts as he went straight into creating a basic light talisman. He had been practicing with it, so he easily had it memorized.

    As Li Lang focused on his Brushweaver techniques, the entire area around him was eerily silent. The only sound that could be heard was the soft flow of water.

    It didn¡¯t matter to Li Lang, as the only thing on his mind was controlling his Qi. He had to ensure the proper amount of Qi was used, and it differed depending on which part he was at. This was in conjunction with employing the Brushweaver Qi art as well.

    Li Lang commanded his Qi to move around in patterns around his hand. Sometimes it flowed into his Moon Brush and back. Other times, he had to focus on changing his neutral Qi into the light element.

    It was from this process that Li Lang learned how hard elemental Qi was to master. It made him understand why people usually only practiced combat arts in the elements they had a natural affinity with.

    It only took Li Lang fifteen minutes to finish his first talisman.

    When he was done, he took a step back as the surrounding air rushed at the nascent talisman. As soon as it stopped, the talisman floated up into the air by itself. In an instant, it vanished.

    Without a moment of delay, light materialized once more and formed into words.

    ¡°First round passed. The challenger is rewarded with ten trial points. The next round is starting shortly.¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    After a few minutes, the light swiftly reorganized itself into new words.

    ¡°Create any kind of talisman that makes use of two runes within an hour. Fail and you lose five trial points.¡±

    Li Lang knew it was coming, but he still took a moment to breathe in and condition himself. Talismans with two runes were what he had been working on with Yi Lin throughout the past half a year. It was exponentially harder than a single rune as the combination of different runes produced drastically different effects.

    One had to learn how to address the complications that arise when trying to combine runes of different properties.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t have to think and selected to draw a warding talisman. As one of the first talismans he had ever used, he chose to learn it first. It wasn¡¯t only because of sentimental reasons, but its usefulness as well.

    While he couldn¡¯t produce one powerful enough to emit the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his lower-tier talismans were still useful in conserving energy by deterring low-level Qi beasts. After all, even if the beasts were weak, no one liked having to constantly fight them off.

    The warding talisman made use of a Qi storing rune and one to emit the aura. Due to its opposing functions, Yi Lin had advised against it for Li Lang¡¯s first two rune talisman. Nevertheless, Li Lang insisted.

    If someone was at the lake with Li Lang, they could easily see that the young man was having a much harder time compared to before. He had sweat building up on his brows, and his brushstrokes seemed even slower than before.

    It took him a total of forty-five minutes before he was finished with the second talisman.

    The same scene of the talisman floating up into the air before disappearing repeated itself, and another message appeared from thin air.

    ¡°Second round passed. The challenger is awarded twenty trial points. The next round is starting shortly.¡±

    Li Lang knew he was near the end of his current capabilities, but the trial didn¡¯t give him a choice to quit. He heard it would keep going until he failed, and then it would give him his real reward. Once that happened, he could still retry it later, but the reward of trial points would only apply to the first clears.

    The lights soon firmed into his new task again.

    ¡°Create any kind of talisman that makes use of two overlapping runes within an hour. Fail and you lose five trial points.¡±

    Li Lang let out a sigh of relief that it didn¡¯t ask him to inscribe a talisman with three runes. Still, his task wasn¡¯t easy. The previous talisman he drew had two runes that were clearly separated from each other, despite being on the same piece of paper. The next type of talismans required the runes to overlap, which required a fine technique.

    It was this type of talisman that Yi Lin had warned him about. It could easily activate prematurely or explode if he made even a single mistake.

    So far, Li Lang had only practiced it inside the safety of Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    Is this place¡­is it similar to an artifact space or not? Hmm, I haven¡¯t heard about any fatal incidents for the crafts trials, so I should be fine.

    Li Lang cautiously began working on his third talisman.

    During the entire time, he wore a frown on his face.

    As he had suspected, he wasn¡¯t ready to inscribe overlapping runes yet, and his attempt at a concealing talisman spectacularly went up in smokes.

    Almost immediately, the entire world around him started spinning. Within a few moments, Li Lang found himself inside a tiny room. It had wooden flooring and walls with nothing inside.

    As soon as Li Lang regained his bearing, words appeared before him.

    ¡°Third round failed. Deducting five points. Issuing reward. Cultivation manual for one day.¡±

    The words were quickly replaced with a giant ball of light. When it dimmed, it revealed a small book floating in the air.

    Li Lang quickly grabbed it and began reading over it.

    From his research, he knew it was a cultivation manual for a Brushweaving technique. He also knew he only had one day to go over all the content before the texts disappeared.

    That was why he didn¡¯t even bother to leave the tiny room and began reading.

    ¡°Ruby, can you take this book into your space?¡± Li Lang muttered as he continued reading.

    ¡°No master. The text you¡¯re holding is not a physical item. It is made up of intricately woven Qi that is too strong for me to interfere with. Sorry, master.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ no problem.¡±

    Li Lang had expected as much. That was why he started going in and out of the artifact space. He would memorize small excerpts from the text and enter them into his computer in his lab. Li Lang didn¡¯t have a photographic memory, nor was he a record-breaking genius. He relied on hard work, and that was exactly what he did.

    After making over a hundred trips in and out of the artifact space, he finally compiled all the texts.

    Whoever created this place may have intended for the challengers to learn as much as they could during the day they were given, but I have no intention of playing along.

    After several hours of hard work, Li Lang finally plopped himself down within the artifact space to really read over his gains instead of just copying over words. He took a moment to muse on the title, Qi Injection Art.

    Let¡¯s see how this differs from the technique Yi Lin taught me.

 Chapter 94: Information Exchange

    Resting his body in his familiar office chair within Ruby¡¯s artifact space, Li Lang got comfortable as he examined the new technique he was rewarded with.

    Progress was vital to being able to stay longer in the pocket realm. Trial points were consumed every day that was deemed unproductive, and earning points became harder and harder. Only those who could keep improving would remain. Whoever had set up the trials obviously highly valued the ability to learn quickly. It could be said that they weighed learning ability as the most valuable talent one could have.

    They had set it up so that challengers would gain access to techniques they currently needed, and the longer they took to master it, the more trial points it would cost. It added an extra layer of pressure for all the participants.

    Despite knowing this truth, there wasn¡¯t much anyone could do about it. That was why all the young cultivators inside the pocket realm were desperately doing their best.

    Reading through the Qi Injection Art, Li Lang found it particularly fascinating. It wasn¡¯t because it had novel effects. Instead, it inspired multiple ideas on how he could mass-produce talismans. It would take further research, but a path was revealed.

    This was because the technique involved crafting another tool that could control the output level of Qi while one was inscribing a talisman. While one normally had to do that by oneself, the ability to offload this tedious task to a tool would free up a lot of concentration for the practitioner. It was like having cruise control on a car.

    I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. I can save it for after we¡¯re done with the pocket realm. I have to focus on learning the technique itself first.

    Li Lang read it over again and familiarized himself with the Qi Injection Art.

    Just when he was about to go over another time, an alarm in his lab rang out. He had set it to remind himself about the dinner plans he had made with his companions.

    While he was reluctant, he exited the artifact space and returned to the tiny room he was teleported to after his trial. He carried along the cultivation manual despite having already recorded all its contents.

    Exiting the room, he found himself inside a long corridor with numerous doors like the one he came out of. Picking the direction of where the noise was coming from, he soon found himself coming out of the passageway and into the grand hall.

    From the signs there, he was able to navigate to the mess hall. As expected, there weren¡¯t many people here. The other cultivators had better things to do than eat. They were either taking the trials or in closed cultivation to learn new techniques.

    Li Lang found that he was the first one there. He couldn¡¯t blame the others, as only he had an accurate way to tell the time with the clocks in his lab. He picked an empty table and began flipping over the pages of the Qi Injection Art once more.

    Time passed by quickly while he lost himself in the book. By the time he came to, he found his table was already filled, and in the midst of a rowdy conversation. Everyone he had invited had come.

    Wei Ping and Long Yi were a given, but both Huang Si and Sima Xue were here. Sima Xue had even brought along a companion, a girl around her age, but with hair tied into two buns.

    Wei Ping was the first to notice his former boss coming back to reality.

    ¡°B-boss, you¡¯re done? Everyone is w-waiting for you.¡±

    Hearing his words, everyone stopped chatting and directed their attention to the boy in question. Feeling all their gazes, Li Lang bowed and apologized.

    ¡°Sorry about that¡­I got sidetracked. Since everyone¡¯s here already, why don¡¯t we start sharing our experiences?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been doing that already. It¡¯s just you that can isolate yourself in your own world,¡± Long Yi quipped.

    ¡°...¡±

    His companions didn¡¯t make it hard for him and quickly got him up to speed. Li Lang himself shared his own experience. It didn¡¯t take long as Sima Xue had taken the same trial as him, so they had heard all about the details already.

    It seems all the tasks changed each time, but the challengers in the same cohort received the same task. For better or worse, it seems this time, straightforward crafting was selected. Records from the past talked about several other types of tests like tracing a particular talisman, customizing the runes, or even artifact enchantment.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°What? You got through the second round? Aren¡¯t you almost ready to take the Brushweaver exam, then?¡± Sima Xue halfway stood up in surprise.

    ¡°Hmm, not really. I¡¯m nowhere close to mastering overlaid runes.¡±

    ¡°Still! You¡¯re almost at the level of an official Brushweaver!¡±

    To become an officially recognized craftsman was no small feat. While a no-star Brushweaver was a dime a dozen, reaching such a stage at such a young age marked a bright future.

    ¡°...Anyway. I¡¯m more curious to hear about the combat trials. Huang Si, how did it go?¡±

    ¡°That¡­It wasn¡¯t easy. They made me hunt down several Qi beasts, each with unique peculiarities. I made it to the seventh round.¡±

    Seeing that Huang Si was in the sixth stage of Energy Gathering, Li Lang nodded, impressed with the results.

    ¡°Did that mean you defeated a Qi beast in the seventh stage?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not that talented. The trials aren¡¯t that linear, where you are sent to hunt a Qi beast at each stage of cultivation. It monitors your performance and adjusts accordingly. In my case, it made me fight Qi beasts that traveled in groups once it realized I struggled to go up against only one in the sixth stage.¡±

    So it¡¯s actively trying to push you to the limit. How is it monitoring us? Is there an artifact spirit somewhere that¡¯s just not showing itself?

    ¡°Hehe, I got to the twelfth round!¡± Sima Xue interjected. ¡°I only lost when they set me up against eighth-stage monkeys.¡±

    ¡°That is impressive¡­You¡¯ve grown pretty rapidly since the last time I saw you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I can finally cultivate properly now that I¡¯m back in the Luminescent Domain. I think I will be able to break through to the ninth stage within a week. My goal is to break through into the Foundation Establishment realm before I leave here!¡±

    Li Lang could only smile at the enthusiasm coming from the young girl. He knew it was useless to be jealous of other¡¯s progress. After all, comparing oneself to others was the thief of joy. He was satisfied as long as he was making steady progress.

    Still, he placed a hand on the bottle at his waist. It contained the Foundation Pill he received as a reward for helping Tai Xilun. He couldn¡¯t help but fantasize about breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm himself.

    Their progress had been accelerating every day, with the use of the Clearing Drug. Long Yi had even broken through to the sixth stage, and Wei Ping to the fifth stage just recently as well. However, Li Lang had to consider whether he wanted to attempt the breakthrough even if he had the chance.

    Attempting to step into a new major realm was dangerous business. There was a reason sects only allowed their disciples to make their attempt with the use of a Foundation Pill. Li Lang ideally wanted some time to investigate the phenomenon of the breakthrough before he tried. If so, then came the problem of finding test subjects to observe.

    It wasn¡¯t like he could just gather around peak Energy Gathering experts like he did with the Clearing Drug.

    ¡°Can I watch if you end up making the attempt?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t resist and asked.

    Sima Xue answered without hesitation.

    ¡°Sure!¡±

    However, this sparked a strong response from her friend sitting beside her. She immediately smacked Sima Xue in the head and reprimanded her.

    ¡°What do you mean, sure? You¡¯re going to let an unknown male watch over you when you¡¯re at your most vulnerable? Who knows what his intentions are?¡± the girl directed Li Lang a guarded look.

    ¡°Yulian, it¡¯s fine. I can tell from his look that he means no harm.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± the girl sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t rely on your intuition all the time. It can be wrong or people change.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because of my intuition that I became friends with you! I don¡¯t see a problem.¡±

    The girl wanted to retort, but a blush bloomed on her face, rendering her speechless.

    Seeing the scene, Li Lang cleared his throat.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met before. How about you introduce us to your friend?¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is Tang Yulian. She¡¯s the genius of the Eternal Wave Sect and my close friend! In fact, if you¡¯re so curious about breakthroughs, you should ask Yulian. She is the closest to reaching Foundation Establishment, after all.¡±

    At her words, the girl in question sighed again and her aura was unleashed. Suddenly, everyone at the table could feel that she was in the ninth stage of Energy Gathering! She was a peak expert within their realm!

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why I should humor any of you. My breakthrough is too important to me to be adding variables to the occasion.¡±

    ¡°Oh come on Yulian. We¡¯re here to help each other. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯d be great if Li Lang here guided you in Brushweaving to return the favor?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    The girls then began whispering to each other while the guys exchanged glances. They knew better than to interrupt.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Why don¡¯t we eat first?¡± Long Yi suggested.

    They soon each took out a Nourishment Pill and stared at it. Long Yi brought it to eye level and suspiciously examined it.

    ¡°Does this even taste good?¡±

    ¡°In h-hindsight, we s-should¡¯ve tried this stuff o-out before coming, huh?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Huang Si grinned. ¡°You guys never been in closed-door cultivation before? This stuff tastes horrible, but fills your stomach for at least a day! I still can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s because it traumatizes you with its bad taste that you lose your appetite or what.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Huang Si¡¯s words made the boys blink blankly at the pill. They exchanged glances to see who would try it out first, but quickly found themselves in a stalemate.

    Long Yi then suddenly turned to Li Lang.

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault! It was your idea, and you made them too! You should eat it first!¡±

    Hmm¡­I only tested a few with the auto-analyzer since we needed a large amount of them. Maybe I should look into making better-flavored ones if they do turn out disgusting¡­

 Chapter 95: Training Pocket Realm

    The trio each made strange faces as they downed their Nourishment Pill. The experienced bunch among their group mischievously smirked as they watched on.

    It didn¡¯t take long for their reaction to be seen, as it was just swallowing one pill.

    From the tests Li Lang had done, he knew it was similar to the field rations back in his world, infused with Qi, so he wasn¡¯t too surprised. It was the higher-tier pills that he wanted to research. The mortal-grade Nourishment Pill he made only sustained someone for one day. The higher quality ones may be a few days at most, but the Earth-grade ones could last someone a whole month.

    The human body wasn¡¯t designed to eat so infrequently. Even if the pill contained all the necessary nutrients for the entire month, several complications would come up. The human body could only absorb so much in a day. The body would then excrete or store the excess, but that had a limit as well.

    Once the harsh aftertaste weakened, Li Lang quickly directed his thoughts elsewhere. There were other things to be worrying about.

    ¡°Guys, do any of you know where I can obtain Brushweaving materials? There¡¯s an exchange in here, right?¡±

    Huang Si was the first to nod.

    ¡°There is. Many things can be exchanged here, even food just around the private rooms,¡± he pointed off in the direction where they could attain cultivation rooms. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend doing so unless you really needed it, though. It¡¯s not worth spending your trial points on most things that can be easily attained outside. It is better to just bear with it.¡±

    ¡°I understand, but I think I¡¯ll need it to progress further in my trials.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the empty stores just along the way. If you enter, the lights will appear and list out what you can exchange. It¡¯s hard to miss.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. Thank you.¡±

    Li Lang shot out of his seat, ready to go right away.

    Seeing this, Huang Si smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time we should part, anyway. I¡¯m sure everyone has their own assignment to work on, so why don¡¯t we disband? Those who are free can meet here every night.¡±

    No one objected, and the group soon disbanded.

    Many of them followed Li Lang, not to tag along, but to acquire their own private rooms to digest their rewards.

    Once he finished making his purchase, he found only his two trusted friends remained with him.

    ¡°You two¡­I have something to talk about. Let¡¯s go find a room first.¡±

    Wei Ping and Long Yi nodded, as they could tell Li Lang had something sensitive to talk about. They swiftly made their way to the adjacent hall where one could reserve a room. There was a large sign labeled Closed Door Cultivation Hall at the entrance.

    ¡°The rooms are free, so let¡¯s each get one. We can talk in my room before we separate.¡±

    Following the instructions of the lights, the trio soon found themselves in a small room set up with a desk.

    With the rooms being free, it was safe to assume over half of the cultivators were each in similar rooms, enduring bitter training.

    ¡°I want you guys to give me the manual you got from your trials.¡±

    ¡°Huh, why? I only have half a day left with it. I need to hurry and peruse the entire thing,¡± Long Yi said.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you exactly how, but I can record everything within it. You¡¯ll just have to trust me on it. I¡¯ll need a few hours, but then you can access its contents through me whenever you want.¡±

    ¡°...Boss, did you forget? The pocket realm will not a-allow you to copy the texts. It¡¯ll just d-destroy whatever you try to record it on, and I d-didn¡¯t think y-you had an eidetic memory.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. Again, I can¡¯t explain it right now. Maybe someday.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°U-understood. I trust y-you, boss.¡±

    ¡°....Whatever, I trust you too. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t know if he should reveal the secret of Ruby anytime soon, so he could only be vague for now. Maybe later, when he had the power to defend himself, he wouldn¡¯t have to guard his secrets so closely.

    As promised, Li Lang finished recording everything inside Ruby and returned the cultivation manuals to his companions. He couldn¡¯t make any sense of it yet as he hadn¡¯t learned Woodsmithing or Artificing yet, but it would prove to be useful later.

    Once his companions left, Li Lang excitedly took out his materials and began processing them exactly as the Qi Injection Art instructed. There may have been a few hours¡¯ delay, but his enthusiasm was still as strong as ever.

    The tool he was making wasn¡¯t complicated, being a simple metal rod. The difficult part was the rune he had to inscribe onto it. Then the technique to control it.

    It was what allowed it to feed Qi to his Moon Brush without his constant attention.

    This rod allowed Li Lang to focus on controlling the elements of his Qi and its shape while he inscribed. He was excited to offload the responsibility of adjusting the quantity of Qi. Normally it varied every second, and a Brushweaver had to take it into account while they managed everything else.

    Now, a steady amount of Qi would be drained from him, and he would be able to adjust the levels with how much surface area the rod contacted the brush. However, there definitely was a learning curve.

    If other Brushweavers discovered the same technique, Li Lang wouldn¡¯t be surprised for them to incorporate it into their arsenal as well. It made him appreciate this lost knowledge from the old heritage much more. After all, this was just the tip of the iceberg! Who knew what others had uncovered here and simply just kept it to themselves?

    Once Li Lang finished crafting the injector rod, he immediately allowed Ruby to consume it and made another one. Then, he spent all his time practicing. Sometimes he would do it in reality, and sometimes in the artifact space. The only time he took breaks was to sleep or eat with the others in the dining hall.

    Like that, a week quickly passed. Then another week.

    The new technique took some time for Li Lang to adjust to it. By the time he was done, he grinned when he examined his trial card.

    Reading the card, he found that he hadn¡¯t lost any points. That meant the pocket realm had deemed his progress adequate.

    Hmm, I wonder what it uses to gauge our progress. If I learn the standard it uses¡­but still, it¡¯s not rare for people to stay here for years, so it can¡¯t be that stringent.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t let this new discovery extinguish his sense of urgency. He still had to do the alchemy and combat trials. And during the in-between downtime, he also had to keep up with his cultivation.

    He felt like he was on the verge of breaking through once more. It had only been a few months since Long Yi had broken through, and he was already catching up with him. It made Li Lang suspect the effect of practicing various crafts had accelerated his progress further.

    Long Yi had to be monitored more closely before any conclusions could be made. He had been practicing Artificing, so it was hard to make any conclusions with so many variables at play. Li Lang thought perhaps he would have to get new test subjects to put this theory to the test.

    After a few weeks of working hard at the Qi Injection technique, Li Lang finally felt comfortable utilizing it. It meant he would set off for the trial once more.

    Returning to the same calligraphy scroll as before, Li Lang found himself in the same lake as the last time he took the trial. He was once again standing atop a room-sized lily pad.

    The lights that formed words soon gave him the same instructions, and he repeated his performance.

    Nothing amiss happened, and Li Lang was able to swiftly blow by the first two rounds. He wasn¡¯t awarded anything this time, but he got the opportunity to redo the third round he had previously failed.

    ¡°Create any kind of talisman that makes use of two overlapping runes within an hour. Fail and you lose five trial points.¡±

    Between the time from his first attempt to his current trial, Li Lang had been practicing the Qi Injection Art nonstop. However, while he trained in this new technique, it resulted in him practicing inscribing the same talisman over and over again.

    This talisman was one of the ones Li Lang had set his eyes on ever since he picked the path of Brushweaving. He wanted to create his own kind of talisman in the future, but for the short term, it didn¡¯t matter, as he mainly wanted to supply his own needs. As a measly Energy Gatherer with no backer, it wasn¡¯t surprising that Li Lang relied on concealment talismans to keep himself safe.

    Its short duration made it necessary to combine its use with other talismans, but that didn¡¯t diminish the importance of having one in the first place.

    He had failed to inscribe the concealment talismans many times before. It was much harder to inscribe when one had to overlap runes. He had to make sure nothing conflicted while still maintaining its function.

    In comparison, the warding talisman was much easier. It had two functions that didn¡¯t need to be activated at the same time. Simply to store Qi and emit its spiritual pressure.

    As for the concealment talisman, Li Lang had to make sure the function of the rune that generated the optical illusion, and the rune that suppressed the user¡¯s Qi, worked in unison. It was previously much harder as he had to worry about the ever-changing levels of Qi he had to maintain.

    Now, with the new Qi Injection Art, he had the leeway to focus on the crux of the task at hand. He simply needed to hold up the rod against his brush to control the amount of Qi he fed into the Moon Brush.

    Got to remember to alternate between the two attributes of their Qi when they overlap¡­

 Chapter 96: On to the Next

    ¡°Third round passed. The challenger is awarded forty trial points. The next round is starting shortly.¡±

    Li Lang let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the words formed by the lights. It was only then that his senses returned to him. He felt his robe damp with sweat, and his hands sore.

    ¡°I succeeded¡­¡± he muttered.

    The entire process was suspenseful, as a tiny mistake could cause the talisman to activate prematurely or explode. He felt like he was defusing explosives. The beginning trek was easy, but it got harder the longer the session went. Fortunately, his stamina lasted.

    Stretching out his body after the strenuous inscribing sessions, Li Lang relaxed on the ground as the lights formed new words.

    ¡°Create any kind of talisman that makes use of three runes within an hour. Fail and you lose five trial points.¡±

    This time, Li Lang didn¡¯t even bother considering attempting the next trial. While three runes may sound easy, only a single step further than two runes, it was something normally only done by those in the Foundation Establishment realm.

    That was because it required densely packing a large amount of Qi into the talisman, which at the same time meant using Earth-grade talisman paper. As much as Li Lang had wanted to dive into working with these high-grade materials, he knew he wasn¡¯t capable of the task yet, even with the help of Ruby.

    It was much more efficient to work on Mortal-grade materials for now until he broke through.

    That was why he simply sat there during the next hour, ending the trial on the fourth round.

    ¡°Fourth round failed. Deducting five points. Issuing reward for one day.¡±

    Once again, a flash of light momentarily dazzled Li Lang before revealing a new cultivation manual. However, Li Lang never expected the contents of his reward. It wasn¡¯t any fancy Brushweaving techniques, but instead something much simpler. It was titled The History of Brushweaving.

    Is this the place telling me to brush up on my basics¡­? Hmm, I guess it wouldn¡¯t be sending me a more advanced manual that I¡¯m not ready for yet. Maybe this is why none of the experts outside care that much about the inheritances here.

    With the place only allowing those below a bone age of fifteen, there would rarely be anything beyond the early Foundation Establishment realm.

    Despite how the reward only consists of the fundamentals, it didn¡¯t stop Li Lang from perusing through it. He swiftly made his way back to his own room and got straight to it.

    Li Lang found the reward perfect for him. He always wanted to know the essence of the crafts he studied so he could further build on it. It was a shortcut for him to unravel the mechanics of his research topics.

    I see¡­ the evolution of the materials used for ink and brushes is quite interesting. I should source these materials myself and analyze their properties to compare. Maybe I can find something there.

    Li Lang quickly added the purchase of blood from Qi beasts and sap from various trees to his shopping list. He planned to compare the difference between them and the current ink sticks he used. Then perhaps he may find the key material that allows them to be effective in Brushweaving.

    However, that would have to wait until after the trials. It simply wasn¡¯t worth it to exchange trial points for materials. He only went through with his previous purchase because he needed to create a rod for the Qi Injection Art. Once he finished, he set aside the text of Brushweaving¡¯s history and went out to take a stroll.

    He needed a break while he organized his thoughts.

    Seeing he would no longer get further in the art of Brushweaving any time soon, Li Lang had to prepare for the alchemy trials.

    He had been aware of his previous weakness in the craft of alchemy, being only able to produce subpar pills, which was why he had learned it again from the traditional methods. Even with all the practice he could do with unlimited use of materials, thanks to Ruby, he was still uncertain about his performance.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    It was just too difficult to attain consistent results with traditional alchemy. The minute differences in each set of materials were a variable that kept alchemists on their toes. For the same reason, practice within Ruby¡¯s artifact space also had its limits. It helped refine his technique, but he couldn¡¯t master how to refine perfect-quality pills. The materials he would work with in real life inevitably differed slightly from the simulations.

    As Li Lang pondered, he strolled through the various halls within the pocket realm. From his conversations with his companions, he heard the combat trials took place outdoors. They were currently inside a colossal pavilion, which meant the entire pocket realm was much bigger than it appeared.

    There were even real Qi beasts outside, which meant the martial trials weren¡¯t entirely safe.

    It corroborated with the injuries he saw on the various people he came across. A good portion of them didn¡¯t find it comfortable to be holed up in a tiny private room, so they roamed the halls of the building. Many of them were with their fellow disciples, but were all studying independently.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped, as each participant was awarded techniques tailored to them. It would be unwise to practice anything else, lest they stagnate and lose trial points.

    This made the entire atmosphere of the place shockingly similar to the universities Li Lang had once attended during exam season. The difference was that everyone had a different version of the test, and they already knew the questions. They just had to solve the problem now.

    The atmosphere was contagious and Li Lang was soon motivated to push his uncertainties aside and go for it. Even if he failed, he would simply be rewarded with techniques that could remedy his weaknesses.

    It was only the combat trial that he should worry about, as getting hurt was a very real possibility.

    Having resolved himself, Li Lang went back to his room to fetch his furnace. Then he went down the hallway leading to the alchemy trials. This time, at the end of the corridor, there wasn¡¯t any fancy calligraphy at the end of it. Instead, there was simply a large bonfire, burning with nothing around it.

    I¡¯m supposed to walk into that¡­?

    Li Lang sighed and cautiously approached. He gingerly stuck a hand in first and only entered when he found that he wasn¡¯t burnt.

    He soon found himself inside a fancy refining room. The lacquered walls seemed to be of a higher quality than all the other refining rooms he had been to. There were several furnaces off to the side, but the strange thing about the room was that there were no doors. The entire room was enclosed, without even a window.

    Before he could examine further, the lights that formed the instructions appeared as expected.

    ¡°Refine a Recovery Pill. You have three attempts and one hour for each attempt.¡±

    Right as those words vanished, one of the cupboards popped open. Within it were exactly three sets of materials. However, those materials were based on the most orthodox recipe. That meant Li Lang wouldn¡¯t be able to employ his self-taught mass production technique even if he wanted to. He was missing the Moonshadow Lotus he had used for the adsorption process.

    This didn¡¯t deter Li Lang at all and only made him more focused. He didn¡¯t have to waver between the methods, especially since he wasn¡¯t given the criteria the trial would be judging on.

    He didn¡¯t dawdle and got straight to work.

    Having his trusty furnace with him, he quickly inspected all the materials with his Qi sense.

    The first refinement didn¡¯t go exactly as he imagined, failing when he let the Jade Leaves go too close to the fire. It caused the fire to jump up, burning the leaves to a crisp.

    On his next attempt, he paid more attention to the heat rune inside his furnace. He steadily fed it with his Qi while still manipulating the materials within.

    As a result, he produced a pill of decent quality on his second attempt. On his last attempt, he even managed to refine a Recovery Pill of good quality!

    Every time Li Lang refined something above subpar, he would grin. He was tired of his work all being subpar.

    The trial quickly notified him that he had passed, and the second round soon came.

    ¡°Refine as many pills as you can within one hour. Call out the name of any common Mortal-grade materials and it will appear in the cupboard.¡±

    This new task may sound easy to Li Lang, but it was a huge hurdle for any normal alchemist. They had to work under the pressure of not knowing the benchmark they had to hit. Being able to refine five pills could be a pass or fail. This added mental pressure easily affected their refining session.

    However, in Li Lang¡¯s case, it was a trial perfect for him!

    It was almost too good to be true, which made Li Lang think things through.

    Hmm¡­If I continue using the traditional method and fail, I will probably get some kind of Qi art to help manipulate the materials. But what will I get if I use my mass production method? As vast as their knowledge repository is, they can¡¯t possibly have one that would fit my methods, would it?

    The curiosity of the unknown infected Li Lang as easily as the flu during winter. He got straight to work, resolving himself to stick with his unorthodox method whenever possible.

    He was looking forward to what the trial had in store for him that could complement the mass production method.

 Chapter 97: Alchemy Trial Reward

    With his mass production method, Li Lang easily passed the second round of the alchemy trial with flying colors. Even the third round was easily conquered, as it only required him to refine multiple batches concurrently. This was something Li Lang had already been used to doing, so he breezed by.

    It was the fourth round that stumped Li Lang. It required Li Lang to refine a top-quality pill. He was allowed a whole ten attempts and the right to pause the trial in between sessions to rest. It didn¡¯t specify any pill, so anything was fair game, but Li Lang was still stumped.

    He had never refined a top-quality pill before. It was just too easy for something to go slightly awry, resulting in small errors during the process. He was taught that only pills with over ninety-five percent purity were considered top quality, so it wasn¡¯t even perfect. With the equipment he had access to, he couldn¡¯t come up with a quick solution.

    Having hit a roadblock, Li Lang decided to take one attempt before retiring for the day. As expected, his first attempt didn¡¯t produce the desired results. He couldn¡¯t just will a top-quality pill in existence. It depended on both luck and skill every time he refined. He could only hope the set of materials he worked with wouldn¡¯t flare up the flames or cause other issues.

    Despite the directionless attempt, it didn¡¯t mean he wasted it. He gathered every bit of information from the refining session and recorded it for review. It was all based on his own insight as to what went wrong.

    His Qi sense told him the main reason why top quality was so far away was because almost all the materials had small traces of impurities within them. Microscopic pockets of unwanted elements that he could do nothing to.

    Perhaps he could find a way to deal with one type of impurity given enough time. The problem was that there were uncountable varieties of them. Each tiny pocket of waste was different and difficult to separate.

    Seeing no quick progress to be made, Li Lang swiftly exited.

    By the time he returned, he was just in time to gather at the mess hall. They each discussed the obstacles they faced before quickly becoming a brainstorming session. They aimed to have others¡¯ perspectives on their issue, attaining a fresh take. They merrily chatted all the way until a familiar girl arrived.

    ¡°Hey everyone, seems like I¡¯m late.¡±

    Li Lang smiled and nodded amiably to the newcomer, Sima Xue.

    ¡°No worries. You didn¡¯t miss much. We just vented to each other.¡±

    ¡°Well, in that case, I have something to announce! It seems like Yulian¡¯s trial is forcing her to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm to proceed. She¡¯s preparing right now but will likely attempt her breakthrough sometime this month.¡± She took a moment to let the news sink in before turning to Li Lang directly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that great? You wanted to witness a breakthrough, right?¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s all I wanted to say. I still have to babysit the other disciples from Nightmoon Valley. I¡¯ll be busy, but I¡¯ll definitely come to fetch you guys before Yulian¡¯s attempt.¡±

    Like a whirlwind, Sima Xue came and went.

    As much as he was excited about it, it made Li Lang wonder if the person in question, Tang Yulian, had even given her permission for him to spectate. It also served as a reminder. A reminder for Li Lang to not let his cultivation fall behind.

    Long Yi had already made great progress toward the late stages of Energy Gathering, and Wei Ping felt like he was only a sliver away from a breakthrough. This made Li Lang want to push through to the sixth stage soon as well.

    After some well-deserved rest, Li Lang got up early the next morning and dove straight back into it. He received several ideas from his companions and he would try them all. None of them may be alchemists, but that made their perspectives that much more unique.

    Wei Ping suggested cutting off the tidbits from materials that had a lot of impurities, using only the good parts. It used up more materials, but with the pocket realm providing the resources, it wasn¡¯t a major concern.

    It failed.

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    The impurities were too evenly distributed across the material, and some of them were contaminants during the refining. Li Lang couldn¡¯t cut that away, nor could it properly be dispensed.

    Long Yi¡¯s idea was to use Qi to push out the waste.

    It also failed as Li Lang couldn¡¯t control thousands of strands of Qi at the same time. Doing it one by one would take eons, and the impurities would refill the gaps in the meantime.

    Huang Si and Sima Xue both agreed to use fire to remove the impurities. They believed one should turn the materials around, like a roast turkey, targeting the pockets.

    The last suggestion also failed spectacularly.

    The fire couldn¡¯t be that precisely controlled. It was almost impossible to burn certain parts while leaving the others unharmed. Perhaps some alchemists could do it with their well-honed techniques but Li Lang couldn¡¯t.

    Having attempted several times, with no results, Li Lang decisively forfeited. He was getting nowhere and banked on the reward to provide him with a clear path through his obstacles. He also didn¡¯t want any trial points to be deducted for being stuck on the problem. After all, when one was deemed unproductive, they would start losing trial points.

    The artifact spirit controlling the trial may not have shown itself, but it seemed to be monitoring everything. Not long after Li Lang made his decision, the glowing words quickly materialized. It knew Li Lang wanted to forfeit.

    ¡°Fourth round failed. Deducting five trial points. Retrieving the reward.¡±

    A familiar bright light shone upon Li Lang, causing him to squint.

    When it disappeared, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth wide.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    This was because what appeared wasn¡¯t just a cultivation manual as he expected. Instead, it was also a map. A map with the vague outline of the pavilion he was in, and the rest of the pocket realm. On the map was a red circle, highlighting a specific area outside.

    Li Lang immediately knew what was there when he read the labels.

    ¡°Primordial Star Fire¡­is this a type of heavenly fire that I¡¯ve heard about? The trial wants me to attain a heavenly fire?¡±

    Racking his brain on all the information he knew about these exotic fires, he figured out he didn¡¯t actually know a lot about them. His surface knowledge only extended to knowing that high-level alchemists often used them in their craft. He didn¡¯t know how it exactly worked, but the third round of the trial had given him a good hint.

    If the artifact spirit or whatever is monitoring our progress, then that means it would have witnessed how I struggled to filter out the impurities within the materials using my mass production method. That resulted in subpar pills, which it should¡¯ve correctly identified as my weakness.

    Does this mean this primordial fire can help me in that department?

    Li Lang soon found himself transported back into one of the tiny rooms after one finished their trials. What he didn¡¯t expect to find, in addition to his reward, were the pills in his hand. It seemed the trial had let him keep the pills he had refined. He quickly put them away and left the room, as he had something more interesting to investigate.

    Seeing the time, he immediately made his way to the mess hall.

    ¡°B-boss, we were l-looking for you. Is everything o-okay?¡± Wei Ping immediately pressed as soon as Li Lang arrived.

    ¡°Yes. I was just busy taking the alchemy trial.¡±

    ¡°What? You took it already? Does that mean your Brushweaving one went well?¡± Long Yi interjected.

    ¡°As well as it can go with my current capabilities.¡±

    ¡°Wait, does that mean you passed the third round?!¡± a girl shouted off to the side.

    Li Lang politely nodded at the young genius from the Eternal Wave Sect, Tang Yulian.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s nothing compared to you who¡¯s only an inch away from shedding your mortality and ascending to the Foundation Establishment realm.¡±

    ¡°...That is up in the air. A lot can go wrong during my attempt, even with adequate preparation.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on, Yulian.¡± Sima Xue joined the party and held onto her friend¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. I dare say you¡¯re the number one genius in our generation!¡±

    With her timely intervention, their mood brightened, and the young cultivators veered off to lighter topics. Li Lang let them have fun chatting away for some time before he broached the subject of his new reward.

    ¡°Huang Si, I think you and Tang Yulian are the only ones who have taken the combat trials among us, right?¡±

    ¡°I did too!" Sima Xue interjected.

    ¡°...Right, you, Tang Yulian, and Sima Xue. I wanted to ask how far you guys have gone outside. Did you thoroughly explore the surrounding area?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Huang Si wore a thoughtful look. ¡°My trial was to hunt down a particular Qi beast. I was given a general direction. However, the dense forest outside makes it hard to map out the area.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been to the other end of the forest,¡± Tang Yulian stoically stated.

    Her statement made Li Lang orientate himself towards her.

    ¡°Can you tell me more about the area then? Is it dangerous for people around my cultivation to venture that far out?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it is hard to say. It depends on luck and which area you¡¯re heading to. There are signs of peak Energy Gathering Qi beasts further out, but as long as you don¡¯t venture into their territory, it should be possible.¡±

    Why can¡¯t this reward be something simpler to obtain¡­?

 Chapter 98: Outside

    When Li Lang retired to his room for the night, he didn¡¯t waste any time and dove straight into the manual he received as a reward. He received it alongside a map. It was simply titled Fire Taming Art.

    It was only a page, with nothing more than a mantra to chant.

    There wasn¡¯t anything special about it, so Li Lang went over the map in more detail instead. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was to scale, but he estimated the Primordial Star Fire was only half an hour away. This was based on Tang Yulian¡¯s experience, but with her higher cultivation, it was hardly accurate for others.

    As he went over the map, Li Lang began to plan. He wasn¡¯t a stranger to venturing out into Qi beast-infested forests. Nevertheless, he needed to come up with contingencies ahead of time.

    He still had a small stash of warding talisman he brought with him, so he wasn¡¯t too worried about the Qi beasts. However, it made him motivated to investigate how to produce his own warding talisman that gave off the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    The ones he bought weren¡¯t classified as Earth-grade talismans. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to afford it. He had heard from Yi Lin that usually, a Foundation Establishment Brushweaver would just store some of their Qi in the talisman.

    If it is still classified as a mortal-grade talisman, it means I should still be able to create one while in the Energy Gathering realm¡­

    What Li Lang didn¡¯t know was that the reason was simply because the talisman¡¯s functions were only to store and emit Qi. The content of the Qi was irrelevant to the grading. He was unaware that it just so happens that mortal-grade talisman could barely still contain a sliver of Foundation Establishment level Qi.

    Nevertheless, Li Lang began experimenting with a basic Qi storing talisman inside Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    ¡°Ruby, according to you, what is the main difference between Qi from someone in the Energy Gathering realm and the Foundation Establishment realm?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­Maybe the heaviness of it?¡±

    ¡°Would you say¡­it¡¯s denser?¡±

    ¡°Probably? I¡¯m not sure if my senses are the same are yours, master.¡±

    ¡°No worries. It¡¯s still valuable insight.¡±

    So far, from what I observed, the intensity of Qi could sometimes change the length of its wavelength. Such as the aptitude test orbs, showcasing colors. It is in line with the Planck-Einstein Relation; as the wavelength decreases, energy increases.

    That may or may not affect the quality of Qi. Even a non-cultivator like Zi Xi got to the blue spectrum, so it¡¯s hard to say. However, if Ruby says it feels denser, it might have to do with something similar to the states of the matter. In that case, there might be a breaking point for the density of Qi somewhere that will qualitatively change it to the Foundation Establishment level. Like from gas to liquid.

    With that in mind, Li Lang began trying to increase the density of Qi within a talisman. It wasn¡¯t as easy as it sounded. Just like cultivating, the more full the container was, the harder it was to stuff more in. One would normally become stronger during the process, allowing you to exert more force to jam even more in, but doing so without the required strength was a challenge.

    I don¡¯t have any tools that could interact with Qi. How can I gain more leverage, then¡­?

    Wait!

    I do have tools that can interact with Qi.

    Li Lang immediately glanced over at his Brushweaving workshop. His Moon Brushes, ink stones, and the injection rod were all there. His eyes lit up when it made contact with the rod. The reward from the trials was exactly a tool that addressed his needs.

    ¡°Ruby, can you duplicate several more of these rods for me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, master.¡±

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    Almost immediately, a dozen identical rods materialized on the table. Li Lang wasted no time trying out using several rods at once, feeding Qi into his Moon Brush several times compared to the usual. Unfortunately, he quickly ran out of energy.

    He wasn¡¯t winded, however, because the artifact space was just a simulation. His real self hadn¡¯t expended the same amount of Qi. Still, it disallowed him from continuing to feed more energy.

    ¡°I need a Qi battery of some sort¡­ I guess I¡¯ll have to settle with using the warding talismans I bought until then.¡±

    None of the materials he had come across could act as a battery. He had no choice but to add another topic to his to-do list.

    The next day, Li Lang decided to venture out of the building he had teleported into since his arrival. After some inquiring with his companions, he learned where the exit was. Passing by various disciples going about their day, Li Lang made his way to the hallway leading to the combat trials.

    He went down the wide corridor until he encountered several doors on both sides. Many cultivators would go in and out of these rooms. As he passed by, he stole a glance at what was in the rooms. He spotted a lone sword at the center and nothing else.

    Li Lang decided to forgo the combat trials for the moment. He wanted to focus on attaining the unique heavenly fire. The grading of the combat trial was likely timed, so he would rather worry about it another time.

    Coming toward the end of the hallways, he found two sturdy metal doors. It was already open as various people could be seen venturing outside. Blending into the crowd, Li Lang soon took his first step outside the building he had lived in ever since he entered the pocket realm.

    He narrowed his eyes at the violet skies and yellow clouds towering above. Turning around, he found himself walking out of the base of a colossal mountain.

    How come no one told me were living inside a mountain and not some building¡­?

    Li Lang took a moment to orient himself with the map he held. Then he was off.

    There was a large forest he had to traverse, then through a sandy plain.

    Li Lang used his warding talisman just before he entered the treeline. He could hear the bushes rustling from the distant cultivators. Due to that, his journey went unhindered, as he avoided others. He only had to endure the dense foliage.

    After a whole twenty minutes, he had made good progress, with nothing awry.

    That all changed when he abruptly heard the crisp snapping of trees. It was followed by the groaning of a young man. A moment later, hurried footsteps drew closer.

    Li Lang cautiously moved around the commotion. As he tried to remain undetected, his speed was much slower than the approaching figures. That was why he settled to hide behind a thick tree, waiting for the trouble to pass.

    However, the sound of running soon stopped nearby. From his vantage point, Li Lang took a peek and found a young man hiding behind a tree, just like he was. The only difference was that the newcomer was dirty with all the dirt staining on his clothes and was breathing raggedly.

    The newcomer was below him, looking fearfully toward where he had come from.

    He looks familiar¡­

    As the man turned left and right to assess his surroundings, Li Lang got a better look on his face. He soon recognized the other party to be Shen Haoran. He was the man who had targeted him during The Orchid Covenant¡¯s competition that earned him a spot in the pocket realm.

    Before he could digest his new findings, the sound of the foliage violently being destroyed drew both cultivators¡¯ attention. A huge gorilla bulldozed his way through the treeline, giving off a powerful aura of a late-stage Energy Gathering Qi beast.

    It sniffed at the air while occasionally snapping in a different direction, searching for its prey.

    It was obvious to Li Lang that Shen Haoran had managed to somehow piss off the Qi beast. Fortunately for him, the gorilla soon discovered the aura of something much more powerful than itself. It let out a surprised yelp as it cautiously backed away from Li Lang¡¯s direction.

    Hmm¡­It seems to have come to its senses since it got so close to me. Good to know that Qi beasts can still approach me if they¡¯re in a frenzy, even with the warding talisman. But should I really just let Shen Haoran off the hook that easily after his shenanigans?

    Making a split-second decision, Li Lang fished out his warding talisman. He decisively crushed it to cancel its effects before throwing out another talisman at Shen Haoran. The new talisman sailed through the air and landed perfectly by its target¡¯s feet. It then exploded spectacularly, and Shen Haoran was thrown onto the ground.

    The explosive talisman was something Li Lang had inscribed. As a result, it wasn¡¯t that powerful, only with the strength of a middle-stage Energy Gatherer. However, the surprise attack had caught Shen Haoran off guard. He was immediately disoriented by the blow, but most importantly, the gorilla now had a clear sight of its prey.

    Without the intimidation of the warding talisman, the Qi beast mindlessly committed to its chase once more.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang had sprinted away the moment he threw the explosive talisman. He only ran for a few seconds before he took out and activated a second warding talisman.

    That was quite expensive, but revenge is sweet. I should be able to make my own warding talisman if my research with a Qi battery turns out as I think it will.

    Anyway, good luck Shen Haoran! If you survive this, I¡¯ll call it even.

    With a smirk on his face, Li Lang resumed his journey. Behind him, he could hear the cries of a young man.

 Chapter 99: Following the Map

    The trek through the forest took a toll on Li Lang¡¯s young teenage body. The uneven surface and the dense foliage made every step many times more tiring.

    It would¡¯ve been even more strenuous if Li Lang had to worry about the Qi beasts lurking about as well. His Qi arts were either straightforward attacks or relied on tricks. The veiling shroud technique was more effective against humans than it was against beasts. That was because they had sharp senses, and didn¡¯t rely on sight nearly as much. Thankfully, that wasn¡¯t something Li Lang had to be worried about.

    It took him a whole hour to cut across all the foliage. He regretted not having a sharp saber by his side to hack a path open.

    By the time he got to the other end of the forest, he found a steep incline before him. Climbing up onto the hill, he was instantly assaulted by a wave of hot air. Before him lay an orange sandy desert. Behind him lay the verdant forest he had just traveled through.

    The contrast was stark, but he didn¡¯t waste any time gawking. Being on the hill left him too exposed. He didn¡¯t just have to guard against Qi beasts, but other cultivators with ill intentions as well.

    He swiftly dove into the desert after getting his bearings straight. He had a map, and he planned to follow it. He judged the pocket realm would unlikely provide him with a fake that led to a trap.

    The deeper he got into the desert, the fiercer the winds grew. It didn¡¯t take long to lose sight of the forest behind him. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t impossible to navigate. He could still see the sun. Using that as a marker, Li Lang soon arrived inside a derelict ruin.

    The half-collapsed sandstone buildings still did their best to resist the elements. Li Lang took shelter behind the rubble to get out of the wind. He then checked the map, rested, and replenished himself.

    It only took a few minutes to read the map, take a Nourishment Pill, and employ a water talisman to wash away the sand stuck to his face.

    He found that his destination wasn¡¯t far, likely within the ruins, which was a good start.

    After his break, he went house to house, searching for any clues. It would¡¯ve been a lot harder if these houses were still whole. Many walls were missing, saving him from having to search from room to room. The disrepair worked out in his favor.

    That was because he managed to discover a stairway leading down inside a plain-looking house. The stone used to construct the stairs was completely different from the rest of the house, which was composed of sandstone. It was light grey in color, and Li Lang could feel the sturdiness of the material.

    Placing a hand on the stairs, he found it resisted his attempts at using Qi sense on it. The material completely blocked out his senses.

    Interesting¡­A material that can block out Qi.

    He tried to break off a brick-sized piece, to no avail. Despite being battered by time for who knows how long, the material held strong. Unfortunately, that meant Ruby couldn¡¯t take it into its artifact space. The size was too large, and Ruby couldn¡¯t manage precise maneuvers like taking molecular samples.

    With no way to deal with the stone, Li Lang continued his journey. The stairway took him down much further than he thought. It spiraled and spiraled downward for hundreds of steps.

    With a light talisman in hand, Li Lang found the air getting hotter with each step.

    When he arrived at the bottom, he was greeted by gigantic stone doors blocking his path. The doors were at least thirty meters tall and were wide enough to allow six Skyrunners to pass through them side by side.

    The circular chamber, like the doors, was made of grey stone-like material.

    I hope it¡¯s not locked. I don¡¯t think even several full-powered strikes from me would make it budge.

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    Li Lang curiously approached the colossal doors, searching every nook and corner for levers or hidden switches. Due to that, it took until he arrived right before the door to notice something weird about the engravings. They didn¡¯t seem to form any coherent decorative image, but there was a rectangular indent that was completely blank.

    The size of this¡­

    Li Lang rummaged through his pack and took out the map he was rewarded. When he did so, it began glowing with orange light. Taking the hint, he placed it against the rectangular area and found it was a perfect match.

    He didn¡¯t have to do much else after that. The map snapped onto the door as if it was glued onto it. Then the rumbling of the gears behind the door could be heard.

    Despite their size, the doors quickly parted, opening up a large passageway for Li Lang.

    The moment Li Lang stepped in, he found the temperature had cooled. The overbearing heat up until now had suddenly died down. It was as if there was a forcefield of some kind behind the door that kept the heat out.

    It made Li Lang question if he was in the right place. After all, his goal was to attain his reward, the Primordial Star Fire. As he understood it, fires were typically hot.

    After moving along the snaking path, Li Lang¡¯s questions were answered. He arrived before a boulder. It wouldn¡¯t have drawn any attention if it wasn¡¯t left at the end of the hallway and, most importantly, a silverish-blue fire was constantly burning away at it.

    The flame was blue at its center, but the entire outer ring of it was silver. It was like the silver was outlining the fire.

    What kind of chemicals combusting would result in this color? It¡¯s not that hot here. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s some kind of copper alloy, though.

    Li Lang quickly shelved his thoughts away once he had a moment. It was time to go through with the mantra he had received along with the map. It was supposed to be a way to tame the flame, and he was excited to see what would happen.

    He took a seat a distance away and began reciting the mantra. He could only recite it slowly, as it was a mix of words and nonsensical noises.

    As Li Lang got into his groove, the silver-blue flame began to flicker. It put a smile on Li Lang¡¯s face upon seeing the miraculous scene. His mumbling had somehow affected the weird fire.

    Is it alive somehow like an artifact spirit?

    He didn¡¯t get to think about it for long. As he continued to chant the mantra, the flames reacted more actively. The movements sped up swiftly, and before Li Lang knew it, it latched onto him.

    He couldn¡¯t even react in time when he suddenly found himself engulfed in flames.

    Shit, shit!

    He rushed to cover himself protectively with his Qi. He reached into his pockets for his talismans, only to grimace when he realized it would be burnt up along with him. His hands still completed the motion anyway, and to his surprise, he found the talismans completely fine.

    In fact, he was fine as well. The fire didn¡¯t hurt and simply enveloped him.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t even get to theorize how that was possible when he suddenly found himself inside a dark space. There was nothing around, and it was pitch black.

    What in the world? Am I dreaming? Or did the fire kill me somehow¡­is this the afterlife?

    No matter where he turned to, it was still pitch black. Just as he gave up, the same silverish-blue fire abruptly lit up in front of him.

    Okay¡­so I¡¯m guessing I¡¯m not dead yet. Did this fire put me to sleep or into some kind of illusion?

    As if the fire could read his mind, it flared. It flared violently toward him and formed a fist. It then punched Li Lang right in the face, blowing him back. The assault didn¡¯t relent, as it continued unleashing a flurry of blows onto him.

    What in the world? I¡¯m being beaten up by the fire!

    Li Lang still had the composure to think as he reflexively concentrated his Qi around where he was being hit. Still, it hurt.

    That was why he began to dodge and retaliate. However, the fire simply phased through his Qi-empowered spear. It made the battle into a defensive one for Li Lang.

    The pummeling didn¡¯t last long. The flames could tell its blows weren¡¯t effective and changed its mode of attack. It engulfed Li Lang¡¯s entire body and gathered around his forehead. It formed a small wisp of fire and then launched itself into Li Lang¡¯s head.

    Instantly, Li Lang cried out in pain.

    The roar of pain echoed in the dark space he was in. He felt his brain heating up drastically, and something was trying to drill its way into him. He instinctively knew that he could not let it prevail, but he did not know how to defend himself.

    Li Lang could only roar out while rejecting the invader attempting to breach his mind. He didn¡¯t even have time to panic as he fought back with the vigor expected of someone with their life at stake. He felt like he was in a tug-o-war match, and if he lost, he would fall forever into the abyss.

    I can¡¯t¡­give¡­in¡­

 Chapter 100: Primordial Star Fire

    Li Lang continued to cry out in agony as he was locked in a fierce struggle with the invading flame in his head.

    He curled up on the ground and nursed his head, but the pain persisted. It came from within, and there was nothing physical he could do to remedy it. He tried directing his Qi to his brain to protect it, but it could only envelop him. It couldn¡¯t do anything to the source of pain.

    The only thing he could do was to continue his struggle and hope it would end soon.

    It did not.

    For hours, Li Lang had to endure the pain. The longer it went on, the worse his condition became. He was surely inching closer to giving in than before, but he persisted. Before he knew it, he had lost track of how much time had passed.

    It felt like days, months, or even years at times. He began to question why he was even enduring the pain. The longing to take a break kept growing, but a part of him was curious about what was happening as well. It was this curiosity that kept him going.

    He was confident something interesting would happen if he managed to outlast the flame. Nothing could have infinite energy.

    He equated his state to bronco busting a wild steed. He just had to tire out his ¡®horse¡¯ to assert his dominance. Then it would submit and allow him to tame it. As weird as it was to apply animal submission training to a fire, Li Lang had a gut feeling he had hit the mark with it.

    As his curiosity about the flame piqued, his perseverance peaked, as well.

    Li Lang felt like another whole month had gone by before he felt the force assaulting him weakening.

    It was subtle at first, but then rapidly decreased in resistance. When it finally subsided, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but let out a hearty victory cry.

    A feeling of accomplishment and relief rushed over him as he appreciated the comforting feeling that was the absense of pain.

    He took deep breaths and closed his eyes. He was completely exhausted, but he couldn¡¯t let himself rest yet. The next time he opened his eyes, he found himself back beside the large boulder. It was still burning with the silver-blue flame.

    The first thing he did was to check himself. He was glad to find he was no longer on fire, but that didn¡¯t mean the flames were completely gone. Resting in his hand was the small wisp of fire that he had seen invading his mind. It no longer flickered as energetically, resting peacefully in Li Lang¡¯s palm. He even felt a strange connection with it.

    Taking a closer look, he didn¡¯t find the fire to be burning anything. It didn¡¯t hurt him or consume any fuel while it burned.

    This isn¡¯t like anything I¡¯d ever seen! How in the world does it work? Wait! Is it burning, Qi? That¡¯s the most likely invisible property that I can¡¯t properly observe yet.

    Anyway, what am I to do with it? Just walk around with a fire in my hand?

    ¡°Ruby, do you know anything about this flame? Can you take it into your artifact space?¡±

    ¡°I can try, master!¡± Ruby only stayed silent for a brief moment before reporting the results. ¡°¡­It seems like it can already come into my artifact space because it is part of you, master.¡±

    At Ruby¡¯s words, Li Lang blinked blankly. He was still staring at the fire. It remained unchanged, resting in his palm.

    ¡°...Are you sure? It¡¯s still in my hand.¡±

    ¡°I am sure, master!¡±

    The mysteriousness of the flame grew. Li Lang presumed this was the Primordial Star Fire as it was written in the reward, but he had nothing to prove it. He cautiously tried to stand up and approach the boulder to investigate further. Now that he found the flame didn¡¯t hurt him, Li Lang had grown bolder.

    The fire burning the boulder flared up when he got close before rushing to form a wall, blocking Li Lang from getting closer. He felt its rejection. The fire burning at the boulder was a separate entity from the one in his hand.

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    Does that mean I only managed to tame a part of it? Will it listen to my commands?

    Looking down again at his palm, the silver-blue flame remained unchanged.

    ¡°Stop it. Extinguish yourself.¡±

    He immediately saw the flame shrink down even further, to the size of a nail. It stopped at that size and flickered.

    ¡°...Grow bigger, but don¡¯t hurt me or our surroundings.¡±

    This time, the flame grew to the size of his head. It remained weightless to hold, so Li Lang couldn¡¯t resist his next order. He took out and used a water talisman and filled his drinking cup with it.

    ¡°Burn hotter. Warm up the water in this cup.¡±

    As instructed, the fire immediately heated up. It slowly raised its temperature, as if it was mindful of hurting its owner.

    ¡°Heat the water more. Just the water.¡±

    He mentally elaborated on his instructions to the fire to only heat the water and nothing else. That was because he felt the connection he had with it. He believed it could understand his intentions, so he was curious how much control the heavenly fire had of itself.

    To his pleasant surprise, he felt the cup warm up, but the flame still gave off no trace of heat to his hand despite still warming up the water.

    ¡°Burn cold, make the water cool.¡±

    Nothing happened, or so he thought. It took a moment for him to realize the temperature of the water had stopped rising and was cooling down instead.

    So I guess the coolest it can go is just room temperature. Now then, does it have to stay in my hand all day? Am I going to have a pet fire with me for the rest of my life¡­?

    ¡°Hmm¡­Can you hide yourself from sight somehow? Maybe go into my cup here?¡±

    This time, the flame didn¡¯t obey his instructions to the tee. It charged toward his head again. Li Lang brought up his hand to defend against the intrusion, but decided during the last second to let it pass. If it was listening to his command, then it should mean it didn¡¯t mean him harm.

    Thankfully, he was right.

    The flame disappeared into his head, but he could still feel his connection with it. It was just on standby, almost like Ruby. Except a gem wasn¡¯t needed to interact with it.

    Seeing the strange property of the flame, Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to head straight into Ruby¡¯s artifact space. He was told the fire could be used inside the artifact space and he had to check it out.

    ¡°Ruby, materialize some branches and I will light it with the Primordial Star Fire.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Master.¡±

    Ruby did as told.

    The fire exited his head without issue and was the same as it was before. It flickered stably without giving off any heat. When he commanded it to envelop the branches, it didn¡¯t appear to affect the branches at all.

    That changed when Li Lang willed it to burn hotter. The heat in the area instantly shot up as Li Lang commanded the heavenly flame to burn as hot as it could.

    Within a breath of time, the branches were reduced to cinders.

    ¡°Interesting¡­It doesn¡¯t do anything unless I tell it to. Can we put it in the auto-analyzer?¡±

    ¡°Master, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll work. I can already tell it¡¯s entirely a Qi construct. You¡¯ll only get its Qi frequency.¡±

    ¡°Do it anyway. I want to see.¡±

    They placed a lit branch into the auto-analyzer, as the flame simply disappeared when it left Li Lang¡¯s vicinity by itself. The auto analyzer¡¯s timer displayed a time for over four hours.

    ¡°It¡¯s taking as long as something in the same grade of cultivation as me¡­In fact¡­its strength is probably reliant on me.¡±

    Li Lang did not immediately exit the artifact space after starting his analysis on his new fire. Instead, he brought out a pill furnace and began fiddling around with it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see. I think they say people who have their own heavenly fires can use them in place of the fire runes that come with the furnaces.¡±

    Li Lang tried to materialize the flames again and commanded them to go inside the furnace. It took some time for him to direct it to the right spot before he stopped himself on the cusp of testing out the new fire he had attained.

    No, I am getting ahead of myself. I should measure how precisely I can control the fire first. If this works out, that means I would gain the means to control the flames more accurately. The consistency it affords me will accelerate my progress when trying new pill recipes and improve my traditional alchemy skills.

    With that, Li Lang brought out thermocouples and began his tests. He gauged how accurately he could control his new flame.

    He found that he had to rely on vague commands, such as hotter or cooler, as commanding the fire with the exact temperature didn¡¯t work. However, like before, he managed to have the fire burn at different temperatures in different sections of it. His accuracy may only be around plus-minus five to ten degrees, but this new ability allowed for a myriad of possibilities. It would take a lot more testing for Li Lang to be able to fully utilize it.

    That was because he had to account for the thermal stress if the difference in temperature was too great, or simply the heat spreading over to the object he was burning. Many things could go wrong, and this magical fire allowed Li Lang to embark into uncharted territory.

    It was only when his stomach grumbled that Li Lang awoke from his obsessive research.

    Oh shit. It¡¯s definitely nighttime by now. Wei Ping and Long Yi are waiting for me. I¡¯ll have to come up with an explanation¡­

 Chapter 101: Foundation Establishment

    Having been so engrossed in testing out the new Primordial Star Fire he acquired, Li Lang found that it was already nighttime when he snapped out of it. When he stepped out of the underground tunnels, he found the sky had already turned dark.

    The pocket realm mimicked the outside world¡¯s diurnal cycle somehow.

    Traveling in the dark through a forest with bad footing is never a good idea¡­Especially now that I know the warding talisman isn¡¯t entirely foolproof.

    The encounter with the Qi beast chasing Sheng Haoran had taught him a lesson. Qi beasts could tunnel vision, ignoring the Foundation Establishment aura his talisman gave off.

    Seeing it wasn¡¯t safe to proceed, Li Lang retreated back into the underground facility. Inside, he would be safe from the elements. At the same time, he took this opportunity to resume testing out his new heavenly fire.

    This time, he didn¡¯t forget to set an alarm inside Ruby¡¯s artifact space. When morning came, he swiftly cut across both the desert and forest.

    He could hear loud noises, likely fighting in the distance, but he detoured around every single one of them.

    Li Lang successfully returned to the colossal mountain where the trials took place. He felt reassured, having returned from the wilds to civilization.

    To his surprise, he spotted his two friends still waiting inside the mess hall. They sat around with a tired look on their faces. Their expression brightened when they spotted him.

    ¡°B-boss!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±

    He awkwardly approached them while scratching the back of his head.

    ¡°Hey, sorry about that. Things didn¡¯t go exactly as planned.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, what happened? I told you we should¡¯ve come with you.¡± Long Yi said as he inspected Li Lang¡¯s front and back for any injuries.

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    While Li Lang showed hesitation in his answer, Wei Ping had a knowing glint in his eyes.

    ¡°D-did you s-succeed?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­I received the heavenly fire, the Primordial Star Fire.¡±

    ¡°T-then you m-must be late because you w-were too busy s-studying it!¡±

    Having been caught red-handed, Li Lang couldn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he passionately shared his findings. While his companions didn¡¯t exactly understand what it meant that he could control his new flames with an accuracy of plus-minus five to ten degrees, he didn¡¯t care. He wanted to share.

    His audience also didn¡¯t mind his spiel, because they were admiring the silver-blue flames in his hand.

    At some point, Long Yi stood up, interrupting Li Lang¡¯s lecture.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that everything went well. I¡¯m going to get some rest before preparing for my combat trials.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you guys didn¡¯t have to stay up all night to wait for me, but thanks.¡±

    Long Yi simply raised a hand as he walked away.

    Seeing his exit, Wei Ping soon did the same.

    This left Li Lang by himself. The adrenaline from his trip made him still full of energy, but he still returned to his own room. He planned to investigate his new flame in the context of pill refining for the next few days. After that, he would challenge the alchemy trial again.

    He believed if he could attain some level of mastery over the Primordial Star Fire, he would be able to clear the round he had previously failed in. It would allow him to bring out the best in his materials more, allowing a higher chance of producing a perfect-grade pill.

    It just so happens he also had the pills he had refined during the trials. He could analyze them for their faults and investigate what he could now do about them with his new fire.

    Normally, one would ¡®smelt¡¯ out impurities. They would do so by heating the material they want to refine to a temperature where the impurities or desired material would evaporate, as a means to filter them. The easiest example was with distilled water.

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    With the Primordial Star Fire¡¯s ability to heat targeted parts of a material, it could significantly reduce impurities compared to before.

    He just had to understand exactly what he was working with, which brought another challenge in itself. Every material was unique. They were contaminated with varying traces of different substances. Ruby couldn¡¯t help, as it would also destroy the material he would be working on, resetting the task entirely.

    Still, he believed materials that were grown in similar conditions must share similar compositions. Li Lang planned to experiment around to find clues.

    Like this, Li Lang forgot himself in his research. He only exited his room for meals and to meet up with his companions.

    It was only when a week went by that he took a break from his research. There were two main reasons for this.

    One was that he noticed his trial points had started going down. It meant the pocket realm did not recognize his current routine to be making adequate progress. It was likely because it couldn¡¯t monitor what happens within Ruby, but Li Lang himself felt his research was suffering from diminishing returns as well.

    The second reason was because of an important event. Tang Yulian, the young genius from the Eternal Wave Sect, would be beginning her breakthrough attempt. Her close friend, Sima Xue, managed to convince her to allow the trio to spectate.

    It showed both girls had put a lot of trust in their new friends. They hadn¡¯t been acquainted until they entered the pocket realm, and many things could go wrong if you allowed malicious individuals near someone during such a crucial moment.

    The event took place inside one of the secluded caves within the mountain they lived in. The only entrance to it was from the exterior, so everyone had to exit the building and go around it before they arrived at the entrance.

    When the trio arrived, they soon realized why the two girls had been so trusting. They weren¡¯t the only ones there. Both girls were geniuses of their respective organizations. They weren¡¯t just any organizations, but two of the top ones within the Luminescent Domain. This meant it was a given they had a healthy amount of quotas to send their disciples into the pocket realm.

    The cave entrance that was their destination was filled with cultivators wearing similar light blue robes as Tang Yulian had. There were even several grey robes sprinkled in there, denoting their affiliation with Sima Xue¡¯s Nightmoon Valley.

    With all the grey and blue robes around, it made the trio stand out a lot. Their organization never had such a strict dress code, using only a medallion as identification. It wasn¡¯t a surprise that they stuck out like a sore thumb. The others didn¡¯t bother to hide their unwelcoming gazes.

    ¡°Li Lang, Wei Ping, Long Yi! You guys are here!¡± a voice shouted out.

    The trio soon found themselves face to face with Sima Xue, who completely disregarded the tension in the air. She guided them into the cave, and no one dared to stop her.

    The cave was shallow, only several dozen steps deep until it opened up into a spacious area. In the junction between the narrow passageway and the spacious area stood a translucent wall. It was similar to the barrier protecting Spirit Grove.

    However, it allowed Sima Xue and the three boys straight through.

    There were a lot fewer people inside. Only three others. One was Tang Yulian, the star of today. The other two were her fellow disciples from the Eternal Wave Sect, wearing the same light blue robes.

    The most interesting characteristic of the two was that they were a pair of twins. The two boys both had a stern expression as they examined the newcomers.

    ¡°These are your ¡®friends¡¯, Sima Xue? You better keep a close watch on them. If they make any suspicious movements, don¡¯t blame us for taking action.¡±

    ¡°Oh, be quiet, you two. Yulian and I have already consented. Just relax.¡±

    They breathed out heavily through their nose and turned away.

    This allowed Sima Xue to guide them to the side, away from the grumpy twins. They sat down on the ground, glancing over at Tang Yulian, who was already in the lotus position. She had her back turned to everyone and was deep in meditation.

    ¡°Should be starting soon,¡± Sima Xue whispered. ¡°This is the first time you guys have witnessed anyone attempting to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm, right?¡±

    The trio nodded in unison.

    ¡°Hmm, then I¡¯ll explain some details and what to watch out for.¡±

    ¡°A-are you sure t-that is okay? Isn¡¯t it k-knowledge you w-want to keep to yourself?¡± Wei Ping asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not anything sensitive and is common knowledge amongst most organizations. It¡¯s just what people have observed over their long heritage.¡±

    ¡°Please do tell,¡± Li Lang eagerly urged forth.

    His eagerness earned him a glare from the duo as he had raised his voice a tad too loud. Everyone was trying to keep quiet lest they distract Tang Yulian. Li Lang quickly recognized his mistake and bowed toward the person in question and then to the twins. Immediately after, his eyes were glued to Sima Xue, awaiting her intel.

    She grinned as she leaned in closer to the three boys.

    ¡°Foundation Establishment at its core is simple but difficult to accomplish. It could even be life-threatening if one isn¡¯t prepared. That¡¯s why Yulian will be taking a Foundation Pill.¡± Sima Xue pointed, drawing the group¡¯s gaze over to the pill bottle right beside the star of the day. ¡°It forms a safety barrier around her dantian in her navel area, where she will be gathering all of her Qi. If anything goes wrong, it¡¯ll contain the energies, preventing any violent reactions.¡±

    As Sima Xue continued to explain, none of her listeners dared to interrupt. They had heard vaguely how the process worked, but none of the underlying reasons. Her information allowed them to put into perspective what one needed to do in order to breakthrough.

    As they talked, Tang Yulian soon began her breakthrough attempt. Everyone could immediately sense it and fell silent as a mysterious tension began to take over the room.

 Chapter 102: Observing a Breakthrough

    Everyone cleared the immediate area around Tang Yulian the moment she began her breakthrough. The Qi in the air stirred violently. Li Lang and the other spectators all kept an adequate distance away as they watched on.

    While the members of the Eternal Wave sect scrutinized the visitors¡¯ every movement, Li Lang was too absorbed in watching the proceedings to care.

    The ambient Qi soon formed a vortex, centering around the young girl. Her navel began to visibly glow so brightly that not even her robes could hide it.

    Li Lang focused Qi into his eyes to carefully observe every detail, but it was at times like this that he regretted not being able to use his Qi sense from range. As luck would have it, he did have late-stage Energy Gatherers nearby that could.

    ¡°Can you describe what you can sense? Is it going well?¡± Li Lang asked the young Sima Xue who had her eyes closed.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s still early, so everything is going fine. Yulian¡¯s Qi is being compressed into her dantian and is holding up well. The Foundation Pill is doing its job too, forming a protective layer over it.¡±

    Despite the hype behind the breakthrough, nothing special happened after it began. The Qi continued to gush toward Tang Yulian, under the eyes of everyone within the cave. The novelty soon wore off and became mundane to the spectators. This entire process lasted a whole eight hours.

    If one paid careful attention throughout this time, one would be able to feel the density of Qi within Tang Yulian¡¯s body increasing. To be precise, the Qi around her navel area specifically. Everywhere else had become barren, devoid of the powerful energy.

    ¡°Here comes the critical part. Yulian¡¯s dantian has reached its capacity. She has to be able to condense it further,¡± Sima Xue muttered.

    Not long after her words, the flow of Qi slowed and Tang Yulian grunted in pain. Her suffering was not light, but none of her companions batted an eye. Cultivation was never easy. Pain was just one of the challenges a cultivator had to face.

    Her suffering wasn¡¯t short-lived either. She remained in that painful state for another hour. Her entire robes were drenched in sweat and her face paled.

    The atmosphere was so intense that Li Lang couldn¡¯t even voice out his concern. He instinctively felt this was the critical part of the breakthrough. He didn¡¯t want to distract Tang Yulian in any way. Otherwise, if she failed, he would have given her companions ammunition to fire his way. It was better to eliminate any potential sources of blame early.

    The young woman continued to groan as the spectators empathized with her pain. They all silently cheered her on. That was why their expressions lightened when the girl in question suddenly shouted out.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    Her yelling was accompanied by the sound of furious waves. The aura she emitted rapidly changed. It became denser every moment. The drastic increase in heaviness it gave off, slightly disoriented the spectators. It took them a moment to recollect themselves. When they did, they still didn¡¯t dare to speak in fear of interrupting the star of the show. They wordlessly stared at the back of the girl in light blue robes.

    The only sound that rang out was Tang Yulian taking deep breaths. It was slow and steady. A few moments went by when everyone abruptly heard a cracking noise. Then, Qi began to gush out from Tang Yulian.

    Her serene expression quickly turned grim.

    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Sima Xue mumbled.

    ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Sima Xue glanced over at Li Lang with her mouth agape, and no sound came out. She was at a loss for words. That was because she knew exactly what was happening, but she hadn¡¯t had the chance to explain it to Li Lang and his companions. Previously, she thought it would be bad karma to discuss instances of failure just before her friend¡¯s attempt.

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    That meant Li Lang had no idea what was happening.

    Only Sima Xue and the twins from the Eternal Wave sect knew that the breakthrough was failing. Her dantian was cracked, causing it to rapidly lose Qi. She was only safe now because of the Foundation Pill. Normally, when one failed, the dantian in the navel area would violently explode with all the concentrated Qi. It would be fatal, without a doubt.

    The Foundation Pill created a barrier around the dantian, and let the Qi slowly escape over time instead of all at once, saving the practitioner¡¯s life.

    Just as everyone came to terms with the failed attempt, the person in question did not. Tang Yulian had come from a long line of cultivators within the Eternal Wave Sect. She had many siblings, which meant they were always compared to each other. This made Tang Yulian a competitive person. A person who refused to lose.

    That was how she had gotten her position as the most talented disciple of recent generations.

    Given time, everyone believed she was a leading contender for the position of head disciple. It wasn¡¯t easy to meet these expectations, especially with an existing head disciple in his forties.

    The implication of this failure swiftly rang through Tang Yulian¡¯s mind. The setbacks would have numerous repercussions. This fueled her willpower.

    ¡°I refuse to fail!¡± she blurted out.

    Suddenly, the Qi gushing out of her slowed. Then it entirely ceased before flowing in reverse, going back into her body.

    ¡°Senior sister¡­She¡¯s doing it!¡±

    ¡°Quiet you! This is still a crucial moment.¡±

    The same process replayed itself from the start. The Qi became denser.

    Right as Li Lang thought this was the end of the breakthrough, a bright flash of light suddenly filled his vision. Lightning had somehow struck the cultivator despite being indoors.

    Even so, no one was concerned for Tang Yulian¡¯s safety. That was because they knew she was struck by tribulation lightning! It was a sign she had succeeded. At this stage, it was rarely a serious challenge and only served to benefit the receiver. It was another perk the Foundation Pill offered.

    The twins tightly held onto each other. Whether it was for comfort or to hold each other back was unknown to Li Lang. However, he did know when the flow of Qi slowed down, and the breakthrough was likely over for good this time. Seeing the two twins burst out in tears reinforced this notion.

    Sniffing could be heard from Sima Xue as well, before the twins could be spotted running straight at Tang Yulian. They came to a full stop right before her and kneeled by her side, wiping the sweat from her. What they didn¡¯t expect was Sima Xue bulldozing her way through them, tackling her friend into a hug.

    ¡°Yulian, you did it!¡± she cried.

    The person in question tried to get up, but quickly gave up and plopped herself back down. She then weakly muttered in a quiet voice.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    It was evident she was exhausted, so Li Lang¡¯s trio swiftly departed. It was improper for them to stare any longer. Tang Yulian¡¯s clothes were disorderly from all the sweating, and she needed a break. They could already tell the formidable aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator emanated from her. They could ask her about the details at another time.

    Somehow, the news of her successful breakthrough quickly spread to all the disciples guarding the entrance outside. Deafening cheers could be heard as the trio made their way out. It was exactly under the festive mood that the trio departed.

    They quickly went back around into the main building, opting to return to their usual matters. All three of them decided to do some training in their own rooms.

    ¡°That was something,¡± Long Yi commented as they walked.

    ¡°Y-yeah. It really s-showed the importance o-of a Foundation Pill,¡± Wei Ping answered.

    ¡°No kidding. I¡¯m kind of glad Li Lang accepted that job from Tai Xilun now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s g-good we got to observe. There¡¯s s-still a long time before it is o-our turn, but we can p-prepare early.¡±

    The trio continued for several more steps when both Wei Ping and Long Yi turned to Li Lang in unison. The boy with a large head kept walking, not noticing their antics at all. It prompted the two to chase him. Even then, they had to tap him on the shoulders to get his attention.

    ¡°Are you okay, Li Lang?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­sorry. I was lost in thought. What were you saying?¡±

    ¡°...You know what. I¡¯m not surprised. We can talk about it another time when Tang Yulian recovers. For now, let¡¯s continue our training and ensure we don¡¯t lose a trial point today.¡±

    Li Lang nodded, and the trio swiftly disbanded and went into their own rooms. They each had skills to hone if they wanted to pass the round that had previously stumped them in the trials. However, Li Lang alone did nothing when he got into his room. He sat there on the bed with his eyes closed.

    That was because he delved into Ruby¡¯s artifact space and was typing out all his observations onto the computer. He didn¡¯t want to forget any details, and it allowed him to organize his thoughts. Once he was done recording, he sat there with arms crossed as he reviewed his findings.

    Interesting. So Qi should be like that after all¡­

 Chapter 103: Exploring Concepts

    Li Lang continued to sit inside Ruby¡¯s artifact space as he reviewed the data he had collected today regarding Tang Yulian¡¯s breakthrough.

    From what Sima Xue said, Foundation Establishment cultivators concentrate their Qi into their dantian in their navel area. This dantian is filled with a denser type of Qi compared with Energy Gatherers. It¡¯s as if one was in a gaseous state while the other was in a liquid state. The different states had different properties.

    All that compressing in the navel region allowed it to qualitatively change state somehow.

    Li Lang began to dwell on the mechanics behind the Energy Gathering realm. As the name implied, throughout a practitioner¡¯s entire journey through this realm, they focused on gathering Qi. In order to gather more, the cultivator condensed the energy. At the pinnacle, one would condense their energy so much that their Qi underwent a qualitative change.

    ¡°If that was the case when a cultivator failed in their breakthrough, it means their Qi went out of control and went wild,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°You mean explode, master?¡± Ruby chimed in.

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­Violently too.¡±

    Having internalized this new information, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but return to reality to examine his Foundation Pill. He had received it from Tai Xilun. It was what prevented cultivators from facing the fatal consequences of failing their breakthrough.

    Staring at it, Li Lang wondered how it worked. He remembered that Sima Xue noted that it formed a protective layer over the navel region where the Qi gathered during a breakthrough.

    The urge to have Ruby analyze it was strong, but it would require his cultivation to be in the next major realm to analyze it. He also only had one for himself, and he would need it for his breakthrough. There was no telling when or how he could attain another one.

    So it must be able to manage the flow of Qi. Instead of it all violently being expelled at once, it will allow the Qi to slowly fizzle out. I need to investigate further about this new state of Qi, too.

    The new findings made Li Lang face new challenges. If he wanted to experiment around with this new idea, he would need to be able to evoke this qualitative change somehow. That required a higher cultivation than he currently had.

    It was a cultivator¡¯s degree of control of their Qi that allowed them to continually compress their Qi. Li Lang needed more training to strengthen this Qi ¡®muscle¡¯ before that was possible. However, it didn¡¯t stop him from trying to find other ways to artificially create this higher state of Qi.

    In order to artificially compress it, the easiest way would be to crush it from all directions. The force to be able to do that requires a great deal of training, but other things in the world can interact with Qi as well. If I can find a container and materials that repel Qi, it should work out somehow.

    Li Lang¡¯s plans would once again require a Qi battery of some sort. He could only bear with it for now. Once he returned to the outside world, he swore the next thing he would do was to find these kinds of materials.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Li Lang to record the research documentation within Ruby.

    He then proceeded to perform his daily cultivation session to let his mind rest. His usual routine consisted of gathering Qi, and then practicing all his techniques. Currently, in his arsenal, he had four of them. They were Earthbound Step, Ironhide Art, Skysoar Kick, and Veiling Shroud.

    As much as he would like to practice all of them within a day, he didn¡¯t have the time. He could only focus on one each day.

    However, during today¡¯s training, he felt his Qi stir. Having broken through several times by now, Li Lang immediately noticed the telltale signs of an imminent breakthrough. This made him quickly resume the lotus position and resumed cultivating.

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    He felt like his body was bloated, like a container that was about to burst. It wasn¡¯t painful, but there was pressure trying to escape his body. Instead of giving in, he gritted his teeth as he employed his full might to gather more Qi. It went without saying that it went against the flow and would require more force.

    He used his usual method, imagining a giant black hole sucking up all the ambient energy.

    His body was enveloped in a layer of Qi. It may seem stable to an external spectator, but this Qi was constantly going in and out of his body.

    Deep breaths and relax.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Li Lang¡¯s hard work paid off. The pressure disappeared all at once. A surge of strength filled his body as his hands shot up to the sky.

    Li Lang had stepped into the sixth stage of Energy Gathering!

    This new level was also the last of the middle stages of Energy Gatherers. His next breakthrough would lead him into the late stages of the realm. It was a given it wouldn¡¯t be easy to take that next step.

    Long Yi had been stuck in this same stage for some time. There was a reason why people made the distinction between middle-stages and upper-stages. Bottlenecks were present between these cultivation stages. If one were able to overcome these bottlenecks, they would be adequately rewarded for their efforts.

    From the lower stages to the middle stages, a cultivator would gain the ability to externally manipulate Qi with things in their contact. As for the late stages, a cultivator would gain the ability to control Qi even at a distance away.

    This opened many new possibilities pertaining to Qi arts for cultivators.

    Previously, they would lose control of their Qi after it no longer made contact with them. It was akin to throwing a ball. Once out of the hands, it was out of their control.

    In the late stages, one could still exercise control of the ball in the middle of its trajectory or even after impact.

    It went without saying that meant the bottleneck would once again be related to a cultivator¡¯s control of their Qi. Thanks to Long Yi¡¯s struggles, Li Lang already had a head start regarding that.

    Once his breakthrough finished, Li Lang glanced down at himself and sighed. He didn¡¯t celebrate right away, as he knew he now had to delay his plans. The plan was to research his new heavenly fire and alchemy skills to prepare for the trials.

    Now, with his breakthrough, he would need to take some time to adjust to his new realm. He must learn his strength again in order to be able to exert precise control.

    Li Lang did precisely that for the next few days. Thankfully, the trial realm didn¡¯t deduct any points in the meantime.

    With his new abilities readjusted, he was ready to resume his study of alchemy. Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to begin his experimentation with his new Primordial Star Fire. He began testing its ability to unevenly heat something.

    What surprised Li Lang the most was its ability to stop the transfer of heat from the objects it burned. This directly defied the second law of thermodynamics as he knew it. The heat was supposed to naturally flow from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature. The heavenly flame somehow was able to bypass that entirely to the area it was burning.

    In fact, when Li Lang tested how extreme it could go, he found that it even allowed for parts of an object to remain at room temperature, while the other section reached upwards of three thousand degrees Celsius.

    This defiance of thermodynamics ceased as soon as the heavenly fire stopped burning

    Nevertheless, Li Lang drooled at the new possibilities.

    It meant the Primordial Star Fire had nearly a hundred percent energy efficiency. One could create new alloys and materials or employ them in medical applications. It would target cells to destroy if the practitioner had enough control. It could even revolutionize cooking with perfect temperature control.

    Its significance made Li Lang redouble his efforts in practicing with his new flames. He did so by delving straight into refining pills.

    He went over the mass-production method he had previously employed with no issue. In fact, there was less burden on him as the flames stayed consistent as he desired.

    The complicated parts came next.

    Li Lang made full use of Ruby¡¯s artifact space and began experimenting with different ways to heat the materials. His control wasn¡¯t nearly at the molecular level yet. He could perhaps divide the flame into three different temperatures at most, at a size of around one centimeter in diameter.

    Even with his new advantage, it didn¡¯t instantly bring his mass-production method to parity with the traditional methods. He believed if given enough time, he could produce average-quality pills instead of subpar with this new ability. The traditional methods still reigned supreme in the quality department.

    Even with the control of the flames, the traditional method could just utilize the material more effectively. As a tradeoff, the success rate was much lower. As his next trial involved refining a top-quality pill, his next step was naturally to explore the uses of his new flames in the traditional method.

    These endeavors would occupy him for weeks.

    A month after Tang Yulian¡¯s breakthrough, Li Lang finally stepped into the alchemy trial once more.

 Chapter 104: Vein Flow Calculation Method

    At the summit of the largest mountain within The Great Trial of Water Crest, there laid a simple lone hut. If one were to venture inside, they wouldn¡¯t find the typical interior of a structure. Instead, they would find themselves in a world of yellow clouds and purple skies. The clouds stretched across the horizon as far as the eye could see. Even the ground itself was made up of these same clouds.

    The entire expanse was empty except for three small glowing orbs of light that floated frantically about. They differed in color, consisting of orange, blue, and green.

    Most people would believe it was some sort of Qi art or phenomenon, but in reality, they were the artifact spirits of the mountain that were in charge of the trials.

    The artifact spirits were currently panicking. It was a rare sight to see them troubled, as they could view everything that went on within its grounds. Little fazed the experienced artifact spirits, which meant they noticed something unprecedented.

    They eventually stopped flying around aimlessly and fell into the clouds below. In an instant, three teenaged figures appeared in their place. It was their habit dating back to a time when their master was still alive, transforming into a humanoid form whenever they discussed something serious.

    ¡°What do we do? What do we do, green? At this rate, we will run out of energy entirely in a few years,¡± a teenage boy in orange robes asked with a frown, pulling on his companion in green.

    ¡°Get off me! Why are you asking me? I know as much as you do!¡±

    ¡°...If only we could control the pocket realm to start absorbing the Qi from the outside world. Then we wouldn¡¯t be having this problem.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Orange! You know that¡¯s impossible without someone controlling us. I don¡¯t know about you, but I haven¡¯t changed my mind and I won¡¯t change it. I will never yield to anyone else as our master!¡±

    ¡°Now, now, you two. Settle down. I¡¯m sure Orange didn¡¯t mean to say we should find a new master. We all swore to only serve our one true master for the rest of eternity.¡± The only female of the three mediated as she inspected her blue robes. ¡°Since we do not know the root cause, we must remain vigilant while monitoring the new challengers even more closely.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easy to say!¡± Green shouted. ¡°But we have our master¡¯s legacy at stake! At this rate, this will be the last trial we¡¯ll be able to hold. Once we¡¯re drained of Qi, it¡¯ll be impossible to recover without someone at our reins! I say we should just banish every single one of those challengers right away! It may be against our master¡¯s orders, but we were also told to carry out these trials for as long as we can.¡±

    The woman in blue robes said nothing and only gave Green an icy glare. It instantly silenced the loud man.

    ¡°Umm, calm down, guys. We¡¯re only making it worse if we fight among ourselves.¡±

    Orange¡¯s words drew the attention of both parties. The intensity in their eyes softened when they landed on the nervous young man in orange robes.

    ¡°Orange is right. Master always said never to get emotional when making decisions. Let us continue to observe these new challengers. We know they are most likely the source of the anomaly. We must strive to deal with this without breaking any rules our master has set.¡±

    With that, the three artifact spirits all stared blankly out into the distance. They were directing their attention to the numerous cultivators below.

    ¡°If the disturbance is this strong, it must be from one of the more talented challengers. We should direct more attention to monitoring the most talented among them. I will watch the girl wearing clothes that share my color,¡± Blue declared.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll watch over the kid with white hair.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­I¡¯ll watch the other girl in grey.¡±

    With their assignments delegated, the three figures soon turned back into glowing orbs of light and floated away.

    <hr>

    Inside a splendid refining room, a lone boy was completely focused on his task at hand. He had his hands on his pill furnace, and silverish-blue flames could be seen within it.

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    With the intense pill-refining session going on, one would expect him to be drenched in sweat, especially having worked nonstop for the past four hours. However, his robes were completely pristine. Only those who were in the room with him could figure out why. That was because the room¡¯s temperature was completely moderate, a far cry from what you would expect during a pill refining session.

    The Primordial Star Fire had allowed Li Lang to more precisely control the heat. While it synergized well with his mass-production method, the same could be said with the traditional alchemy methods.

    It allowed him another tool in his endeavor to nurture the nascent pill within his furnace. No longer would he have to worry about the fire suddenly flaring up because a material drew a little too close. His flames completely enveloped the space within the furnace while being fully under his control.

    His practice of managing the temperature in different sections within the fire had been paying off. On his seventh attempt at refining a top-quality pill, Li Lang finally succeeded! It may have appeared easy, but it had been backed up by weeks of hard work.

    He had spent so much time on it that he was left behind by all his peers. They had all moved on to the combat trials, as every bit of progress became harder and harder. It was also because they wanted a breath of fresh air, studying new techniques.

    ¡°Fourth round passed. The challenger is awarded eighty trial points. The next round is starting shortly.¡±

    It was only after having read the notification that he had completed his task that Li Lang dared to relax and plopped himself down on the floor. The glowing words quickly changed to display his next trial, but he barely paid attention to it.

    He was instead focused on the new pill he had just refined. It was his first and only top-quality pill. He couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized by it. He couldn¡¯t wait to have Ruby analyze it. He may already have a good idea of what the results would be, but he still wanted to take a closer look at his handiwork.

    A top-quality Recovery Pill wasn¡¯t something often seen on the market. At least not Mortal-grade ones. Usually, they were refined by apprentice alchemists, so they would be dubious in quality. The more experienced alchemist wouldn¡¯t be wasting their precious time on the low-level version of the pill. All this made it a rare sight and usually doubled the price of the average quality version.

    Laymen may find the price not worth it compared to a standard Recovery Pill. That was because the effects were only thirty percent better at most. It could close larger wounds at a more rapid pace, but it still couldn¡¯t deal with a lost limb.

    However, what laymen would fail to consider was how advantageous it was to have access to such a pill in dire situations. One often didn¡¯t have many opportunities to take a pill in the middle of combat, so when they could, having a more effective pill could turn the tide of a battle.

    It was such a big advantage that the offspring of the large organizations would have space rings filled with Earth-grade pills and higher if they could use them. Unfortunately, for them, the power contained in those high-grade pills wasn¡¯t something their body could handle.

    Before long, the trial deemed Li Lang had failed the fifth round. He had noted that the next trial was about creating an elemental variant of a Qi Replenishment Pill, but he was too exhausted to proceed. Even if he wasn¡¯t, he knew he wouldn¡¯t succeed at an unfamiliar task without some time to research it. He was happy to receive the new reward that may help him in this endeavor and work his way one step at a time.

    This time, the trials didn¡¯t award him anything unorthodox. It was an alchemy manual titled Vein Flow Calculation Method. While he hadn¡¯t gone over in detail yet, his skimming allowed him to learn that it was a technique to assess and calculate materials.

    It was comparable to a Qi version of a scanner. It allowed its practitioner to thoroughly analyze the properties of materials. Specifically, it allowed the practitioner to know what elements a material had an affinity for.

    Needless to say, Li Lang was ecstatic about his new reward. Despite being a top scientist back in his previous life, it didn¡¯t mean he was multi-talented in all fields. Specialization was the norm, and he specialized in biodefense, specifically against alien biofaunas. That meant he couldn¡¯t just recreate the advanced lab equipment he used in this new world.

    The more advanced the society, the more people sought to make things easier. People from Li Lang¡¯s old world relied on their fancy tech like AI companions heavily. It gave Li Lang a lot of comfort knowing there were noncombat Qi techniques that he could use to assist his research.

    With the reward in hand, he exited from the trials just in time for the daily meetups with his companions. He let out a sigh of relief upon realizing he wouldn¡¯t be late. It would¡¯ve been awkward if he was tardy or missed the scheduled event.

    One month after Tang Yulian¡¯s breakthrough, it was time for Li Lang to make good on his promise. He and his companions were allowed to spectate the breakthrough in exchange for guiding Tang Yulian in the art of brushweaving.

    Walking into the mess hall, it was hard to miss the unrestrained aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Tang Yulian noticed him from beginning to end, staring at him like a hawk. By her side was Sima Xue who watched on with a smug expression.

    However, Li Lang wasn¡¯t fazed. That was because he was busy thinking up ideas to train his soon-to-be proteges. There weren¡¯t a lot of chances to get a Foundation Establishment expert to listen to instructions. Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but want Tang Yulian to test out some theories he had.

    He walked over with an unsettling grin on his face. Unbeknownst to the girls, the madman before them was entirely unafraid of making them into his guinea pigs!

 Chapter 105: Tutoring

    ¡°Is he¡­okay?¡± Tang Yulian carefully asked upon seeing Li Lang striding over with a strange grin on his face.

    His gaze kept alternating between her and Sima Xue. The two young women were both familiar with yearning gazes from the opposite sex, but they noticed something was different about his gaze.

    It was entirely devoid of lust, but they couldn¡¯t put a word to what it was. The unknown intentions made Tang Yulian unsettled at having placed herself under the instruction of the young man before them.

    In contrast, Sima Xue¡¯s curiosity was piqued. She was just about to confront Li Lang to investigate when Wei Ping interjected on their behalf.

    ¡°B-boss, you¡¯re here. I was j-just about to c-come get you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good thing I came in time, then. I was in the trials just now, so you would¡¯ve wasted a trip.¡±

    Wei Ping¡¯s eyes slightly widened upon hearing the news.

    ¡°H-how did it go?¡±

    Li Lang simply smiled and nodded in response.

    ¡°So you passed?¡± Long Yi interjected. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re finally going to do the martial trials now? It¡¯s about time you suffered through what we all had to endure.¡±

    The last sentence was spoken at a much lower volume, but Li Lang didn¡¯t fail to pick up on it. He crossed his arms and grinned.

    ¡°Sorry to disappoint. I won¡¯t be doing that just yet. I still have to digest my reward and go over Brushweaving with Tang Yulian and Sima Xue. Maybe I will gain some inspiration from the tutoring session to tackle the Brushweaving trial.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say inscribing a three-rune talisman is a feat that is only done by those in the Foundation Establishment realm?¡±

    ¡°Normally, yes. It¡¯s not impossible, though. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s much easier to inscribe three runes on Earth-grade materials that normally people don¡¯t attempt it with Mortal-grade materials. It is dangerous, with a high failure rate. If I ignore efficiency, it should still be possible if I put my mind to it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand, but you do you. As long as the realm isn¡¯t deducting points from you, all is good.¡±

    At the mention of that, Li Lang fell into thought about the potential artifact spirits running this place. Everyone here was being monitored. If they were deemed to be making insufficient progress that day, they would lose a trial point. It was this system that forced him to do some of his research in reality. He wondered how they even evaluated adequate progress, and if they could assess the value of his less Qi-related research projects.

    ¡°Ahem,¡± everyone turned to find Sima Xue clearing her throat. ¡°I believe we have an appointment today, right? Are you ready to get started?¡±

    Her words caused Wei Ping and Long Yi to back away. They both wished Li Lang good luck before beating a hasty retreat off to the adjacent table.

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Li Lang replied. ¡°Did you want to do it here?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s up to you. You¡¯re in charge. Are you fine with being overheard by others?¡±

    Li Lang took a quick look around. There were more groups spread around the mess hall now. With such an attention-grabbing group, it was difficult for the others to not have noticed them. This became even more true after Tang Yulian had broken through. She had gained many new fans, and her secret admirers could often be spotted in the background.

    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind. I can whisper if I need to, but I don¡¯t really have any secret brushweaving techniques to keep. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m passing down my teacher¡¯s technique to you or anything.¡±

    ¡°I hope not. You signed a binding contract, right? We just want guidance on how to inscribe overlaid runes.¡±

    The three got settled at the table. Li Lang and Sima Xue chatted merrily while Tang Yulian watched on stoically.

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    By coincidence, both girls practiced brushweaving. However, they were stuck on the third round of the trial. Overlapping runes was a complicated topic. There were just too many possible combinations that could go wrong.

    There wasn¡¯t just one reaction that happened consistently when you combined two runes. You had to take into account the different angles and the overlapped area, as just a few millimeters could drastically change the results. This caused there to be an uncountable number of possibilities.

    It was a daunting topic for beginners, which also made it a challenging topic many struggled with. Not everyone had Ruby to safely test out the various reactions for them.

    ¡°So¡­Can you get straight to the point?¡± Tang Yulian asked. ¡°How can we improve our success rate at inscribing overlaid runes?¡±

    ¡°Yulian!¡± Sima Xue clung to her friend. ¡°We aren¡¯t in that much of a rush, are we?¡±

    ¡°At the end of the day, the pocket realm is a timed event. We can¡¯t stay here forever. I want to spend my time as efficiently as possible.¡±

    Before the two could begin arguing, Li Lang interjected.

    ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s try to go over all the key points quickly, so you can go practice. It¡¯ll be more efficient for you guys to practice yourselves and come together to review. Let¡¯s start by having you each inscribe something for me. I want to see how you do it.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much to see, is there? We can¡¯t reveal to you our techniques either, so shouldn¡¯t we discuss the general principles behind overlaid runes?¡± Sima Xue countered.

    ¡°We can get to that later if this doesn¡¯t work. For now, I just want to confirm the basics. It¡¯s faster to show through action than to explain, right?¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine.¡±

    The two girls nodded without suspecting too much, with Sima Xue taking the lead. Her tools materialized out of thin air and she got straight into it. Her possession of a space ring really cemented the fact she was a valued member of a prestigious organization.

    Brushweaving in public wasn¡¯t all that rare. It was typical for their competitions to proceed with an audience while they inscribed. The two soon completed their talisman.

    Throughout the process, Li Lang carefully monitored every stroke. He also noticed both of them had their eyes entirely closed as they focused on channeling their energies.

    It was a method he had often seen as brushweaving was said to be entirely in the Qi techniques.

    ¡°Do you want us to try doing an overlaid rune now?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, can you actually try to inscribe the same talisman you did just now?¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain it later. Knowing the reason may affect the results. Can you trust me on this one?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that big a of deal, so why not? Are you okay with it, Yulian?¡±

    Seeing the aloof expert nod, the two girls once again inscribed a talisman. Once they were done, Li Lang wordlessly snatched their work and compared it side by side. He scrutinized every last detail of it with his injection rod. That was because he had taken the liberty of turning it into a ruler as well.

    The two girls curiously crept up behind him as they watched on in bewilderment.

    ¡°Is there something wrong with the talismans?¡± Tang Yulian couldn¡¯t help but ask with a frown. ¡°They should all be fully functional.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have no doubts about that.¡±

    The two girls waited a moment for Li Lang to continue, but he continued to ignore them and examined the talismans.

    ¡°Then what are you looking for?¡± Sima Xue pressed.

    ¡°Just the minute differences in each stroke.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not even using Qi sense to inspect it?¡± Sima Xue blinked blankly. ¡°The strokes look the same to me. Do small differences that you need to squint to see really matter?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it depends. We can do a demonstration in a second. Just give me a moment here. Do you mind if I have these talismans?¡±

    The two girls shrugged and gave consent, prompting Li Lang to get out of his seat. He moved away from view before having Ruby take the talismans. He didn¡¯t need the auto-analyzer to be able to examine the visual difference between the two sets of talismans. There were other tools in his lab.

    ¡°So they really don¡¯t focus on producing consistent strokes at all. Interesting¡­¡±

    A moment later, Li Lang returned to the mess hall. The two girls didn¡¯t waste a moment and began asking him to explain as he sat down.

    ¡°Before I go over the reason why I made you inscribe two talismans, I first wanted to confirm something. You both inscribe with your eyes closed normally, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s what we were taught. As beginners, we should close off our minds to any distractions, or so they say.¡±

    ¡°Then my first advice to you. Practice your strokes. You want them to be as consistent as possible. I haven¡¯t seen you inscribe any overlaid runes yet, but I think it¡¯ll help you improve.¡±

    ¡°Why? My teacher told me it doesn¡¯t really matter. We just have to make the Qi structure within the ink line up into the correct runes,¡± Sima Xue asked as she tilted her head.

    ¡°While what you say is true. It doesn¡¯t change the fact that the ink is what carries the Qi. With overlaid runes that are so sensitive to any changes, having a consistent stroke will limit the ways the flow of Qi could go awry.¡±

    Seeing them blink blankly, Li Lang began to give them a thorough explanation of his theory.

 Chapter 106: Proxy Testers

    Normally, Brushweavers focused on the movement of their Qi, adjusting it as they inscribed to ensure the runes and the entire talisman were in harmony. It was like pill-refining, where the alchemist monitored the situation within the furnace the entire time, but without the physical aspect of it.

    For seasoned masters, it was fine once they got used to it. They made adjustments to ensure the runes were properly aligned. However, they neglected the effects a consistent stroke could have. It was just like prepping ingredients for Li Lang¡¯s mass-production method. It kept variables low, but this time, the drawbacks were minimal.

    Li Lang suspected the only reason typical Brushweavers hadn¡¯t realized this yet was because it required precision down to the millimeter. They didn¡¯t have a habit of taking precise measurements of their work, and it was hard to observe with the naked eye. Their tradition had always focused on the Qi techniques, as they mistakenly thought the physical aspects were only used to carry the Qi.

    It was only after analyzing his own talisman within Ruby multiple times that Li Lang began to notice the pattern. If one were able to masterfully control their brush strokes, it would lower the difficulty of balancing the different Qi energies of varying runes. It was like setting up lanes so the traffic wouldn¡¯t collide.

    With that theory explained to Li Lang¡¯s two pupils, he moved on to the next step.

    ¡°Now I know it isn¡¯t proper for me to examine your techniques, but I would like to examine the properties of your Qi itself. With permission from each of you, of course.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Sima Xue quickly affirmed while Tang Yulian stared silently at Li Lang for a few moments. She only nodded when Sima Xue pulled on her sleeve.

    She wasn¡¯t too stringent on it, as analyzing Qi wasn¡¯t something that intrusive. Numerous cultivators left traces of their energy as they interacted with the world. In fact, the blood divination that Tai Xilin wanted to use was a type of Qi analysis. It allowed one to read the trace amounts of energy left in biological tissue for various purposes.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to obtain if the cultivators didn¡¯t have special techniques that eliminated all their traces.

    With their consent, Li Lang drew closer to the two girls. Sima Xue immediately reached out a hand to him, but Li Lang simply ignored her gesture. He went straight for their inkstones and dipped a finger into the pool of ink.

    Li Lang¡¯s Qi sense swiftly examined the samples in question. He was able to get a feel for what he was dealing with right away. Tang Yulian¡¯s Qi was especially hard to manipulate. It was dense and brimming with energy. In comparison, Sima Xue¡¯s was a lot more malleable.

    Not only was the level of energy different, but the way they reacted to his Qi sense varied as well. This observation gave credence to Li Lang¡¯s theory that Qi had different states. Once it reached a particular point in density, it qualitatively changed.

    The Qi also allowed him to get a glimpse into how the owner was doing, cultivation-wise. From Sima Xue¡¯s Qi, he could find characteristics that were similar to Tang Yulian before her breakthrough. Her body had reached the apex of what an Energy Gatherer could do. However, Li Lang wasn¡¯t knowledgeable enough to gauge how far away the breakthrough was.

    Once he got a chance to examine Tang Yulian as well, Li Lang began giving them assignments. In reality, they weren¡¯t needed. The two girls could simply practice layered runes right away, with more focus on their brush strokes.

    The reason why he created new exercises for them was because he wanted them to carry out various tests for him. Killing two birds with one stone.

    Nevertheless, Li Lang showed restraint. If he had it entirely his way, he would be poking and prodding them by now. He had done so before during the tests for the creation of the Cleansing Drug. Now that he had a chance to interact with someone in the next major realm, he was definitely eager to examine the difference in physiology.

    Instead, what he wanted them to test out was the ink.

    As he figured out that brush strokes were what laid the pathways for the flow of Qi, Li Lang became more aware of the role of the ink. It was mainly a carrier of Qi, but that didn¡¯t mean that was all there was to it. As much as he would like to experiment with it, he never had a chance to stock up on various inks.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    His mentor, Yi Lin, had warned him not to mess with the ink while he was still new. It highlighted the depth and complexity of the topic.

    Now that Li Lang couldn¡¯t bear to wait until he exited the pocket realm, he foisted his latest experiments on the two young girls. They both were from reputable organizations and were important members within them. It wasn¡¯t surprising they would be well-stocked in various materials.

    They may not be talented brushweavers yet. It was hard to read what they had in store for the future. The big organizations didn¡¯t mind investing these low-level resources in the young talents.

    ¡°Here are the ratios I want you to try out. Based on my examination, I assigned an ink for each of you. You should find it more compatible with your Qi.¡±

    After reading over their list of materials, Li Lang made some assumptions based on previous knowledge he had. Having selected the material for his Moon Brush, Li Lang had a general idea of the characteristics of various materials. From examining their Qi and their finished products, he could tell their preference.

    He then assigned materials that had similar elemental affinity as the runes they were inscribing, but at different ratios for them to test out.

    The Vein Flow Calculation Method he earned from the alchemy already showed its worth. Using it gave him much more information than a simple Qi sense. It not only worked on alchemy materials, but with brushweaving materials. Still, it didn¡¯t result in any detailed reports like the auto-analyzer. It did, however, give more thorough information regarding the Qi affinity of the materials.

    He then requested small samples of these materials to be further analyzed by Ruby.

    The day ended as Li Lang had planned. The two girls got to practice, and he got to test out their materials.

    The two talented individuals swiftly completed their tasks. They created their own customized ink from materials sourced from Qi beasts and heavenly plants.

    ¡°How was it?¡± Li Lang asked as he examined the talismans.

    ¡°It was¡­different.¡± Sima Xue said with a thoughtful look. ¡°The ink I made was made from a Qi beast rich in the fire elemental, so I think the fire runes became easier to manage. The other parts of it, though, are another story. It¡¯s hard to tell if the end results differed after all that work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll analyze the talismans overnight and let you know. Good job.¡±

    After verifying he had collected all the data he observed, the makeshift tutoring session ended.

    Everyone was working hard to make the best use of their time in the pocket realm.

    It wasn¡¯t just Li Lang who had several things on his plate. However, he was one who had the most varied topics among them.

    Having progressed to another round of the alchemy trials, Li Lang knew the next round wouldn¡¯t be that easy. It was the same for brushweaving, so he finally began to set his sights on the martial trials.

    He had already somewhat explored the outside world, so he knew what to expect. The only thing left to deliberate on was what kind of performance he should put on. The pocket realm gave out tailored rewards based on his performance. He wanted to game it and control the reward he got.

    What kind of techniques do I most urgently need¡­?

    It didn¡¯t take long for Li Lang to settle on something with more combat power. Specifically, poisons. He had carried out some basic tests between mundane poisons and Qi before. The results were telling. A cultivator could sweep their body with a wave of Qi and eliminate all mundane poisons.

    It made Li Lang want to ¡®invite¡¯ several cultivators for some more experiments, but he had been too weak at the time. He didn¡¯t have any incentives to entice lofty cultivators. If the pocket realm could provide some knowledge on the topic, it would be a shortcut and a boon to his research.

    I have heard of cultivators that use poisons before, so it should exist. The problem is how I should get started to get the pocket realm to reward me with poison-related manuals.

    While he brainstormed, he took a look at every alchemy material he had ever recorded inside Ruby. Pill-refining materials were inseparable from medicinal herbs. That also meant it was inseparable from poisons. They were two sides of the same coin and often only differed due to the dosage.

    Before he dove into coming up with his own version of Qi poison, Li Lang first contemplated the method of administering the poison. For combat situations, needles were the obvious ones. Oral administration or ointments were unlikely to be as effective. The only other one he really considered was gases.

    It fit the new Veiling Shroud he learned that emitted a smokescreen. However, gases were known for being indiscriminate. He would rather not accidentally poison himself or his companions.

    To him, violence was always one of the final resorts. He preferred to do his research in peace.

    That was why he glanced back over to the needles in the lab. They were a more controllable method, and easier to implement as well.

    As he examined the needles of varying lengths, Li Lang suddenly had a thought. It was a thought that made him race out of the artifact space. He then began to grab and examine his trusty weapon that had accompanied him so far.

    The spear.

    If you think about it, this is just like a giant needle, isn¡¯t it?

 Chapter 107: Poison and the Spear

    After examining his spear for a while, Li Lang returned to Ruby¡¯s artifact space. He then got onto his computer and opened up the CAD software.

    One could see a spear pulled up on his screen. He fidgeted around, creating internal compartments in it without affecting its structural integrity too much.

    Working with a primitive weapon with no need to care for delicate circuitry meant it was just a quick job for Li Lang. He wasn¡¯t even an expert in this department, which showed how simple the design was.

    He was essentially creating an oversized needle, but with hidden compartments. The only difficult part was due to him wanting to have multiple compartments for different types of poisons. There was also a mechanism to coat the spear tip with poisons, but those seemed trivial in comparison.

    The catch was how to create such a spear in the real world. Li Lang didn¡¯t have access to the various metals or precise machinery. He would have to rely on old-school craftsmanship to get his way.

    The next day, he got up early and sought Long Yi¡¯s help. The man had been taking the artificer trials, so it was a given that he had carried some materials.

    ¡°Are you sure just Aqua Night Iron would do? I didn¡¯t really have a large selection of materials because my mentor made me work with the same few types of metals all the time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I just want to know if you can bring this design to life,¡± Li Lang laid out the sketches he had traced down from the CAD software.

    ¡°Hm, it should be fine.¡±

    With those words, Long Yi disappeared into a room. It was an artificer workshop. Unlike alchemy or brushweaving, the forge artificers used were much too large to carry around. The pocket realm seemed to have taken this under consideration and provided a few rooms equipped with a forge.

    Li Lang would rather not get in the way, so he returned and began brewing the various toxins he could create with what he had.

    He was a biodefense expert, which meant he was familiar with various exotic poisons, too. However, he was a complete beginner when it came to Qi poisons. He had no idea where to get started. That was why he simply crafted his mundane poison as usual and only added his Qi as an afterthought.

    His supplies of materials were limited, so he only produced three small vials, each consisting of different compounds. It didn¡¯t help he had limited tools, so he couldn¡¯t create anything sophisticated.

    All this work only took one day. He was soon left with a spear and bottles of poison. The thought of experimenting with his new toys began to take over Li Lang¡¯s mind. Any plans to take the trial had been thrown out the window.

    The next morning, he didn¡¯t hesitate to exit out into the wilderness once more. This time, he didn¡¯t plan to stray too far away. That meant the Qi beasts he would encounter would be far weaker than before. Only those of low level hung around the mountain they had been transported into.

    Li Lang confirmed his new spear worked one final time by pushing a hidden button on the hilt. Immediately, a mysterious liquid was secreted from the spear tip.

    A giant mouse of some sort descended on Li Lang, and he quickly got to testing. If an uninformed spectator was present, they would have trouble identifying the aggressor. He had no qualms about exerting the full power of a sixth stage Energy Gatherer despite facing up against a lower-stage Qi beast.

    He hungrily stabbed his spear into his victim and pressed the button. A wail could be heard from the Qi beast before it swiftly recovered. Li Lang could see it had reflexively defended itself with Qi.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    He theorized the moment an external substance comes into contact with the owner¡¯s Qi, it would immediately cleanse the harmful substances. It was the holy panacea of cultivators that could defeat all detrimental substances with ease. It was a reason why cultivators were gods among mortal men. There was nothing they could do to go against them.

    That was why Li Lang decided to test the second cartridge in his spear next. It contained the poison that was infused with his Qi after the crafting process. It was eerily similar to infusing Qi into an ink stick.

    He was currently only equipped with one type of poison in his spear. The other two types could wait. Right now, he needed to test if the quantity of Qi infused mattered, and if so, how much it mattered.

    The first attempt contained zero traces of Qi, which understandably, was easily countered by the beast. The second attempt fared better. The weakly infused poison managed to persist in the Qi beast¡¯s system for several breaths before it was terminated. The effects were weak, but were indeed present.

    The next tests showed a similar result. The more Qi infused, the more effective the poison was and the longer it lasted.

    Hmm, I should pay attention to the onset time with the next few tests. I need to see if infusing it with Qi would affect it in ways other than duration.

    The research was tedious. Many things had to be recorded other than their reaction to the poisons. This included the characteristics of the Qi beast, its cultivation, size, and much more.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t end it with just one day of testing. He went through with it for an entire week. This was due to how absorbed he got into his studies and was supported by the pocket realm for not deducting his trial points over the duration of the tests.

    He got to the point of wanting to capture these Qi beasts himself, just like demonic cultivators did for trade. However, the only thing stopping him was the lack of space, cages, and feed.

    This meant there was a limit to how accurate his results were. He wasn¡¯t able to make observations twenty-four-seven. Despite that, he still polished up his theories from the results.

    The results were straightforward. The more Qi infused into the poison, the harder it was for the infected to cleanse it with their Qi. With his cultivation being at the sixth stage, the most powerful? poison he had made managed to affect a Qi beast in the third stage for over ten minutes.

    The only thing that made him scratch his head was exactly how much weaker the poison was compared to what he knew and why. The aconitine poison he made was supposed to induce rapid paralysis or even death. Its effects against Qi beasts were severely weakened. It only managed to slow down their movements.

    Li Lang believed that infusing Qi left the poison with some means to defend itself from the internal Qi of its target. It was like sneaking a bunch of saboteurs with armed guards. The more Qi, the stronger the defensive detail.

    The body of whoever was poisoned would have the home ground advantage, enabling them to send wave after wave to eliminate the threat. This resulted in the poison inevitably being neutralized sooner or later.

    He logged every detail about his research activities before compiling some detailed notes to help him pick it back up in the future. For now, his resources were limited, and he would rather not trade trial points for more materials.

    That wasn¡¯t the only reason he paused his poison research. If it were just resources he was lacking, he could¡¯ve attempted to trade with other cultivators or ask a favor from his acquaintances. The other reason was that he planned to capture or buy Qi beasts for long-term study and experiment with other poisons.

    Being able to observe them long-term was much more conducive to his studies.

    That was why he decided to redirect his efforts to other pursuits that produced faster results.

    With his matter settled, Li Lang took another tack to hone himself before he headed for the martial trials.

    He had passed by the rooms for these trials several times already as he exited the facility. It took him no time at all to arrive in one of these rooms, where a lone sword was embedded into the ground.

    He repeated what he had seen others doing and placed a hand on the hilt. Instantly, the familiar lights appeared before him and formed words. There wasn¡¯t any fanfare where he got transported somewhere else. The combat trials were straightforward and got to the point.

    ¡°Hunt down seven Spiral Stags and collect their horns.¡±

    Li Lang was familiar with the QI beast in question. They were one of the many species around the vicinity of the mountain and were low-level Qi beasts. In fact, he had experimented on several of them during his last week of research.

    Well, it¡¯s time for some exercise. I have been indulging in a little too much desk work recently.

 Chapter 108: Martial Trial

    The first two rounds of the combat trial ended uneventfully for Li Lang. He had already been doing similar tasks when testing out his poisons on the Qi beasts. The task that came after hunting the Spiral Stags was simply to hunt several Crimson Simians.

    With the strength of approximately a third stage Energy Gatherer, they weren¡¯t much physically stronger than the Spiral Stags. However, they were definitely more threatening. This was due to their relatively superior intelligence and traveling in larger troops. They employed group tactics that wore down their enemies.

    While they were smarter, it also worked against them in this case. Those who relied on wits meant they had duller instincts. Li Lang¡¯s current skill set didn''t include any notable skills besides the Veiling Shroud technique.

    It was an unusual technique for someone who was so young to practice. It lacked the power and flashiness the younger generation preferred. In return, the utility of the Qi art was unquestionable. The smokescreen it produced effectively neutralized the simians¡¯ coordination as they primarily relied on their sight. With their most vital skill in teamwork dealt with, Li Lang could easily dispatch them one by one.

    Having completed the first two rounds, Li Lang expected the next one to move up in difficulty, facing Qi beasts comparable to middle-stage Energy Gatherers. His expectations were betrayed in short order.

    Li Lang wore a frown as he stared at the lights that formed his new instructions.

    ¡°Hunt down the Shock Tortoise and retrieve its shell.¡±

    The new task was unexpected due to the sudden increase in the strength of his opponent. He had been warned by his companions before, but it was still unsettling to go from hunting down third stage Qi beasts to fifth stage. Based on the recounting by his friends, it was becoming more and more obvious that something capable of thought monitored everyone during their trials.

    Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be able to provide such targeted rewards or customize the task at hand.

    Li Lang was not too excited about this new round of the martial trial. It wasn¡¯t because he expected a hard fight, but instead, the species he hunted.

    Shock Tortoises were solitary creatures. This meant he would only attain one shell. He wanted to have Ruby take a sample as he had been doing. Hunting another Shock Tortoise was always an option, but these solitary beasts weren¡¯t easy to find. It would affect his evaluation unless he got lucky.

    Also, the tortoises were huge. Just their shell were several sizes larger than a king-sized bed. It would prove difficult to carry two shells out of the rugged terrain of the forest due to their bulkiness alone.

    Having accepted the new task, Li Lang could only head out. He didn¡¯t forget to grumble, but in his mind, he had to come to terms with giving up on the specimen.

    The trials confiscated the materials he hunted once he completed his mission. It would disappear the moment he set foot in any of the rooms with a sword in the middle. At first, he panicked for a second, thinking it was Ruby¡¯s doing, but it seemed like there were other things out in the world that could replicate a similar feat.

    None of the other cultivators had made a fuss about it because it was similar to how space rings worked. It may be on another scale as it managed to store items in such a wide area, but the function was familiar enough to the common cultivator.

    With his reward on the line, Li Lang soon dove straight back into the forest.

    He hadn¡¯t seen a Shock Tortoise in person before, so he had to pay careful attention to his surroundings. The tortoises were known to dig part of its body underground as it sunbathed. It made them increasingly hard to find.

    It was at moments like this that Li Lang wished he had a radar scanner or something of that sort to do the searching for him.

    Hmm, I heard there are radar-like Qi arts starting from the upper stages of Energy Gathering. I just need to be able to manipulate my Qi from range to train in these must-have abilities.

    The hunt always put Li Lang on edge, as he couldn¡¯t rely on the warding talisman to prevent ambushes anymore. If he did so, all the Qi beasts would run far away from him.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Thankfully, Li Lang managed to find a Shock Tortoise just before the sky began to darken.

    The fight was uneventful, as Li Lang never resorted to typical methods. Tortoise-type Qi beasts were often feared for their defensive capabilities. Many cultivators proud of their strength would strive to break apart the shell. The more agile fighters preferred precise strikes in the gaps.

    Either way, the Shock Tortoises weren¡¯t easy opponents. They were often idle when at rest, but once they got into a confrontation, the beasts moved at surprising speeds. It went without saying that it wasn¡¯t easy to land a powerful or precise blow on fast-moving targets.

    However, in Li Lang¡¯s case, the fight went about the same as his experimental sessions. Li Lang only focused on targeting the flesh of the tortoise, stabbing out his spear whenever he had the chance. His power or precision wasn¡¯t anything special, so it only resulted in shallow wounds.

    Li Lang did not mind. He knew he wasn¡¯t a talented fighter; he preferred to be in his lab more. Nevertheless, he was able to dominate the tortoise throughout the entire encounter due to the poisons he had made.

    He used the most potent poison he had made and administered it by using his spear. The tiny cuts added up as more poison seeped in. Consistent with his tests, the effects of the poison depended greatly on the difference in cultivation level between him and the target. As he was only one stage above the Shock Tortoise, it only managed to slow down its movements.

    Still, that made all the difference. That was because it allowed Li Lang to land more blows. More blows meant more poison, creating a positive feedback loop for the tortoise. It was whittled down and there wasn¡¯t anything it could do about it.

    It allowed Li Lang to focus on observing its reaction and measure the results of his poisons. It was the first time he used it against a relatively more powerful subject. He even had the leeway to try other types of poisons, but the effects were the same. It only slowed down the victim, without any other effects he had expected.

    The consistency of the results allowed him to let out a sigh of relief. He wouldn¡¯t have to prolong the fight any longer to observe any new phenomenon.

    Now, to get the shell off¡­

    The harvesting task was not a pretty sight. It was wet, smelly, and mushy.

    After spending a whole hour, Li Lang finally managed to separate its shell from the rest of the body.

    Staring down at the body, he watched as it faded out of existence. Ruby had taken in the rest of the remains. The corpse had a lot of useful information to analyze pertaining to the poison. It was only when Li Lang understood what it did that he could work to improve it.

    Qi added too many variables to the equation, so he wanted every sample he could get.

    The tortoise soon joined the backlog for the auto-analyzer, and Li Lang swiftly returned once more.

    When he heard what the next task was, he swiftly decided to give up for now. He didn¡¯t believe he should put himself in mortal danger just to pass another round. He preferred a steady pace. The next task directly went against that.

    It asked him to hunt down a pair of Steel Sparrows, that were peak middle-stage of Energy Gathering Qi beasts.

    Li Lang¡¯s skill set didn¡¯t match well against their fast-flying targets, and the fight would be filled with danger. The risk was just not worth it, as he considered the implications of being injured. The pocket realm didn¡¯t care for the wounded. Those who were recovering simply lost trial points as they idled each day.

    He believed it was a purposefully enacted system to discourage reckless behavior. That was why Li Lang decided he wouldn¡¯t push his limits when he still had a decent leeway.

    ¡°I will give up here,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    A moment later, the familiar bright light overtook the room before presenting Li Lang with his next prize.

    He had set his goals before even starting the trial. For combat, he wasn¡¯t too worried about it, as he was lacking too much in that department. However, there were two techniques he preferred. One was anything relating to poison. He believed it wasn¡¯t likely to get a manual specializing in that. It simply wasn¡¯t compatible with a combat trial.

    The other was a type of specialized martial art. With the newly customized spear that he got Long Yi to make, it wouldn¡¯t do if he didn¡¯t have any techniques to properly wield it.

    The only current offensive martial art he knew was a kick. It was about time to expand that arsenal, and what better way than to secure a spear technique?

    It only took a moment for Li Lang to skim the new cultivation manual in hand to know he had gotten precisely what he wanted. The Gliding Coil Spear Art was a comprehensive manual that didn¡¯t include just one move. It had various stances and movements on how to wield a spear.

    Interesting. I never got the chance to encounter such comprehensive martial arts before. This could give me some ideas on how to get started on creating my own techniques.

    As a biodefense expert, Li Lang had ample knowledge of the human body and its limits. That didn¡¯t mean he could compile a martial art from it, though. He needed to peruse many techniques and explore their mechanics before he was ready for that. Even then, it would be a lot of trial and error.

    In the meantime, Li Lang was happy enough to focus on learning his new Spear Art.

    If I do well, I wonder if I can get a martial intent like that Liang Po guy did. He did say he attained his intent by simply mastering the sword¡­No, I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. Don¡¯t get distracted, Li Lang. Copy the manual over into Ruby first!

 Chapter 109: Pressure

    Having earned a new technique to practice, Li Lang was eager to get started right away. Before that, he would have to record its contents in Ruby first. While the cultivation manual for the Gliding Coil Spear Art only lasted for a day, that didn¡¯t matter to Li Lang, as he recorded everything on his lab computer within Ruby.

    Day after day, he would practice a new chapter of the comprehensive manual. There was a lot to digest, but many parts of it were simple. However, just because it was simple didn¡¯t mean it was easy. It required many hours of training to get to the starting line.

    These techniques were so extensive because they contained not only the fancy moves, but how to respond to various situations. It also contained numerous basic moves, such as how to thrust out a spear, or basic footwork, and how they chained together.

    The main crux of it was how to flexibly maneuver a spear around, changing direction mid-trajectory. The coiling snake-like movements were its main characteristic. However, the unpredictable movements weakened its penetrating power.

    Unlike the previous techniques Li Lang had received, the new spear art wasn¡¯t just a minor technique. That meant it required drastically more time for Li Lang to get the hang of it. He had allotted a permanent time slot every day to practice it while he rotated out his other techniques.

    Training in crafting techniques may have the side benefits of improving one¡¯s Qi control, but it couldn¡¯t compare to a proper martial art. While the spear art didn¡¯t include any Qi arts that produced ranged attacks, the manipulation of Qi within the body amply trained its practitioners to wield Qi in an explosive manner.

    All of Li Lang¡¯s companions had been doing the same over this time, practicing the various martial arts or Qi arts they received.

    It caused their daily get-togethers to become shorter and shorter as they had less to discuss. Instead, they allocated it more to training. Everyone knew the longer the pocket realm went, the harder it became.

    All the low-hanging fruits would already be plucked. To earn more trial points, one had to pass increasingly difficult trials. As time passed, the pressure grew. The entire atmosphere gradually changed as people talked with their peers less and less.

    Li Lang himself was oblivious to all this for months, busying himself with his spear art. He had only noticed because of an inadvertent event he witnessed on his way to the mess hall.

    ¡°Senior, please! Spare me some of your time today. I really need your guidance!¡± a young man yelled out, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.

    The volume of his shouting even drew Li Lang away from his thoughts. He turned to find the young boy grasping his supposed senior¡¯s sleeve.

    The elder disciple simply flicked his sleeve to get the boy off of him.

    ¡°Bi An, there is nothing I can do for you. You have barely improved even after I have tried to help you several times. It seems I don¡¯t have the ability to guide you. Please search for someone else.¡±

    Just as the senior disciple tried to walk away, the junior called Bi An lunged down, holding onto his senior¡¯s knee.

    ¡°Please! Don¡¯t abandon me, Senior. You¡¯re my only hope.¡±

    The senior looked down at the desperate pleas of his fellow disciple and sighed. He then peeled each finger off of him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can barely keep up handling myself. I don¡¯t have time to spare for others. You should¡¯ve listened to Elder Ke and surrendered the quota you received due to your connections. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to stay here for much longer.¡±

    As the senior walked away this time, the junior didn¡¯t persist any longer. He simply lay there on the ground and slammed a fist onto the floor.

    With the spectacle over, the spectators quickly resumed what they were doing, as if nothing happened at all. Li Lang did the same.

    He retold the story to his companions at the mess hall to get their opinion on the matter.

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    ¡°What do you guys think? Why are they being so dramatic all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Li Lang you¡­¡± Huang Si didn¡¯t finish his sentence and sighed.

    Everyone else showed a troubled expression and kept their silence. That was except for Wei Ping.

    ¡°B-boss. Did y-you forget? The trial points are limited. P-people are getting a-anxious as their points d-dwindles.¡±

    ¡°Are they dwindling already? That fast?¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s naive statements caused everyone to shake their heads.

    ¡°Not everyone dabbles in multiple crafts like you,¡± Huang Si commented. ¡°For many, the martial trial is their only trial. After almost half a year, it¡¯s no wonder there are a few who are having issues making progress. As valuable as those techniques we receive are, we normally have at least a year to master them. Asking us to make progress without any roadblocks is too cruel.¡±

    His comments made Li Lang reflect on his experience so far. It was true that he occasionally struggled to make any progress in either his brushweaving, alchemy, or martial techniques on some days. When that happened, he fell into old habits and focused on other things. If he was having trouble making headways in alchemy, he could retreat to brushweaving or martial techniques.

    That had led him to rarely ever lose a single trial point. In fact, he only lost points near the beginning when he spent too much time inside the artifact space.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t they just practice other techniques when they¡¯re stuck? It¡¯s what I do.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Huang Si groaned. ¡°If that were the case, then people wouldn¡¯t be feeling the pressure already. The pocket realm doesn¡¯t recognize the efforts you put into techniques it hasn¡¯t provided you with. That¡¯s why everyone is focusing so hard on the technique they received.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and when they hit a roadblock, they only get more desperate and reckless. They reach beyond what they¡¯re capable of, injuring or overworking themselves. It becomes a downward spiral that devolves into a heart demon,¡± Sima Xue interjected. ¡°I¡¯ve been having to deal with fellow disciples to prevent them from having the same issue. I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Li Lang glanced over at the girl, who was resting her head on the table. He tried to ignore her so far, thinking not to bother her when she was down, but her words had explained the reason for her fatigue. He couldn¡¯t help but think back to the newcomers and interns at the labs.

    Moving by reflex, he closed the distance and placed a hand on her shoulder and consoled her.

    ¡°Keep up the good work and remember to take breaks. Things will get better.¡±

    Sima Xue glanced back at him blankly before responding with a delayed nod.

    There was an awkward moment where no one else said anything upon seeing the scene until Tang Yulian cleared her throat.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s time for me to go. I have to watch over my fellow disciples, and I can¡¯t slack off myself either.¡±

    One left, causing the dam to be broken. Sima Xue took the cue and left immediately after, and then Huang Si. This left the trio by themselves.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Li Lang exchanged looks with the remaining two. ¡°How are you guys doing? Have you been losing trial points as well?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Long Yi said with a puffed-up chest. ¡°I have Artificer techniques to fall back on.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re actually making progress with that?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?!¡±

    ¡°I mean, weren¡¯t you always complaining about it? I thought you¡¯d lose interest in it eventually.¡±

    ¡°Just because I whine doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t like it. I¡¯ll have you know that I¡¯m making good progress in learning how to craft an actual artifact, you know.¡±

    ¡°Then does that mean you¡¯re able to create an artifact?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Long Yi sighed as the wind was taken out of his sails. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even if I wanted to. It requires a beast core, and I¡¯d rather not go up against any peak Energy Gathering Qi beasts. Thankfully, my trials don¡¯t require me to create an artifact yet.¡±

    Li Lang shrugged and turned to Wei Ping.

    ¡°If Long Yi is doing well, you must be too, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­c-complicated. Woodsmithing is very t-time intensive. The time acceleration c-chambers they have here cost trial p-points to use, so I can¡¯t say my b-balance is healthy.¡±

    The three spent more time going over their experiences before Li Lang discreetly took a sample of each of them. He couldn¡¯t take a break from monitoring the effects of the Cleansing Drug.

    He noticed the gains had fallen slightly, but the spiritual roots did seem to still be improving. He believed it had gotten used to the level of strain he subjected them to, but they couldn¡¯t easily increase the workload because of the daily limit of Cleansing Drugs. One could only use six doses a day.

    Poison was in its quantity. One could even get water poisoning with sufficient dosage. The body simply needed some time to filter out the residual contents of the pill.

    After obtaining the sample, the three also proceeded to disband, but not without a bomb of an announcement. Long Yi casually dropped some news for his two friends when they were just about to part ways.

    ¡°So guys. I think I¡¯m already ready to break through soon. I just need to have a few fights to pressure myself, and I think I can do it. With that said, could you two accompany me on a trip outside tomorrow?¡±

 Chapter 110: Seeking a Fight

    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind, but if it¡¯s pressure to hone yourself is what you need, wouldn¡¯t it be more effective for you to go alone? ¡° Li Lang replied.

    ¡°B-boss, it¡¯s¡ª¡±

    Before Wei Ping could explain, Long Yi held up a hand to silence Wei Ping.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain. Rumors are spreading that some people have been targeting others outside. Those who are frustrated with their bottlenecks are lashing out. They may not be able to kill under the pocket realm¡¯s watch, but injuring others could cause them to lose trial points as they spend time on recovery.¡±

    ¡°Targeting others, but what benefits does that give them?¡±

    ¡°That, I don¡¯t know. Probably just venting their jealousy? Happens a lot back in my village even for minor things. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve gotten into my fair share of fights,¡± Long Yi grinned.

    ¡°I see. Anyway, what does it feel like to almost be at the next stage? I assume the jump from the sixth stage to the seventh stage isn¡¯t the same as the one from third to fourth?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t feel anything different. It¡¯s just that I have noticed myself retaining control of my Qi even when it loses contact with me. It may be for a split second, but I can feel it every time.¡±

    The trio only talked a little while longer before they separated. They had set a time to meet up tomorrow and returned to their training.

    It had been months since Li Lang had set foot outside of the mountain. He had been busy training his new spear art. This made him change up his plans and focus on preparing for the outing. It would be his first time testing out the Gliding Coil Spear Art in a real fight. He needed to make ample preparation.

    That involved preparing the poisons. He felt it had a high affinity with his spear art, as it compensated for its lack of damage potential. It reinforced the notion that the artifact spirit operating the realm was watching. If he wanted to receive a technique relating to poisons, he would have to make liberal use of it.

    The next morning, the trio set off without any issues. The verdant green forest greeted them along with the purple sky and yellow clouds.

    The nearby cultivators wore guarded looks as they went about their business. Everyone was careful not to be followed, so Li Lang¡¯s group lost sight of anyone else the moment they left the vicinity of the mountain.

    ¡°Did you have a destination in mind?¡± Li Lang asked.

    ¡°Yes, I found a strange forest a distance away in that direction,¡± Long Yi pointed toward the opposite direction of the desert Li Lang once visited. ¡°There are quite a few powerful Qi beasts there around my level.¡±

    ¡°Strange? How strange?¡±

    ¡°Just weird-looking trees.¡±

    With a guide at the lead, the trio silently made their way across the forest. They didn¡¯t use the warding talisman as they were together. Even if Long Yi was alone, he rarely used it anyway. As the more martial of the three, he preferred to hone his skills on any opponent he could find.

    There was a gap in mentality between the combat-oriented Long Yi and his companions.

    Li Lang attributed it to the continual success of fights Long Yi had experienced. The dopamine from victories was addictive. Since he had the skills to acquire said victories, it became an addictive loop. In Li Lang¡¯s opinion, fighting wasn¡¯t something fun or enjoyable, but a last resort. He preferred peacefully researching to the adrenaline-filled excitement.

    However, this world wasn¡¯t a peaceful one. Those who were too weak were prone to get things taken from them. Li Lang only knew that too well. That was why he had dedicated so much of his time to his combat techniques.

    The foes closest to the mountain were weak, growing stronger as they headed further out. With Long Yi making short work of any nearby Qi beasts, the three managed to cut through the forest with no problems.

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    The first thing they saw upon exiting the forest was the rocky landscape before them. The sedimentary rock formations were just flat enough for one to cross.

    It also provided an ample view of their surroundings, preventing ambushes.

    That was why they were caught off-guard when the ground trembled, followed by an ear-piercing explosion a short distance away. It was followed by a wail from some large beast.

    The sound didn¡¯t die down after that, with short clashes being heard. It soon became clear that there was a fight going on near the trio.

    ¡°It¡¯s c-coming from over there.¡±

    ¡°Pick up our pace?¡± Long Yi suggested.

    ¡°No. W-we should c-check it out first s-since it¡¯s so close.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Li Lang added. ¡°If it¡¯s something dangerous, it would easily spot us if we continue on. We need to see what is causing that first before deciding to proceed or retreat into the forest.¡±

    While they conversed, the sound of fighting continued. The three cautiously approached the scene. The sound indicated they were close, but they couldn¡¯t catch sight of anything yet. They soon discovered the reason for that.

    The fight was located in a quarry; a pit of sorts. The vantage point they had from looking down on the fight below gave them a lot of information.

    First, there was a fight going on between an elemental golem and a cultivator.

    The stone golem was easily three times the height of the boy and moved with surprising agility. One could easily surmise that it had comparable strength to someone at the peak of Energy Gathering.

    Its opponent was also someone the trio was familiar with. Even at a distance, it was hard not to notice the signature white hair of the talented cultivator they had once met. Not once had they seen anyone inside the pocket realm with hair of a similar color. Once they focused their Qi into their eyes, they confirmed it was indeed the genius from the Myriad Bones Pavilion, Liang Po!

    He was currently engaged in combat, darting around the quarry, dodging the blows from the golem. He occasionally sent out Qi art attacks, but the golem received his blows with no issue.

    Still, Liang Po showed a relaxed expression. In fact, he was even smiling slightly, as if he was having a good time.

    ¡°This is the first time we¡¯ve seen that guy actually fighting,¡± Long Yi commented.

    ¡°Does that mean his martial intent doesn¡¯t work on that thing?¡± Li Lang wondered.

    ¡°Either way. I d-don¡¯t think he w-would lose to that golem. He¡¯s a-already in the eighth stage!¡±

    The trio took a few moments to marvel at the genius¡¯ strength. He had grown a lot since their last meeting. Not only that, he was also fighting against an opponent with a higher cultivation on relatively equal ground. While the fight wasn¡¯t decisive, it was hard for anyone to doubt his victory from how relaxed he was.

    This caused the group to quickly decide to proceed. Owing to the loud clash that scared away any nearby creatures, the three of them crossed the stony area peacefully, albeit with some background noise.

    They soon rested their eyes upon a forest full of dried, leafless trees that were as wide as a house. However, the sight wasn¡¯t dreary at all. The trees varied in color, with some red, blue, yellow, green, and various others. It almost looked like a children¡¯s playground to Li Lang.

    Another strange thing about them was how they were all rooted in the stone beneath them. The terrain of the area was still stony, with no soil in sight. The density of trees made it hard to peer into it as well.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t have to wonder what type of Qi beast resided here for long. The second they stepped passed the treeline, a chameleon the size of a large bike leaped down from a tree. It had camouflaged itself while holding onto the trunk.

    Thankfully, Long Yi expected it. He easily intercepted the Qi beast and began fighting it.

    Li Lang and Wei Ping quickly took cover, as their role was simply to observe unless it was an emergency.

    Li Lang was excited to observe the new Qi beast at first, but the fight quickly became a stalemate. The chameleon was too flexible, leaping from tree to tree, preventing Long Yi from pinning it down.

    ¡°B-boss, pay attention to t-the surrounding trees. We c-can¡¯t have another of t-those things ambush us.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Li Lang immediately agreed, as his curiosity had shifted over to the new mutant trees. He planned to take the chance to have Ruby absorb a few branches.

    Just as he began to distance himself from Wei Ping, the chameleon Long Yi was fighting let out a screech. When Li Lang turned to the sound, his eyes widened upon seeing the scene. It appeared their friend successfully landed a blow with his Qi art. However, the thing that drew Li Lang¡¯s attention was neither the Qi beast nor Long Yi himself.

    Instead, his attention lay on the tree behind the beast. Long Yi¡¯s attack had broken the bark, and the tree was leaking out sap. The sap had a high viscosity and was slowly dripping out. The thing that piqued Li Lang¡¯s interest was its color. It was the same color as the blue tree behind it, except it was a shade lighter.

    I need to get a sample of each of these trees!

 Chapter 111: Tree Sap

    Sap could tell you a lot about a tree. While the sap of different species of trees differed in appearance, it could still give hints about their physiological state or health conditions.

    Upon seeing the blue sap, various thoughts raced across Li Lang¡¯s mind. The blue color could be due to the presence of pigments like anthocyanins or other plant-based compounds. However, Li Lang knew better than to blindly analyze using the methods devised in his world when he was no longer there.

    Qi added a perplexing variable to everything. Nevertheless, he wanted to study this new material.

    This was because of the knowledge he had learned from his brushweaving trial rewards. After completing the third round with overlapping runes, he received the text, The History of Brushweaving.

    Within it told a story of how the art of brushweaving evolved over time. It started off with using the blood of Qi beasts as ink and then transitioned into more accessible and sustainable forms. Their predecessors experimented with various other alternatives, including plant-based ink that the modern version was based on.

    In the current age, woodsmiths cultivated special kinds of trees to be used as the base material for brushweaving ink. It could hold a perfect copy of a person¡¯s Qi, with all its properties, and free from any contamination. Before they had reached that development, they had experimented with tree saps as well, which got Li Lang curious.

    While the modern ink was all-encompassing and had little room for improvement, at the end of the day, it was still an all-rounder type of product. Specialized items usually produced better results in certain situations, which was exactly what Li Lang wanted to investigate.

    He had currently given up on the fourth round of the brushweaving trial because it was too difficult to accomplish with the materials at hand. Talismans that contained three runes normally required Earth-grade materials which only Foundation Establishment cultivators could properly wield. It did so by increasing the capacity of Qi the talisman could hold.

    In theory, it wasn¡¯t impossible for an Energy Gatherer to inscribe a three-rune talisman. They would have to use other less efficient methods to surmount the requirements. That meant using rare materials that were at the peak of the mortal grade. Rare materials like these had better uses elsewhere and were normally too expensive to be worthwhile for brushweavers to create consumables like talismans.

    That was why Li Lang began to have ideas when he read about the history of brushweaving. He wanted to experiment with various plant-based materials. However, that wasn¡¯t something he had on hand, so he had relegated it for later.

    Now that he had spotted an interesting material, he was dying to investigate it.

    Blood differed from beast to beast. Plant-based materials are a much better alternative for my experiments because of their consistency. While they won¡¯t be able to hold the full properties of my Qi, it should also work to my advantage by omitting the properties irrelevant to my inscription.

    While Long Yi continued his fight with the chameleon Qi beast, Li Lang inched closer to the nearby trees. He thrust out his spear and began to draw sap from them.

    The surrounding forest had a colorful selection of trees, and Li Lang wanted to go through all of them. Li Lang¡¯s eyes widened when he realized the sap from each tree was always a shade lighter than the color of the bark.

    He immediately ordered Ruby to absorb some, to be placed into the auto-analyzer.

    As much as he wanted to watch over the process in the artifact space right away, it wouldn¡¯t be wise for him to do so when he was right next to an active battlefield.

    He made his time productive and continued to collect various samples while steering clear of the clash. He didn¡¯t forget to break off some branches and the soil underneath.

    By the time he was done, he found Long Yi still whittling away at his opponent. The chameleon had surprising regenerative abilities. Marks of its freshly closed wounds could be seen all over as it leaped all over the place.

    It would futilely try to counterattack after receiving Long Yi¡¯s attack. Unfortunately for it, Long Yi was well prepared and could dodge its attempts with ease.

    The battle wouldn¡¯t last forever, as both sides would tire eventually. With the chameleon constantly taking damage from Long Yi¡¯s attack, it proved to be the first one to run out of steam. With it came the end of its life.

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    Seeing the fight was over, Li Lang and Wei Ping approached their friend.

    ¡°A-are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It was more annoying than challenging, but I¡¯m sure an adult Fearful Wyrm would be able to put me to the test.¡±

    Li Lang took a moment to glance over at the corpse of the chameleon. It was already quite large, almost the same size as them. He could only imagine the size of an adult.

    ¡°How big do they grow?¡±

    ¡°The ones I¡¯ve seen were almost two times larger than this one. This should just be an adolescent.¡±

    While Li Lang wouldn¡¯t mind studying these Qi beasts as well, he already had a full plate. There wasn¡¯t anything pressing he could gain from studying these beasts. That was why he didn¡¯t bother asking any more questions and followed Long Yi¡¯s lead. He was the only one among the three who had been there, and also their most capable fighter. The only drawback was that he had to refrain from taking the corpses into Ruby, as he didn¡¯t want to reveal his secret yet.

    As Long Yi had suspected, his fights against the larger chameleons proved to be more challenging. It made his companions struggle to judge when they should intervene. The action was fast. Decisions had to be made quickly.

    The two did believe in Long Yi¡¯s capabilities, so in the end, they didn¡¯t have to intervene even once.

    That didn¡¯t mean Long Yi had won every fight. Sometimes, the reptiles would flee after a short exchange, and Long Yi failed to catch up. Still, Long Yi was able to complete his objective of gaining valuable combat experience.

    It didn¡¯t magically help him with his breakthroughs or anything, but the stimulation it gave was the most popular method among cultivators wanting to take that next step. Perhaps after some time to digest this experience, it may loosen his bottleneck.

    Before the artificial skies began to darken, the trio decided to call it a day and make their return.

    Long Yi was tired from the physical exertion, and Li Lang was busy in his head, thinking up ways to set his brushweaving ink experiment. That was why Wei Ping was the first one to notice the approaching threat.

    ¡°There¡¯s s-someone over there c-coming toward us!¡±

    The three glanced over slightly left of where they were walking toward and found the figure of a person.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to spot the silver hair, informing them exactly who it was.

    Instantly, memories of their time in The Orchid Covenant¡¯s competition arose. During the first round of that competition, the man before them had effortlessly defeated multiple fellow competitors. It left a lasting impression of how strong the young man was, and that he wasn¡¯t shy about using force.

    ¡°What should we do?¡± Long Yi asked with a tinge of panic. ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to fight us, is he?¡±

    ¡°I d-did hear rumors of p-people fighting each other o-out here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. I want to say he means no harm if he¡¯s openly walking toward us like that, but in Liang Po¡¯s case, it¡¯s impossible to read his intentions. Get ready to use our trump card.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just run?¡±

    ¡°You think we can outrun someone that can fight against a Qi beast equal to a peak Energy Gathering expert?¡±

    Long Yi was speechless at Li Lang¡¯s retort. The three could only tug on the talismans within their robes. They knew about the martial intent ability Liang Po had, so each of them was ready to deploy their talisman at any sight of danger.

    ¡°Relax, boys. Why are you all so tense? You were way more relaxed when you were spectating my battle, right?¡± the silver-haired boy shouted as he briskly made his way toward the trio.

    As the one with the most contact with the young powerhouse, Li Lang stepped forward.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to intrude on your fight.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mean to place any blame on you guys. I don¡¯t mind. I just got curious about you guys.¡±

    ¡°Curious about us? We aren¡¯t doing anything interesting. Just fighting Qi beasts in the forest.¡±

    ¡°No, not about what you¡¯re doing, but you guys, in general. I heard you guys are on good terms with the people over at the Nightmoon Valley. You never mentioned that during our last chat. I¡¯m a big fan of them.¡±

    Li Lang briefly exchanged looks with his companions.

    ¡°We are just in debt to a senior within their ranks. We don¡¯t have any special relationship with them. If you want to speak with someone from Nightmoon Valley, you can come to the mess hall in the evenings.¡±

    While Li Lang would¡¯ve been more hesitant to direct this man to his friend before, he felt a lot more comfortable doing so now that he knew of Tang Yulian¡¯s breakthrough. Despite the strength Liang Po had showcased, it wasn¡¯t realistic for him to best someone in the Foundation Establishment realm. Especially one who was hailed as one of the top geniuses of the same generation as him.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how you see it. Well, whatever. It seems like this place doesn¡¯t let me take it easy. I¡¯m being hurried along with my cultivation, so I¡¯ll catch you all later.¡±

    The three watched as Liang Po proceeded to walk deeper into the forest they had just exited from. There wasn¡¯t long until nighttime, so he would likely be spending the night there. None of them bothered to give him any advice and only resumed their journey once his figure disappeared from view.

    ¡°Well, that went well,¡± Long Yi muttered.

    Wei Ping nodded, while Li Lang didn¡¯t even bother to respond as he got on his way.

    Now that he had filled up on a promising material, he was eager to look into their properties. The instant Liang Po left, he had swiftly forgotten about him. He felt perhaps the tree saps he harvested would be suitable for brushweaving. His gut feeling told him it would be the key to allowing him to make further progress.

 Chapter 112: Playing with Ink

    As they had planned, the trio were able to return to the mountain before night fell.

    While they were scheduled to meet up with their peers in the mess hall, Li Lang headed straight for his chambers instead.

    Long Yi and Wei Ping could only shake their heads at their friend¡¯s antics, as they gathered their thoughts on how they would explain to their other acquaintances.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Li Lang to return to his chambers, where he immediately delved into Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    ¡°How much longer until the analysis of the sap is done?¡±

    ¡°The first batch is already done, master!¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s that fast, then the Qi must not be that strong. Well, that¡¯s fine as well.¡±

    Li Lang nodded to himself before heading over to the auto-analyzer to throw in the next batch of sap. The first one analyzed was the light blue one, and there were several other colors waiting to be examined as well.

    He then headed over to his computer and began going over the results. A frown slowly formed on his face. Once he had read through everything, he materialized a sample into his hands, so he could inspect it visually.

    ¡°Strange. It doesn¡¯t have anything that should make it take on this color. Is it the effects of the Qi?¡±

    That question was answered once the second batch of sap was analyzed. It revealed almost identical makeup to the first. This caused Li Lang to view the material with even more scrutiny.

    However, there was only so much he could glean from eyeballing it, so he soon began to use the sap in a round of inscribing. As he had done with the ink sticks, Li Lang began to infuse his Qi into it. It was likely he had to mix it with several other ingredients to form a proper ink, but a quick test with just the sap was enough for now.

    His mentor, Yi Lin, had warned him of the increased difficulty of infusing Qi into liquid compared to solids. He experienced firsthand how true those words were. It was like the ink was slipping through his hands every time he tried to grasp it. It was much more straightforward when it was with something solid. With liquids, he had to worry if he had evenly infused it as well.

    It took some time, but he eventually completed the task of preparing the ink. Next came the usual. He materialized some talisman paper and his brushweaving tools and got to it.

    He started off with the simplest talismans, one that only emitted light.

    When he began channeling his brushweaving techniques to transform his Qi into the runes, he surprisingly found that it had become a lot more arduous all of a sudden. It felt like he was trying to inscribe in mud. His movements were dull, and the flow of Qi was murky.

    It made the entire inscription process last twice as long as usual. Even when he was done, Li Lang didn¡¯t hide his displeasure upon seeing the finished product. As a brushweaver with some experience now, he could intuitively tell the quality of his own work.

    His gut feeling told him that the new talisman he produced was subpar compared to his usual light talismans. He didn¡¯t hesitate and actuated it to confirm his suspicions.

    A soft, blue glow began to radiate from the talisman. The luminosity was noticeably dimmer. It also abruptly went out after only two seconds.

    ¡°Ruby, do you have any idea as to what went wrong? I don¡¯t think I screwed up in any part of the process.¡±

    ¡°Master, I¡¯m not sure either, but I think it¡¯s just because of the material you used. It didn¡¯t conduct the Qi that well.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Li Lang was just gathering different perspectives from a third party. Now that he was in another world, he no longer had other experts to consult with. It was a huge drawback for any researcher to lose access to the greater scientific community. Humans strived in numbers. One mind was sure to miss a few things and could only specialize in a limited range.

    So it should be as I suspected. Let me do a few more tests and then try again with different talismans.

    Like this, Li Lang inadvertently worked late into the night. He created new talismans with the blue ink and kept comparing the results. It was only when he performed dozens of attempts that he observed something irregular.

    So far, all his tests have shown that the efficiency of this new ink was much worse compared to the usual ink. Li Lang believed it had something to do with the lack of preparation, using just the sap alone, but a different underlying cause should be present as well.

    Those suspicions were confirmed when he attempted to inscribe a basic talisman of the water element.

    As soon as his Moon Brush touched the talisman paper, he suddenly felt the flow of Qi break out like a dam. Everything had become smooth all of a sudden. Even the delicate part of the runes could be completed with ease, at record speed.

    It was no surprise to Li Lang when he examined the effect of the completed product itself. The water talisman he had freshly inscribed produced over sixty percent more water than usual.

    It seems like the blue tree sap is more conducive to the water element. No wonder, since my Vein Flow Calculation Method told me it¡¯s rich in water Qi. While my auto-analyzer can¡¯t make much out of the Qi aspect, thankfully I gained another avenue of analysis.

    With the discovery, Li Lang was eager to see if those results were consistent with the saps of other colors. He examined them and found that the only difference was the element of Qi it contained.

    Just like with the water talisman, he discovered that tree sap-turned-ink declined in performance when used for runes that were not affiliated with their elemental affinity. In turn, that meant it prospered when the conditions were right.

    ¡°This is just what I needed! If I am right, this shows that usual inks can carry all elementals, which makes it the most flexible all-rounder. These tree saps become ink that can mostly carry only their respective elemental Qi, refusing to hold other types. In theory, that should mean it contains less overall Qi as well!¡±

    This discovery was very relevant to the issue Li Lang faced. To clear the next brushweaving trial, he needed to inscribe a three-rune talisman. The main challenge of that was the need for Earth-grade talisman paper to be able to hold all the Qi that the task entailed.

    With the discovery of how the mechanics of Qi ink worked, Li Lang began getting several ideas. The most obvious one was that these element-locked ink took up less ¡®bandwidth¡¯ than their all-rounder counterpart. It shed the extra baggage of all other types of Qi, except one. This meant he could make do with Mortal-grade talisman paper that had a lower capacity.

    Nevertheless, Li Lang wasn¡¯t foolish enough to jump straight to attempting the three rune talismans. He wanted to document the various properties of this new ink, and then experiment with combining other materials to make a more refined version of it.

    After all, the viscosity of tree sap made it clunky to handle, and he wasn¡¯t sure how long it would adhere to the talisman paper, either.

    Like this, Li Lang became obsessed with his new research for the next month. Each day he holed in the artifact space meant a trial point lost.

    It was only when he ran out of materials to combine with the tree sap that he stopped. Following his theory, he mainly combined the tree sap with materials of similar elements. When he tried combining opposing elements, he found that they would refuse to mix together, like oil and water.

    There¡¯s a lot more potential to be explored, but I¡¯ve used up enough of my trial points. It¡¯s time to let up on it a little.

    Just because he finally took a break from the artifact space didn¡¯t mean he stopped with his research. Back in reality, he completed his usual training and satisfied the pocket realm before beginning his attempts at a three-rune talisman for real.

    He had to make use of Ruby for that because he didn¡¯t have unlimited materials, nor would he want to risk inscribing such powerful talismans in reality. The more Qi a talisman contained, the more dangerous it was when the inscription failed.

    The amount of Qi that bordered on the maximum a Mortal-grade material could hold would prove to be deadly to someone only in the sixth stage of Energy Gathering.

    More time passed, and two months passed after he had attained the tree saps. After countless hours of experimenting and practicing, Li Lang successfully used the tree sap to create a new type of ink. Using this ink, he managed to inscribe a three-rune talisman within his lab.

    It¡¯s about time I earn some trial points back. I should check out the others before I jump into the trials. I also need to procure the materials I¡¯ve used here and test them out in reality first.

    With those thoughts, Li Lang exited his room.

 Chapter 113: Turbulence

    Li Lang had occasionally met up with his friends even while he was obsessed with his research. He may have been a rare sight, but he had been there enough to keep up with the latest updates.

    Both Wei Ping and Long Yi had reached the next stage of cultivation. At some point after the stimulation from his fights, Long Yi successfully broke past his bottleneck and reached the seventh stage of Energy Gathering. Li Lang planned to speak with him about his experiences once he was free.

    His other companions all made adequate progress as well. Both Sima Xue and Tang Yulian had managed to pass the third round of the brushweaving trial, successfully inscribing a talisman with two overlaid runes. Li Lang had tutored them in the past and guided them in the right direction. To Li Lang, it wasn¡¯t surprising they had succeeded. After all, they both had better control of Qi than him and were hailed as geniuses.

    As their mentor, he had also seen how the two girls had trained vigorously in keeping their brush strokes consistent. They also had gotten better at employing their brushweaving techniques due to the various inks Li Lang got them to test out. Forcing themselves to adapt to their makeshift ink exercised their brushweaving abilities to a new extent. It made it so that when they returned to working with regular ink; they managed to inscribe with ease.

    Their work had given valuable data to help optimize Li Lang¡¯s research. However, the materials they had on hand were vastly limited. They had never planned to craft ink, so they didn¡¯t have many useful resources in stock.

    ¡°Hey, how¡¯s everything going?¡± Li Lang voiced as he sat himself at the table.

    His approach had already silenced the group as they all turned to him. Usually, Li Lang only came for meals and kept the talking to a minimum. Their curiosity grew when they noticed Li Lang¡¯s jovial tone in his greeting.

    ¡°B-boss, we were just t-talking about how I managed to p-pass another round of t-the woodsmithing trials!¡±

    ¡°Congratulations. It¡¯s about time. You¡¯ve been working on that for quite some time, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rich, coming from you,¡± Sima Xue teased. ¡°At least he hadn¡¯t lost any trial points while he worked on it. You, on the other hand, have lost quite a few points, I heard.¡±

    Li Lang calmly smiled at her words. He knew she was simply trying to provoke him in order to motivate him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make those points back soon enough. I happen to have successfully found a method to inscribe a three-rune talisman.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± an alarmed voice instantly shouted. However, it hadn¡¯t come from Sima Xue, but Tang Yulian, who was sitting beside her. ¡°Are you serious? Even I have trouble with that and I¡¯m using Earth-grade talisman papers. How in the world could you possibly do it? Don¡¯t tell me you can handle Earth-grade materials?¡±

    Being interrogated so intensively by a Foundation Establishment cultivator made Li Lang freeze for a split second before Tang Yulian restrained her aura.

    The difference between one major realm may not sound like a lot, but it was indeed a huge gulf. There was a reason why people still referred to those below the Foundation Establishment realm as mortals. Once one shed their mortality, they could literally perform miracles with their willpower alone. The drastic difference in abilities only grew the longer one treaded the path of cultivation.

    ¡°Apologies. I lost control of myself for a moment,¡± Tang Yulian slightly bowed toward everyone at the table. ¡°Li Lang, if you could explain. It may help me greatly in passing the next trial as well. I¡¯ll make sure our sect will handsomely reward you once we return.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t mind sharing as long as you, in turn, share your results as well.¡±

    Tang Yulian only had to contemplate the strange request for a few moments before nodding. She was used to Li Lang¡¯s antics by now. She may not know the reason why Li Lang hungered to know the results of everything she did, but she would still agree as long as it wasn¡¯t too unreasonable and benefitted her.

    The group of young cultivators didn¡¯t return until it was late into the night. The detailed explanation had bored everyone who wasn¡¯t a brushweaver, but those who were, listened attentively throughout the session.

    The study discussion acted as a refresher of sorts for Li Lang, which helped him prepare for the trial ahead. After a night of sleep, he was fully prepared to take on the fourth round of the brushweaving trials.

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    Same as before, he found himself on top of a lily pad floating in a lake after stepping through a scroll.

    The lights soon materialized, marking the start of his trial. It made him start from the first round of inscribing a simple one-rune talisman once more. Since he had already passed the test before, he would receive no rewards for passing the trials again, and only point deductions awaited if he failed.

    The first two rounds were a breeze for Li Lang. Only the third round with the overlaid rune made him focus. Before long, the dreaded fourth round came. Li Lang knew those who successfully passed this test were few and far between. He surmised only those who were talented enough to reach the Foundation Establishment realm during the trials had passed this test.

    That meant this would be new territory for both him and whatever was managing the pocket realm. He wondered if he would be approached if he passed.

    Li Lang¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯t dwell on the matter for long, as he began to concentrate on the task at hand. Inscribing a three-rune talisman was no joke. He may be taking advantage of using unorthodox inks, but the talisman paper¡¯s capacity wasn¡¯t the only thing to worry about.

    Three runes meant more variables. He had to ensure they wouldn¡¯t interfere with each other, and control all the Qi that was being stuffed in. The more power it contained, the harder it was.

    Despite having practiced extensively within Ruby, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. The inscription this time would be taking place in reality. If he failed, he would suffer the repercussions of the attempt. He wouldn¡¯t have absolute control of his surroundings to avoid them. It was a possibility that he could get hurt.

    The talisman he would be creating was a product of careful calculations. That was why his first step was to bring out his measuring tools. A measuring cup was quite easy to make, and that was exactly what Li Lang did.

    He somewhat felt like he was baking. He poured the ink mix into the cup before pouring that onto his inkstone. Then, he dipped his Moon Brush into the extra ink to confirm how much it absorbed and expended after each stroke. The most difficult part was keeping the strength of each stroke consistent so that just enough ink would be used.

    The consistency helped him control the amount of Qi he would apply to the rune. Too much and the talisman would overload, causing an explosion of Qi. Too little and the balance of the rune would crumble.

    Li Lang couldn¡¯t make any mistakes on any of the three runes. It was a daunting task, but he was excited to jump straight into it. The talisman he chose was a more advanced version of the concealing talisman he had often kept as a trump card. There were many variants, but the common three-rune version hid not only sight and Qi signature, but smell and vibrations as well.

    The talisman consisted of a light rune that handled the distortion of light and temperature. One wind rune would be responsible for managing the airflow, so no scent or breeze would alert anyone or anything. Then, one earth rune for the vibrations and footprints. Only when the three runes were in balance could it hide the Qi signature of the user as well.

    Sweat dripped from Li Lang¡¯s brow as he inched ever closer to completion.

    <hr>

    While Li Lang was busy facing the fourth round of the brushweaving trial, other important events were happening within the pocket realm.

    Numerous cultivators were attempting to break through to their next stage of cultivation. Everyone was under pressure to make progress. Martial trials were dominantly what they relied on to earn their points. That meant they were under pressure to break through, so they could pass the next round. After all, it was the fastest way to obtain a power boost.

    Among them was Li Lang¡¯s close friend, Wei Ping. However, the breakthroughs from someone in the middling stage of Energy Gathering drew no attention. Only those nearing the Foundation Establishment drew the attention of all the young talents away from their bitter cultivation.

    Liang Po was one who met these exact conditions. He was famed for being one of the most talented in his generation, standing shoulder to shoulder with Tang Yulian and Sima Xue. Tang Yulian may have pulled ahead for now, but knowledgeable parties didn¡¯t dare discount them when the journey was only beginning. Those who reached the Foundation Establishment realm would only be considered to have reached the starting line.

    Nevertheless, the young cultivators of the Luminescent realm, who were outside the mountain, sensed a major breakthrough was happening. The clouds gathered as a storm brewed. It was an omen common to those who possessed a unique physique when they underwent their breakthrough.

    Having possessed these heavenly physiques already defied the heavens. That was why each step they took invoked a significant response. Despite only trying to step onto the ninth stage of Energy Gathering, there were signs of a tribulation storm above Liang Po!

    This caused the flow of Qi to be thrown into chaos within the realm, in turn, worrying the three artifact spirits that oversaw the place. It was enough for the green artifact spirit to summon forth his companions. Within the lone hut at the summit of the mountain, the three spirits took on their human forms. They floated above the yellow clouds like some sort of gods, but they each wore grim expressions.

    ¡°Blue, Orange, the white-haired kid is breaking through. Take precautions just in case.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he is the cause of our woes?¡± Blue asked as she tilted her head.

    ¡°It is hard to say, but if just his breakthrough to the ninth stage can cause this scene, it should be him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s scary,¡± the boy in orange robes muttered. ¡°If only we could test it out by temporarily banishing him from our realm¡­¡±

    His two companions only stared down at the scene sternly, opting not to reply.

 Chapter 114: Anomaly

    Liang Po¡¯s breakthrough took time. Enough time that the few who sensed it managed to return to the mountain and spread the news.

    The outdoors was no longer peaceful. The serene purple skies became turbulent as a storm began to brew. By the time those who were free rushed to the scene, rain flooded the scene.

    Liang Po himself paid it no mind. He had sealed the entrance to his cave beforehand. It was unlikely for anyone to interrupt him. Instead, the real danger lay in the breakthrough itself.

    Those who were blessed by the heavens with a unique physique faced tougher challenges. Some say the heavens were jealous, while others believed it was only trying to temper the chosen further with appropriate strength. Either way, it was a known fact that they would be facing life-threatening tribulations, even if it was only the first major breakthrough. Thankfully, in this case, Liang Po wasn¡¯t trying to step into the next major realm yet.

    ¡°So the rumors were true. The genius from the Myriad Bones Pavilion does possess a heavenly physique.¡±

    ¡°What rumors, you dimwit!? Little news about the Myriad Bones Pavilion ever reaches anyone. They keep to themselves too much while there are only a few of them.¡±

    ¡°Anyway¡­Do you think he¡¯s breaking into the Foundation Establishment realm? It seems like he doesn¡¯t want to fall behind.¡±

    ¡°No, I saw him not too long ago. He was still in the eighth stage of Energy Gathering.¡±

    ¡°Then, he¡¯s generating such a huge response from just trying to step onto the ninth stage?¡±

    The spectators gawked at the spectacle. They all took shelter under the same line of trees, contemplating the significance of the scene.

    They only came to it when a flash of lightning suddenly descended near them. It came down directly on the small mountain where Liang Po was. Those who had seen similar scenes instantly yelled out in alarm.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­not normal lightning. It¡¯s tribulation lightning! Tribulation lightning is striking down on Liang Po for just stepping onto the ninth stage!¡±

    The clamor from the crowd intensified.

    Meanwhile, the person experiencing the breakthrough himself wasn¡¯t as relaxed. The tribulation lightning was within his calculations. It struck him through the mountain, as if the obstacles between them didn¡¯t exist. He could feel the shock running through his entire body. It burned, and he could feel bits of him dying and regrowing at a rapid rate.

    Liang Po didn¡¯t panic, as his master had taught him what to expect. The tribulation lightning tested his willpower and his physique. He had full confidence in both, so he wasn¡¯t worried. It would only fuel his growth further.

    What did worry him was the uncomfortable feeling in his surroundings. His breakthrough was almost complete, but a strange pressure was lurking in the background. It was as if a powerful expert had locked sights on him, but simply chose to spectate for now.

    This was because the three artifact spirits of the realm were preparing to take drastic measures if they confirmed Liang Po was the source of their worries.

    Under their watch, the pocket realm was losing a large amount of Qi for some inexplicable reason. As Liang Po was one of the prime suspects, they watched him like a hawk throughout his breakthrough. Their senses were on high alert, looking for signs of their problem worsening. If Liang Po was the source, it was likely his breakthrough would intensify their woes.

    ¡°Umm, Brother Green, you need to restrain yourself more. We¡¯re not going to kill him even if he does turn out to be the cause,¡± the young man in orange robes advised.

    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m just scaring the brat a little. It¡¯s not like he can do anything about it.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡ª¡±

    Before Orange could continue, their other companion abruptly cut him off.

    ¡°Silence, both of you! I¡¯ve just been alerted to another anomaly. I¡¯m heading out right away. Make sure you don¡¯t do anything until it¡¯s confirmed, without a doubt.¡±

    The young woman in blue robes didn¡¯t wait for their response before twirling around. In an instant, she disappeared. If one had exceptional senses, they would be able to see glittering blue lights flashing across the horizon. However, that required one to at least be in the Violet Core realm to notice. To everyone else, they wouldn¡¯t see anything, even if they happened to stare in the right direction.

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    Blue flew across the skies, and in an instant, she arrived back at the main mountain. She would normally return to the hut at the summit, but this time, she dove straight into the mountain instead.

    She passed by numerous unsuspecting cultivators, heading down the corridor that was labeled with the word ¡®Water¡¯ on it. She proceeded toward the end of the hallway, flying straight into the calligraphy hanging on the wall. Her entire journey took less than three breaths of time.

    When she arrived, she stared down curiously at the lone boy standing atop the lily pad. He stood there with a confident smile as he stared at the floating lights before him.

    ¡°Fourth round passed. The challenger is awarded eighty trial points. The next round is starting shortly.¡±

    ¡°I give up,¡± the boy muttered.

    Blue didn¡¯t need to see what happened next, as she was the one who managed this particular trial. The response the boy got would come from her. Many of the minor details were automated in a way Blue wasn¡¯t clear on, but she was able to peer into these specifications.

    She conveyed her findings to her peers through their shared telepathy.

    ¡°You guys may want to hold off on kicking that white-haired kid out. I found another suspicious boy here.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Green immediately pressed.

    ¡°He passed the fourth round of the Brushweaving trial. For this year¡¯s opening, that means he managed to inscribe a three-rune talisman.¡±

    ¡°So he used some rare materials. So what?¡±

    ¡°...He¡¯s only in the sixth stage of Energy Gathering and didn¡¯t use any rare heavenly resources. He mainly used the sap from the Harmonic Trees.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Green yelled.

    He was knowledgeable about everything that existed in the pocket realm. He knew exactly what type of material Harmonic Trees were, and they weren¡¯t anything special. They were simply trees that were easily dyed by various types of elemental Qi. It would take on whichever type it came into contact first during its incubation period.

    The only thing good about these trees was that they acted as an elemental filter of sorts. They refined the ambient Qi that was contaminated with numerous kinds of energy into one type. Even then, the materials from the Harmonic Trees weren¡¯t that pure or rich in Qi. There were many superior alternatives that existed.

    The Harmonic tree could only be regarded somewhere around low to medium-tier materials among the mortal grade.

    Green was so flabbergasted that he couldn¡¯t speak. Orange inquired for clarification in his place.

    ¡°So he didn¡¯t use any Earth-grade materials. No, he¡¯s only in Energy Gathering, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle them. And without using the rarest Mortal-grade materials, he managed to inscribe a three-rune talisman?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Blue calmly replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s impressive, but how is that relevant to the source of our Qi leak? It just means he¡¯s a talented Brushweaver, right?¡±

    ¡°Nevertheless, it means he¡¯s a genius that has masterful control of Qi. He may have some strange physique that is the cause of all the heavenly energy disappearing."

    ¡°Hmm, I still think it¡¯s more likely for one of the three we have been monitoring to be the cause. From the humans¡¯ conversations, they each hail from powerful organizations. They could be carrying secret artifacts that are causing this.¡±

    It was at this moment that Green snapped out of it. He frowned at Orange¡¯s words.

    ¡°Really, Orange? Do you even remember what kind of artifact it needs to be in order to cause this? Do you really think the people outside have entered such a splendid golden age that they decided to give their treasure to a child coming here?¡±

    The three artifact spirits continued to argue as they continued to monitor the humans. However, Li Lang was now added to the list of people to be observed.

    They watched as he carefully went over his new reward, a cultivation manual that went over how to filter out elemental Qi. There were many techniques that accomplished the same thing, each in their own way. The Elemental Condensing Brush technique was one that relied on the Moon Brush and a set of brushweaving Qi art to accomplish this feat.

    While its practitioner circulated their energies into their Moon Brush, it allowed them to only consume the specific elemental Qi they wanted to use.

    Even though the ink Li Lang had used mostly absorbed Qi of its element, it required him to channel a sizeable sum of Qi into it. That was because his Qi was a mixed collection of various properties. A lion¡¯s share of the Qi that was not compatible with the ink was wasted during the inscription.

    This technique remedied that, by allowing him to only invoke his specified element of Qi.

    The day was supposed to come to a close there, as the artifact spirits continued their observation. However, they noticed another thing not long after Li Lang completed his trial.

    He was now under more scrutiny, so they noticed every strange behavior he took. While he was reading his new manual, he kept placing a hand against his hat. That could normally be crossed off as his idiosyncratic gesture. Unfortunately for Li Lang, it was another story when he even did it, lying in his bed. It was inevitable that he drew attention when he was wearing his hat, even when in bed.

    It got Blue curious, and she swept into action. Unbeknownst to Li Lang, Blue came right next to him. The artifact spirit was able to peer through everything in her immediate vicinity, as long as it was inside the pocket realm. Once she was less than a meter away, her innate senses swept over Li Lang. Of course, this included the hat.

    The moment her senses came into contact with the red gem that was Ruby, it created a violent reaction. It was as if a bomb exploded right next to Blue¡¯s head. She was instantly blown away, slamming into the walls of the room. If she wasn¡¯t disoriented, she could¡¯ve phased through it. Instead, the sound of her impact loudly rang out, startling the lone inhabitant of the room.

 Chapter 115: Change of Scenery

    Li Lang had just finished the fourth round of the brushweaving trial and returned to his room after copying over the manual he received onto his computer.

    As always, it was related to what he had shown during the trial. This time, he used elemental Qi to draw out the runes that corresponded to the same element. With the irrelevant energies out of the picture, it allowed the runes to be completed with less overall Qi. This made it more compact, allowing Li Lang to fit three runes onto a mortal-grade talisman paper.

    It was understandable that his reward, the Elemental Condensing Brush technique, taught him how to filter out his desired elements of Qi. During his previous inscribing session, he had expended several times more energy than usual.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped as only a tiny part of his Qi was of the elements he needed, like light. The reward he earned would address this exact issue, conserving his energy. He believed it could even help him in other ways. While it required a Moon Brush as a catalyst, it didn¡¯t say the filtered Qi must be used for brushweaving. He could use the filtered Qi for other endeavors.

    Just as he got settled in his room and was about to get started with his new manual, Ruby suddenly shouted in his ear. It was a voice he had never heard it use. It was tinged with urgency and aggression. Completely different from Ruby¡¯s usual antics.

    ¡°Master! Intruder! Someone tried to invade me!¡±

    Before Li Lang could respond, the artifact spirit already kicked him back to reality. As soon as he did, he immediately heard a loud crashing sound. Having been warned trouble was here, he immediately turned to the commotion.

    He blinked rapidly as he tried to process what he found. A young woman in blue robes lying sprawled on his floor. Her blue robes were of a different shade compared to the Eternal Wave Sect that he had come to be familiar with, so he knew she wasn¡¯t one of them.

    The unknown intruder only put Li Lang more on guard as he cautiously took up a defensive position. He had one hand hidden in his robes, ready to deploy a talisman at any moment.

    One moment passed, then another one. Nothing happened, as the woman remained unconscious on the ground.

    Hmm, I should leave, but Ruby said this person tried to invade it somehow. Does this mean it knows about the existence of Ruby now? If that is true, I can¡¯t leave her alone¡­but what do I do?

    Heinous thoughts flashed through Li Lang¡¯s mind before he shook his head. While those solutions may appear simple, the baggage that came along with it could be more than he bargained for.

    With the identity of the woman unknown, he had to take a more cautious approach. He needed to draw more information out of her before deciding on the next step.

    If she does know about Ruby, then I¡¯ll think about how to deal with her then. There must be a way for me to silence her without resorting to murder or poison.

    Nevertheless, precautions had to be taken. Li Lang may not have malicious intentions against the woman, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for the other party. Li Lang quickly fished out several items and moved toward the door.

    He made sure it was half opened, so if anything happened, he had an escape path or at least his voice could reach someone outside. He then coated a small needle in the most powerful poison he currently had and held it at the ready. In his other hand, he continued to grasp onto a talisman.

    He was ready to deploy his Veiling Shroud technique at any moment and combine it with the concealment talisman.

    With those safeguards in place, he began approaching the unconscious woman.

    First, he tapped her with his feet. No response.

    He tried again, but harder this time.

    Still no response.

    He didn¡¯t want to shake her any more violently or expose himself to her in a vulnerable position, so he took a step back. He then picked up a cup of water and splashed it across her face.

    Once again, nothing happened.

    This got Li Lang slightly worried. He took out a Recovery Pill and approached her. Holding it in the same hand as the poisoned needle, he carefully placed it into her mouth before stepping back.

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    Within a second, he got a reaction. She slowly opened her eyes and sat up. They were inside a small room, so she naturally discovered Li Lang the moment she opened her eyes.

    The young man and woman stared at each other in the small room. They blinked blankly, each watching the other carefully.

    It took a few breaths of time before the woman¡¯s expression changed to that of terror.

    ¡°A natural spirit! You¡¯re carrying an Origin artifact!¡±

    The girl began trembling, causing Li Lang to become even more perplexed. However, he did confirm the woman had likely taken note of Ruby. That was why he pressed his hat against him to consult his partner.

    ¡°Ruby, do you know who this woman is or what she is talking about?¡±

    ¡°Master, that¡¯s an artifact spirit, not a woman! And a spirit of a pretty high-level artifact too! You should be careful.¡±

    Ruby¡¯s aggression hadn¡¯t faded yet. She spoke quickly and sounded strung up.

    I guess I¡¯ll just have to ask for the details later when Ruby calms down. If this woman before me is a high-level artifact spirit, then it might be the one who controls this place. The one who¡¯s been watching over everyone.

    ¡°So you¡¯re an artifact spirit?¡± Li Lang gently asked, taking care not to agitate her further.

    She slowly nodded, but spoke no words. Evidently, there was still fear in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m Li Lang. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°...Blue.¡±

    ¡°Blue? Can you calm down for me? I¨Cno, we don¡¯t mean you any harm. We should talk things out first.¡±

    Seeing the artifact spirit nod, Li Lang then peeked out of his room. He wanted to see if anyone had overheard them before he closed the doors. As if knowing exactly what was in his mind, Blue made a suggestion.

    ¡°Rest assured, I made sure no one could have overheard our conversation. If you want to talk in someplace discreet with no chance of anyone intruding, then I know of a place. Just¡­have mercy.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I wasn¡¯t lying. I mean you no harm. Lead the way.¡±

    I really need to ask what the hell Ruby did to her, too. For now, I¡¯ll play along with it.

    The door to Li Lang¡¯s room was once again opened. He gestured for Blue to take the lead, but she didn¡¯t budge. Instead, she closed her eyes, and suddenly, Li Lang found that the scenery around him had changed.

    He glanced around frantically and pinched himself on the cheeks. He then kneeled down to feel his footing. Once he confirmed it felt real, he looked over at the woman allegedly responsible for their transition.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t an illusion, is it? Where are we?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve transported us to the summit. It consumes quite a bit of energy, but it¡¯s the only way I can take you here.¡±

    ¡°You can do that? Teleport people around?¡±

    ¡°Only within the pocket realm.¡±

    Hearing that answer, Li Lang¡¯s eyes sparkled as his face drew closer.

    ¡°Tell me! How does it work?¡±

    ¡°...Didn¡¯t you have other questions? Be patient. I¡¯ll try to answer what I can in time. For now, let us head somewhere more comfortable. We¡¯re almost there.¡±

    Li Lang could only swallow down his curiosity. He had forced himself to stop asking the first things that came into his head, like why didn¡¯t she teleport them directly to their destination? It helped that Blue had already begun walking toward the lone hut right beside them.

    It was the only structure at the summit and was impossible to miss.

    The moment Blue stepped into the hut, Li Lang lost sight of her. The entrance to the hut was pitch black for some reason, and he could see nothing within. He almost wanted to investigate this phenomenon and stay outside when Blue¡¯s voice called out.

    ¡°Come in. It¡¯s safe.¡±

    Being directly called out, Li Lang obeyed. While he didn¡¯t know much about the mysterious artifact spirit, it was clear it was powerful. Ruby had said it was the spirit of a high-level artifact. That meant it was likely to be a Saint-grade artifact at the very least. That was in the realm only those in the Violet Core realm and above could handle.

    In fact, it may be even more powerful if it supports this entire pocket realm. Thankfully, it¡¯s afraid of Ruby right now and shouldn¡¯t act against us.

    When Li Lang stepped past the darkness, the scenery once again changed. The purple skies were suddenly a lot closer, and the yellow clouds were now at his feet.

    ¡°We¡¯re¡­In the sky? Standing on top of a cloud?!¡±

    ¡°Not quite,¡± Blue replied. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, but you can think of this place as the center of the realm. We¡¯ll be able to talk freely here.¡±

    Li Lang was just about to nod when he spotted something in the distance. He spotted two speckles of orange and green a distance away.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    It was only then that Blue noticed too. Her eyes widened before she performed a grabbing motion towards them. The two speckles disappeared¡ªno; it was more accurate to say they were relocated.

    Looking down next to Blue¡¯s feet, Li Lang quickly realized what those speckles were. It was people. Two young men, one wearing an orange robe while the other wore a green robe. They were both lying on the ground, unconscious.

    Before Li Lang could ask any questions, Blue stated her request.

    ¡°Please, channel some Qi into them. It should wake them up.¡±

    ¡°Come again? I thought you brought me here to talk privately. Who are these people?¡±

    The situation was getting more and more out of hand. It made Li Lang frown as he questioned the artifact spirit¡¯s objectives.

 Chapter 116: Coercion

    Seeing Li Lang¡¯s expression sour, Blue quickly stepped forward and explained.

    ¡°These two are Green and Orange. Like me, they¡¯re also artifact spirits of this pocket realm.¡±

    Li Lang alternated glances between them. They appeared to be normal teenagers, no different from all the cultivators he had encountered within the mountain. If it wasn¡¯t for Ruby telling him about Blue¡¯s identity, he would¡¯ve never suspected her to be an artifact spirit at all.

    ¡°Then why are they unconscious? Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re sleeping.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s likely because we are connected. They probably received the same¡­backlash from earlier. They should wake up if you channel some Qi into them, just like you did with me.¡±

    Li Lang remained silent for a moment. He thought about various scenarios to evaluate if the risk was worth it. They may be artifact spirits, but that didn¡¯t mean they meant no harm. However, Ruby had inadvertently already knocked them down once, so it was too late to act as if nothing had happened. If he wanted a cordial relationship with them, he would have to act.

    That was why he decided to go along with Blue for now.

    He crouched down and placed a hand on each of their backs. After channeling some Qi into them, it didn¡¯t even take a few breaths of time before their eyes opened.

    Hmm, so Blue over here woke up earlier due to the Qi in the Recovery Pill and not due to the effects of the pill itself? Maybe I should¡¯ve used a Qi Replenishment Pill instead, then.

    When the two artifact spirits came to their senses, they swiftly huddled around Blue and stared in the unfamiliar party¡¯s direction with wide eyes. Green took a step forward to shield his companions and questioned his ally, who had been conscious, about their situation.

    ¡°Blue, is that the Origin artifact spirit you came into contact with?¡±

    ¡°The master of it.¡±

    ¡°...Why did you bring him here?¡± Orange timidly interjected.

    ¡°He wanted to talk. So calm down.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s¡ª¡±

    Green began to raise his voice but was quickly shut down.

    ¡°There are no buts. We¡¯re not in a position to do anything.¡±

    The three spirits made no attempts to hide their conversation from Li Lang. It gave him many hints on how the discussion would proceed, but also raised several questions.

    Are they scared of Ruby that much? Well, I guess it did knock them out, but I don¡¯t think it can do that on its own initiative.

    While the spirits continued to argue, Li Lang spoke to the all-menacing artifact itself.

    ¡°Ruby, are these spirits rightfully so afraid of you? Can you really do anything against them?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, not really, Master. I¡¯m too weak right now to do anything not in my immediate vicinity, but they can¡¯t do anything to us either. They have complete control of everything in the pocket realm except us. The moment they try to exert any of their power on us without my permission, they should be overwhelmed by my presence again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying they fainted just from your presence?¡±

    ¡°Probably? Would you like me to put that to the test? I¡¯m too weak to even reach them right now, but you can bring me near them.¡±

    ¡°No, no. Let¡¯s not try to antagonize them any further. If what you¡¯re saying is correct, we¡¯re still technically at their mercy. They may not be able to do anything directly to us, but they do have a forest full of Qi beasts. They can still set those against us.¡±

    ¡°Master, they won¡¯t dare! I doubt they have that level of control over this place without an owner to take their reins.¡±

    ¡°No owner? Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°One hundred percent, Master!¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess it would be more surprising if they did have one. This place is supposed to be a relic of the past. Their previous owners should¡¯ve all died out by now. Thanks, Ruby. I¡¯ll go talk to them now, so sit tight.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°Master, wait! Let me join the conversation too. It should give you more leverage over them.¡±

    ¡°Ruby¡­I don¡¯t think we can talk if they¡¯re knocked out.¡±

    ¡°Master, I said that would only happen if I want it to. My aura is something that I can control. It won¡¯t activate just cause I approached them. Otherwise, the artifact you went into last time would¡¯ve been incapacitated and noticed you.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s okay. One second, I¡¯ll get them to place a hand near you.¡±

    Li Lang directed his attention back to the three spirits, who were still conversing with each other.

    ¡°They¡¯re obviously the source of our issues. We need to do something before we collapse!¡±

    ¡°And what exactly should we do? If you want, you can go negotiate with them yourself.¡±

    ¡°Guys, stop arguing. They¡¯re right there.¡±

    Taking advantage of the gap in their discussion, Li Lang cleared his throat.

    ¡°Excuse me. I see you guys have some disagreements, but why don¡¯t you talk things out with me first? Maybe we can help each other once we get to know what we each want.¡±

    The three exchanged glances before Blue stepped forth and nodded.

    ¡°Good,¡± Li Lang smiled and took off his hat. ¡°In that case, can you place your hands here?¡±

    The casual gesture from Li Lang caused a violent reaction from the spirits. They jumped back at the sight of the hat drawing closer.

    ¡°Calm down, you guys. Ruby here wants to join in on the conversation. We mean no harm.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t. He may be trying to eliminate us,¡± Green warned.

    ¡°As if they can¡¯t do that already,¡± Blue snapped. ¡°They¡¯re already inside the realm. It¡¯d be a different story if they were still outside, but it¡¯s too late now.¡±

    Li Lang chose not to correct their misconception, nor did he rush them.

    The three gingerly moved forward at Blue¡¯s urging and carefully stuck their hand out.

    ¡°You three, you may address me as Ruby!¡± the red gem¡¯s artifact spirit proudly declared. ¡°State your names!¡±

    It was a tone of voice Li Lang had never heard from Ruby before. It sounded like a king talking to some peasants, expecting them to be honored to have a chance to speak with someone of a higher status.

    ¡°Esteemed Origin spirit, I am the artifact spirit of a humble Spirit-grade artifact named Blue. I am partly responsible for overseeing this pocket realm, alongside my two companions here.¡±

    ¡°Likewise. My name is Green.¡±

    ¡°Umm, greetings. I am the same as well, except I¡¯m called Orange.¡±

    ¡°Is that a proper name your previous master gave you? Oh, I¡¯m Li Lang by the way, but you should know already if you control the pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Our esteemed master named us many years ago.¡± The three nodded in unison.

    I guess they¡¯re proud of their names? Whatever.

    ¡°So, why did you suddenly approach me today? Did you want something?¡± Li Lang directed his gaze to Blue.

    Her brows furrowed before she cautiously answered.

    ¡°We were alerted to your existence since you passed your brushweaver trial with your modest cultivation. I didn¡¯t expect to find¡­you to be the master of the honorable Ruby here. I apologize if I have offended you.¡±

    Before Li Lang responded, Ruby jumped in.

    ¡°Hmph, you better be. You should know better than to run your senses over me and my master. I hope you don¡¯t do that with anyone else too.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    It was a given that running Qi senses over someone was severely intrusive. Doing so could easily offend the other party. The only exception was when the disparity between both parties was too far. No one would dare to complain about it when an expert in the Spirit Divide realm inspected you. At the same time, few were likely to detect such an action when the gulf in power was so high.

    That was why the three artifact spirits had gotten used to running their senses over everyone they saw. As Spirit-grade artifacts, they were in a realm comparable to Spirit Divide, even if they were masterless. All the youngsters who entered their realm were much weaker than them.

    ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s because we have an emergency!¡± Orange yelled. ¡°Our realm is losing Qi at an abnormal rate, and we had to find the source soon or we¡¯ll go dormant forever!¡±

    ¡°What? So you believe it¡¯s one of the human cultivators who caused this? More specifically, me?¡± Li Lang replied.

    ¡°It has to! It started the moment you people entered.¡±

    ¡°And now, we can say with certainty it¡¯s because of your esteemed Origin artifact,¡± Green added.

    Li Lang almost asked Ruby if it was true, but stopped as he knew the three artifact spirits would be able to hear their conversation. Still, hearing no denial from Ruby practically confirmed their words.

    He had always wondered how it was possible for him to have powered an artifact like Ruby when he wasn¡¯t even a cultivator when he had first come across it.

    I¡¯ll have to ask Ruby about it after this.

    ¡°Now that you know of our situation, I hope you won¡¯t blame me for asking you guys to leave,¡± Green continued with gritted teeth. ¡°Unfortunately, we cannot support the presence of a powerful Origin artifact for such a long duration. With your permission, we can transport you out immediately.¡±

    ¡°That¡­I want to continue my stay. There is much for me to learn here. Can you provide me with access to your knowledge repository in exchange if I leave?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­impossible. We can¡¯t access it without a master controlling us. Only when one passes the corresponding trial, can they peruse a small part of the contents within.¡±

    Hearing their denial, Ruby interjected with a tint of anger in her voice.

    ¡°I still expect compensation for your transgressions. It just so happens my master is in need of resources and techniques to help him rise up, and you guys can provide that.¡± Based on Ruby¡¯s tone alone, Li Lang knew what came next would be unreasonable, to say the least. ¡°You guys will do. Submit to my master now!¡±

    As expected, the three spirits balked at the sudden demand.

 Chapter 117: Stepping Back

    All three artifact spirits were taken aback by Ruby¡¯s demand. They stood still in shock for several moments before Green recovered. He spoke with indignation.

    ¡°We swore not to take another master! You can¡¯t be seriously asking us to submit to this Energy Gathering realm br¡ª¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± Blue chastised her companion in green robes. ¡°I apologize for his tone, but he isn¡¯t entirely incorrect. Your master¡¯s cultivation is too low to be able to control us.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! Are you saying my master is unworthy of you? As far as I know, once you take him as your master, you¡¯ll be able to absorb the energies from the outside world. It¡¯ll solve your so-called crisis. It¡¯s a win-win deal.¡±

    ¡°Umm, but he won¡¯t be able to make use of us,¡± Orange nervously stated, getting quieter the more he spoke.

    ¡°That is but a temporary matter. My master will surely soar to great heights in due time. It is your fortune to be able to serve him.¡±

    Ruby¡¯s proud boasting had left the three lesser spirits to be speechless. They didn¡¯t know how to refute the request. Even Li Lang didn¡¯t dare intervene. He knew too little regarding how artifact spirits operated. He didn¡¯t know if what Ruby said was true. If it really solved the three spirit¡¯s predicament and also gained him a powerful artifact, it was in his best interest to let things continue their course.

    ¡°That¡­request is a little sudden for us,¡± Blue finally broke her silence. ¡°While the three of us did decide not to take another master, we also vowed to our previous master that we would continue to pass on his sect¡¯s legacy. Please give us some time to think it through.¡±

    ¡°How dare¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ruby!¡± Li Lang interjected. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Give them some time.¡±

    ¡°If you say so, Master.¡±

    Li Lang exchanged nods with Blue.

    ¡°From what you guys told me, I¡¯m not the one in a hurry here. You know where to find me.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll bring you back for now.¡±

    At her words, Blue flicked her sleeve, obscuring Li Lang¡¯s vision. In the blink of an eye, Li Lang found himself back in his room. Ruby was still in his hand, along with the hat it was in.

    ¡°Master, you didn¡¯t need to be that nice to them, you know? They were in the wrong. We could¡¯ve gotten them to submit to you right there and then.¡±

    ¡°Ruby, I understand you¡¯re doing it for my good, but there¡¯s no point in forcing others to submit. From my¡­ limited experience, it¡¯s never a good idea to force people to work for you. Give them some time first. If they don¡¯t come around, you can be more forceful.¡±

    Having awoken from the possibility of owning this pocket realm, Li Lang could barely contain himself. It wasn¡¯t because of the prospect of owning a powerful artifact. It was more due to all the knowledge that came along with it!

    It was obvious The Great Trial of Water Crest had a large repository of cultivation-related texts. Li Lang could only drool at all the possibilities that could unlock for him. That was why he was open to the idea of getting the spirits to submit to him even under duress. However, he knew forcing others was a suboptimal method, so he would allow them some time first as it wasn¡¯t an urgent matter for him.

    Having thought of all the new things he could learn, he quickly directed his attention to the new manual he received. Passing the fourth round of the brushweaving trial had rewarded him with the Elemental Condensing Brush technique.

    He had only skimmed it for its capabilities, so he was eager to dive into it. As he perused through the texts, his mind continuously contemplated how its contents could assist him in the fifth round.

    While he hadn¡¯t attempted it, Li Lang memorized what the fifth round required. It asked him to enchant a peak Mortal-grade artifact with three runes. It made him wonder if it really was a task that was much harder than the last.

    This pocket realm should be quite dated, from a completely different age. Several ¡®lost¡¯ techniques given as rewards confirm this.

    Li Lang suspected the standards had changed over the years. Three rune inscriptions may have been common for Energy Gatherers living in the previous age. They may have still used various plants and Qi beast-based inks that allowed them to do what Li Lang had done. Otherwise, it would have been quite strict of them to put a task meant for Foundation Establishment cultivators as early as the fourth trial.

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    Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t change the task Li Lang needed to accomplish to pass the next round. It would take some time for Li Lang to learn more about enchantment, but he was eager to do so. Yi Lin hadn¡¯t gone over the details on how to enchant yet, so it likely wasn¡¯t a short process. It was also due to enchanting not being something expected of an apprentice.

    Every artifact was valuable. The lowest among them were at the peak of Mortal-grade. It would be foolish to entrust these valuable assets to the hands of an apprentice.

    While Li Lang waited for the three artifact spirits to deliberate, he resumed his usual routine. He cultivated and honed all his techniques every day, then went to socialize with his group. He never said anything about the spirits, as it wasn¡¯t a done deal yet. Plus, he couldn¡¯t explain how he managed the feat of possibly subduing the pocket realm without revealing Ruby.

    Instead, he focused on asking Long Yi about his experience of breaking through to the seventh stage of the Energy Gathering realm. There was a huge divide from the sixth to the seventh stage. From the seventh stage onward, you would truly become one of the top experts among mortals. Along with it came the power to manipulate your Qi from range.

    With Long Yi having grade three aptitude, his experiences may not be compatible with Li Lang, but he still had to ask. Even if the path he had to take was different, the end goal was the same.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying once your body cultivation slowed, you began feeling your Qi staying connected with you from a small distance? Perhaps it¡¯s because you had a lot of practice with your Terra Moon Slash technique. I should practice my ranged techniques more. ¡± Li Lang placed a hand on his chin and pondered.

    ¡°Yeah, it just happened. Then I simply needed to hold on to that feeling and tried to consciously extend that range.¡±

    Li Lang asked Long Yi again and again, day after day. It was because Long Yi was the only person who cultivated in the orthodox way like he did. Combined with his higher aptitude, he was able to provide Li Lang with a lot of food for thought.

    Interviewing one person isn¡¯t enough. Just his experience may be able to help me get through this small bottleneck, but when it comes time to challenge Foundation Establishment, I don¡¯t feel confident at all.

    I have to get more information from various sources to help me unravel the future stages of cultivation. But the only people who practice orthodox cultivation methods are us three and those from the Peerless Gate. Maybe I should venture back into the righteous sect¡¯s territories at some point¡­

    Other than exploring how to continue progressing with his cultivation, Li Lang spent his spare time investigating all the previous phenomena he wanted to test. There were things he could get help from the demonic cultivators around him.

    The major one was the nature of spiritual roots. It had a direct correlation to one¡¯s aptitude. While Li Lang had conquered some of the weaknesses of his low talent with the Cleansing Drug, that only mattered for the Energy Gathering realm. In a way, he solved a symptom, not the root cause.

    He still remembered the conversations he had with Elder Cao Mei about the various realms of cultivation. She had patiently explained to him various tidbits of knowledge in order to placate Li Lang into becoming a full-time alchemist for her sect.

    These conversations included how aptitude affected a cultivator when they were in the Foundation Establishment realm. While she hadn¡¯t been that detailed in her explanations, it was enough for Li Lang to know that those of a higher aptitude could cultivate and recover their Qi faster.

    In the Foundation Establishment realm, one would no longer suffer from Qi overdose. They were no longer mortal and could cultivate all day. The main issue they would face then was to find enough energy for them to absorb, and their comprehension of the world. The ambient Qi in the air would take far too long to satisfy their needs. This was the stage when they often consumed Qi stones to progress quickly.

    Li Lang suspected all these things were also related to the number of one¡¯s spiritual roots. That was why he wanted to find a way to maybe attain more of them. Perhaps it could be transplanted or grown. He didn¡¯t know, but he did want to find out.

    The first step to that was to start asking around. There were numerous cultivators around, and if his companions weren¡¯t enough, he could start asking the others within the pocket realm.

    The only worry was his trial points. That was exactly why he reached out to the three artifact spirits once he had everything else in order.

    ¡°Blue, can you hear me?¡± Li Lang muttered to himself in his room.

    As he suspected, he immediately got a response. Blue lights flooded in from somewhere before forming into a girl.

    ¡°Yes, what is it?¡±

    ¡°You guys are still thinking about our proposal, right?¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s correct. Please allow us some more time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not here to rush you.¡±

    ¡°Then how can I help you?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to ask if you could stop my trial points from decreasing if I stop my current training.¡±

    ¡°Why would you¡ª¡± Blue gulped dramatically while directing a cautious glance at Li Lang¡¯s hat. ¡°Nevermind. Your request is reasonable, considering we¡¯re the ones making you wait. I accept.¡±

    He grinned upon having earned the time to perform his research on other topics and was eager to jump straight into it. He planned to start his interviews with his companions first, before approaching the other cultivators within the realm as he needed.

    He was determined to make use of this opportunity where cultivators gathered and had access to speak with them. Thinking up to that point, Li Lang realized he needed something to incentivize his helpers. While his acquaintances may agree to assist him, he couldn¡¯t say the same for the others.

    ¡°Blue, can you do one more thing for me as well?¡±

 Chapter 118: Exploratory Phase

    Not having to be worried about his trial points anymore, Li Lang dove straight into his research. He wanted to identify what spiritual roots were and if they could be increased.

    Previously, he had examined several human corpses and learned that the humans in this world were the same as his old world. That meant there wasn¡¯t anything like meridians or spiritual roots to be found. He concluded they must not be something physical. He theorized it was something unseen and only interacted with Qi. As he didn¡¯t have a way to analyze something so ethereal then, he had set the topic aside.

    That may have changed recently. From the trials, he received the Vein Flow Calculation Method. It analyzed the Qi properties of materials, so the question was if it would work as well on humans.

    That was why his first step was to analyze himself using this new technique. While Qi senses only provided him with information on the physical aspects of what it enveloped, he was hoping the new technique would be different.

    At first, it felt strange to use this technique on himself. It made Li Lang think he was treating his own body as alchemy material.

    As the new technique began to run its course through him, the first piece of information he received was on the properties of his Qi. Just like the ambient Qi in the air, he felt his own energies were a cocktail of various elements. It was chaotic and tranquil at the same time, with the energies existing in peace with each other.

    Then, the next information he got was similar to his Qi senses. It gave him awareness of the shape of his body. Li Lang believed it simply showed where all his Qi was, which was spread evenly around.

    The technique finished without providing any additional information, so Li Lang decided to repeat it. This time, he would do so while moving. The third time, while running.

    He progressively continued analyzing himself with the Vein Flow Calculation Method while he was doing different tasks. He went through all the basic moves before trying out his various Qi and martial arts. The last test he did before he was satisfied was to scan himself while cultivating.

    Once he was done, he sat back and wrote down his findings.

    It¡¯s too early to draw any conclusions from a sample size of one. It¡¯s time to find some helpers.

    Just like the time with the Cleansing Drug, Li Lang sought out his close companions first. Wei Ping and Long Yi were already familiar with his schtick and did as he instructed. Then, Sima Xue, Huang Si, and Tang Yulian were next to fall victim to his curiosity.

    Li Lang repeated the same tests he had done on himself and carefully recorded everything down.

    His thirst for knowledge didn¡¯t stop there. After he had gotten his close circle to play along, he began venturing out to the other cultivators.

    He started off easy by reaching out to the disciples from Sima Xue¡¯s Nightmoon Valley.

    ¡°Junior Di, Zhou, and Jian, can you gather your groups?¡± Sima Xue requested. ¡°My friend here would like everyone¡¯s help with something.¡±

    ¡°Senior Sima¡­Is it urgent? I believe all our fellow disciples are quite busy right now.¡±

    ¡°It¡­isn¡¯t, but I¡¯d appreciate their time. It won¡¯t take too long.¡±

    ¡°I see. Very well then. I¡¯ll go let them know.¡±

    As the three disciples dispersed, Li Lang turned to his friend and nodded appreciatively.

    ¡°Thank you. I owe you one.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you do,¡± she smiled. ¡°You owe me ten servings of tofu puddings once we get back outside.¡±

    ¡°Sure, that¡¯s easy enough. Any idea what I would owe Tang Yulian if I asked for her help with her sect?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, Yulian doesn¡¯t really care about food that much. It won¡¯t be so easy to bribe her. Maybe flowers would work?¡±

    ¡°Well, that sounds like a challenge. I¡¯m not versed in flower language or even know all the flowers that can be found around Emberglow City. How am I going to choose what type to get her from among all the options that exist within the Luminescent Domain?¡±

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    ¡°Carefully. Make sure you don¡¯t gift her something with offensive meaning by accident.¡± Sima Xue giggled. ¡°Maybe if you give me a few more bribes, I can help you pick out the flowers when the time comes.¡±

    While Li Lang was still somewhat cautious toward the girl who had once gotten him into a lot of trouble, all the time they spent together slowly wore down the barriers. He had enough life experiences to know it was counterproductive to hold one-sided grudges. It would benefit all parties if they just got along. After all, Sima Xue never had any malicious intentions toward him.

    ¡°Yeah, if Tang Yulian doesn¡¯t tell me what to get her, I¡¯ll need your help.¡±

    Their conversation was cut short when they spotted a dozen people coming toward them. The three juniors from before were among them.

    ¡°Senior Sima, all those who are free have come.¡±

    ¡°Good. Thank you for coming everyone. I know you¡¯re all busy with your training, but my friend here would like your help on a small matter.¡±

    Li Lang took that as the cue to step forward.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. My name is Li Lang and I apologize for interrupting all of you, but I just needed your help with testing out my new technique. I simply need you to perform various actions while I use it on you. You won¡¯t be in any danger. You can see what I need you to do from this checklist here.¡±

    Li Lang held out his notes to show the audience. Just like with his companions, he didn¡¯t get them to practice their martial and Qi arts, as each person knew different techniques. To obtain results that were consistent, he directed them to perform simple actions that everyone could do, like jumping or directing Qi into their eyes.

    ¡°Really?¡± One of the Nightmoon Valley disciples said with exasperation. ¡°You interrupted me just for this? Senior Sima, while I respect you for your talents and your status, it doesn¡¯t mean you can order us around for trivial matters like this. With our talents, we can¡¯t afford to squander any time during this precious opportunity.¡±

    While only one boy spoke out, most of the others silently nodded in agreement with him.

    Before Sima Xue could address them, Li Lang gestured for her to leave it to him.

    ¡°Now, now. I understand your frustrations, but you should direct it to me, the outsider who¡¯s making this unreasonable request. I know I¡¯m being a bother, so I prepared a reward that may satisfy you if you help me.¡±

    ¡°Reward? What could someone like you give to all of us? Not to be rude, but I heard you¡¯re a masterless disciple from The Orchid Covenant. Don¡¯t tell me you plan to give us each a Recovery Pill or something and think it¡¯ll be worth our time?¡±

    ¡°No, no. What I had in mind was something more relevant to the challenges you currently face.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. We¡¯re all ears.¡±

    ¡°I happen to have a knack for finding the crux in how to practice various techniques. If any of you are unsure about anything, you can ask me. I¡¯m sure you guys have many doubts about the new skills you¡¯re practicing, especially when you only had one day to go through the texts.¡±

    ¡°What? You want us to disclose to you our techniques and get guidance from you? Who do you think you are? You¡¯re only in the sixth stage of Energy Gathering!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, everyone,¡± Sima Xue interjected. ¡°I can attest to Li Lang¡¯s claims and his trustworthiness. I planned to get him to provide his assistance to all of you soon anyway, so this works out. Trust me and accept his offer.¡±

    There was some murmuring between the disciples before they fell silent and nodded.

    While they complained and still had their doubts, they couldn¡¯t refute Sima Xue¡¯s words so easily. After all, she was the leader of their group and someone of status within their organization.

    I wouldn¡¯t mind leading a bunch of people if they were this obedient. Maybe I should start a sect or something. That way, I¡¯ll have an entire organization to serve as my guinea¡ªno, ¡®helpers¡¯.

    The tests soon proceeded smoothly after that. The tasks Li Lang asked of them weren¡¯t difficult. It only took some time, as they had to go one by one.

    For their reward, they would have to reveal the technique they were having difficulty with, and Li Lang promised to get back to them on another day. The so-called reward was something Li Lang was happy to offer. It didn¡¯t cost him anything, and he could expand his repository of cultivation techniques.

    That was because he would be taking advantage of the three artifact spirits¡¯ authorities to review the cultivation techniques the Nightmoon Valley disciples were awarded. He would get to examine various techniques while he helped the disciples solve their issues. It was truly killing two birds with one stone.

    Blue had reluctantly agreed to this after confirming it was only possible for techniques they had recently given out. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to help even if they wanted to. They controlled much of the operations pertaining to the pocket realm, but not all of them. Many vital functions required them to have a master to control.

    It took the rest of the day for Li Lang to get through all the disciples, but he didn¡¯t stop there. On the next day, he moved on to Tang Yulian¡¯s Eternal Wave Sect. They were even more plentiful in numbers compared to Nightmoon Valley, so he had to spend his entire day with them.

    With all the tests completed and recorded, he finally got to sit back and review the results.

    He already had an idea from overseeing the tests, but it was important to confirm it by compiling a report. After transforming the raw data into readable information, Li Lang let out a sigh of relief at having completed the paperwork.

    Too bad I don¡¯t have anyone to submit it to for peer review, but it should be as I suspected, after all.

 Chapter 119: Stacking Insights

    Reviewing the report, Li Lang observed many things.

    Besides the tests he performed, he had asked each participant for some basic information. It consisted of their aptitude and number of spiritual roots. It wasn¡¯t anything classified and with the endorsement from the likes of Sima Xue and Tang Yulian, the young cultivators were all too happy to share.

    After all, to demonic cultivators, their aptitude was the least of their worries. Their cultivation relied on willpower and resources.

    From those results, Li Lang expected many of them to have grade-one aptitude like him, but he was wrong. Perhaps owing to the culture of the Luminescent Domain, most people aspired to join a demonic organization rather than the Peerless Gate. A vast majority of these people had grade-two aptitude. That meant they had between eighteen and thirty-five spiritual roots.

    While employing the Vein Flow Calculation Method, Li Lang noticed some new things.

    First, he confirmed spiritual roots were the openings that allowed one to absorb Qi. While he had scanned his subjects while they were cultivating; he identified the number of entry points to be consistent with the number of spiritual roots. It worked well with his theory of these roots being filters for Qi.

    Just from this discovery, Li Lang had several new speculations. It had led him to believe it was the reason why Foundation Establishment cultivators with higher aptitude often had higher Qi recovery rates.

    He surmised cultivators often didn¡¯t realize this because they had too many spiritual roots. When the roots absorbed Qi in unison, it made the sensation especially difficult to detect. At the same time, there was little incentive to look into this kind of information. Just knowing about it did nothing. At the moment, this was true for Li Lang, too. That was why he was more interested in his other discovery.

    While analyzing his test subjects during cultivation had confirmed the function of spiritual roots, he discovered the existence of something else when he analyzed them in the midst of employing various Qi arts.

    As Energy Gathering cultivators, their entire bodies were constantly brimming with Qi. It was even spread around every part of their body as they had jammed themselves full of this exotic energy. However, Li Lang observed that when they employed techniques, they also invoked the flow of Qi.

    He was able to observe how this flow of Qi moved during the execution of these Qi arts. At first, he thought nothing about it, as he often felt the same thing going on within his own body. However, when observing dozens of other people, he could see the flow of each person was unique despite evoking the same action.

    The Qi energy didn¡¯t flow in a straight line from point A to point B. Instead, they detoured around the body, and it differed from person to person. If it moved straight to the destination, it would mean Qi would travel through every inch of the body in the same manner.

    In this case, the energy congregated on these ¡®highways¡¯ within the body before rushing across the body in these roundabout detours. Li Lang believed these detours were the infamous meridians that were the pathways of least resistance for Qi to travel through.

    Each person¡¯s meridians were different. The only way Li Lang had to map them out was to thoroughly test the flow by having the subject exert their Qi in various ways. While it was easy enough to do for himself, the time it would consume to map out others would pose a challenge.

    Thankfully, that wasn¡¯t his current goal. He was trying to search for ways to increase the number of one¡¯s spiritual roots. He would leave searching for ways to make meridians more efficient for now, as he was still lacking tools in his arsenal to handle them.

    To get an idea of which direction to pursue, he enlisted the help of others. Knowing that Ruby didn¡¯t have any knowledge on the subject, he skipped over it and went straight to a more reliable artifact spirit.

    ¡°Blue, do you have any idea on how to increase one¡¯s spiritual roots? Maybe some texts you have in that repository of yours?¡±

    ¡°Apologies, we do not have access to the knowledge vault. Only when someone passes the trials will we be able to fetch something suitable for them on a temporary basis.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t remember anything in there or what you¡¯ve seen before?¡±

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    ¡°No, we¡¯re only caretakers. We were made unable to obtain such knowledge. Our previous master said it was a safety measure against possible leaks. We only know what we needed.¡±

    ¡°How about Green or Orange? Maybe they know something?¡±

    Blue wistfully shook her head.

    ¡°We are connected. What they know wouldn¡¯t be able to escape my notice for long.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, thank you for your time.¡±

    Having received no useful info through this lead, Li Lang resolved to pursue another one. When he arrived at the mess hall at the usual appointed time, he signaled for Huang Si¡¯s attention. Li Lang sat between Wei Ping and Sima Xue, while Huang Si was off to one end of the table, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to hear him if he didn¡¯t have him tuned in on his words.

    ¡°Do any of you guys know anything about what spiritual roots are?¡±

    ¡°Spiritual roots?¡± Huang Si parroted. ¡°That¡¯s just a more detailed measure of aptitude, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Li Lang shook his head and looked at the next likely candidate to know something. The woman in blue robes shook her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything either. My Eternal Wave Sect doesn¡¯t focus on these scholarly questions. Perhaps Nightmoon Valley may know more. As guardian of the domain, they also dabble in everything as they take on the role of record keepers as well.¡±

    All attention was drawn to Sima Xue. She gave Li Lang an incredulous look.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think to ask me first? Do I appear that unreliable to you?¡±

    ¡°You unreliable? Of course not. But scholarly, on the other hand¡­¡±

    ¡°Li Lang!¡± she spoke with thorns in her voice. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I happen to have discussed this topic with my master before, you know?¡±

    Li Lang urged her to continue with his gaze, but she revealed a mischievous smirk instead.

    ¡°What should I do? I¡¯m not that scholarly, so maybe it¡¯s not my place to speak.¡±

    ¡°Five tofu puddings.¡±

    ¡°And your secret to inscribing a three-rune talisman.¡±

    Li Lang barely hesitated before nodding. The three-rune talisman wasn¡¯t anything worth keeping a secret. It wasn¡¯t an advancement in brushweaving technique, but something from a different era. Out in the real world, there wouldn¡¯t be the same restriction on materials. The main benefit of Li Lang¡¯s methods would be the cheaper production cost of low-end Earth-grade talismans.

    With them being in the craftsmanship era where mass production was absent, it didn¡¯t hurt that much for others to rediscover the methods for three-rune talismans.

    Li Lang assented, nodding his head.

    ¡°Good, good, good,¡± Sima Xue clapped. ¡°To answer your question, no, there¡¯s no way to increase one¡¯s spiritual roots. I had asked this question to my master a few years ago. He said that spiritual roots were closely tied to one¡¯s meridians, an innate part of the body. It would be impossible for even Heaven Link realm experts to overhaul someone¡¯s network of meridians. It¡¯s too sophisticated, a work surpassing human means, he said.¡°

    While I won¡¯t blindly believe in the words of others, what they say about the difficulty of the task is probably true. These people have lived alongside Qi for generations. It would be arrogant of me to think I could find a way to increase something as important as aptitude when it involves such intangible matters that I was new to.

    This was way out of my field of expertise, and would consume too much of my research time to pursue¡­

    The results weren¡¯t what Li Lang had hoped, but he had to live with it. Research wasn¡¯t always fruitful, it was a lesson many researchers had to learn. At least he had confirmed the existence and role of spiritual roots. It may prove to be useful in his future endeavors.

    When these seemingly small discoveries were stacked up over time, it would surely lead to something much larger in time.

    For now, Li Lang planned to focus on the next matter. There were many things waiting for him to discover.

    He had wanted to produce a talisman printer of some sort, but he was stalled due to the lack of Qi battery. That wouldn¡¯t change while he was in the pocket realm, so he moved on to something more relevant to the trials.

    With the Gliding Coil Spear Art he had earned, he now had a way to inject his poison into his enemies. However, his poison had proven to be only marginally useful. It slowed its victims, but they recovered in a few minutes at most. It didn¡¯t bestow the overwhelming advantage in combat, as he had hoped.

    That was why he had set his sights on poisons next. He had heard rumors of experts who relied on poisons as their main weapon. That should mean there were ways to brew more effective poisons.

    It just so happens he was in a pocket realm with a rich repository of knowledge. He aimed to tap into that library to expedite his research.

    Once again, he reached out to his new acquaintance.

    ¡°Blue, you said you guys can¡¯t pull out techniques from your cultivation vault or whatever, unless one passed their trial, right?¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you have control of what the reward is when they pass?¡±

    ¡°...Only to some degree. It¡¯ll still have to be something the challenger has displayed during the trial.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll have to trouble you then.¡±

    Even Blue, who was more pragmatic, could only sigh at the repeated requests from their master candidate. She had been a supporter of Li Lang amongst the three artifact spirits. It was because she knew it to be necessary, but she was starting to have her doubts.

 Chapter 120: Net Preparation

    Once Li Lang had exhausted his means of investigating spiritual roots, he set his sights on where he could produce results in the short term.

    With the artifact spirits of the pocket realm on his side, he was bound to obtain what he desired. Still, there were rules in place, and he still had to pass the trial in order to be rewarded by the realm.

    Li Lang¡¯s next round in the martial trial wasn¡¯t something easy for him. He had previously stopped due to the risks as he was asked to hunt Steel Sparrows. They were Qi beasts with strength comparable to a peak sixth-stage Energy Gatherer.

    Not only did the sparrows travel in numbers, they also were aerial creatures that flew fast. They weren¡¯t something Li Lang could easily defeat. He simply didn¡¯t have the means to pin them down within his repertoire.

    Combat was never Li Lang¡¯s strong suit, so he went to consult people who were. From their previous conversations, he knew others wouldn¡¯t be able to directly help him during the trial. The trials monitored everyone constantly, so they would know if the challenger had gotten outside help. There had been rumors that those who tried all immediately failed their test, with their accomplices losing trial points as well.

    However, that didn¡¯t mean Li Lang couldn¡¯t consult with others prior to the test. In fact, his companions even brainstormed a plan together with him.

    ¡°Have any of you faced those Steel Sparrows before?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Long Yi shook his head, ¡°and I wouldn¡¯t want to. I¡¯ve seen a few others try to when I was outside, and let¡¯s just say they didn¡¯t have the greatest time. Even if they were stronger, they could hardly stop those birds from fleeing. Only those in the advanced stage of Energy Gathering with their fancy Skyswords could hope to catch up to them.¡±

    Li Lang frowned. He knew very well the advantages brought by air superiority and speed. It allowed them to choose their battles, retreating when their foes were too strong or hunting down the weaker opponents.

    Only those in the Foundation Establishment could fly without relying on tools. Even if he had a Skysword, it would require him to break past his bottleneck, stepping into the upper stages of Energy Gathering for him to control it.

    Perhaps this is one of those trials that is encouraging me to break through to complete it. No wonder everyone else feels so pressured to advance their cultivation. After all, most of them are only doing combat trials¡­

    ¡°So, no ideas on how to face them?¡±

    Long Yi shook his head, causing Li Lang to turn his attention toward the others at the table, but none met his gaze. They all believed it wasn¡¯t an issue some advice could solve.

    ¡°Umm, I have a few Qi arts that you could try.¡± Huang Si broke the silence. ¡°You don¡¯t have any strong ranged attacking capabilities, right?¡±

    Hearing his words, the others joined in.

    ¡°If it¡¯s techniques, I have quite a few!¡± Sima Xue joyfully added.

    ¡°Xue, you can¡¯t be sharing your sect¡¯s techniques with outsiders. Huang Si is talking about techniques he acquired through his own means.¡±

    The boy in question nodded to affirm Tang Yulian¡¯s words.

    With that new criteria, the three began going through the various techniques they could share. Hailing from powerful organizations, the two girls each had a space ring, so texts kept materializing at their table as they perused through them.

    ¡°You guys¡­¡± Li Lang interrupted them. ¡°I don¡¯t think learning a ranged attack would do it. I mean many other cultivators who had to deal with these sparrows still failed right? It¡¯s hard to believe none of them had powerful ranged attacks.¡±

    Long Yi nodded in response. It put a damper on three genius¡¯ Qi art searches.

    While everyone began to contemplate other ideas, one particular person at the table had a hesitant look on his face. When Li Lang scanned across the table, he didn¡¯t fail to notice it.

    ¡°Wei Ping, did you have an idea? It doesn¡¯t have to be perfect. Just say it for everyone to hear and maybe we can improve on it together..¡±

    ¡°Boss, I h-have hunted for birds before, b-back when I didn¡¯t have enough to e-eat. I¡¯m n-not sure if it¡¯s the same, but I used to u-use traps. However, I don¡¯t t-think we have anything that would w-work against Qi beasts.¡±

    ¡°Traps, you say. So like mundane hunting, but against targets empowered with Qi.¡±

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    Too bad I don¡¯t have any steel wires or something to capture them. I doubt regular rope would work against Qi beasts.

    ¡°There are traps designed against Qi beasts, you know?¡± Sima Xue said. ¡°Neither our Nightmoon Valley nor Yulian¡¯s Eternal Wave Sect are versed in it, but the Myriad Bones Pavilion are famed for them. They¡¯re the premier supplier of Qi beasts for a reason.¡±

    ¡°Myriad Bones Pavilion¡­? The one that Liang Po was from,¡± Li Lang cautiously asked. ¡°I heard they were few in numbers, yet they are the major supplier of Qi beasts?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re an economic powerhouse that has a good relationship with most organizations within the Luminescent Domain. Liang Po is a young disciple, so he may not have the greatest reputation yet, but his organization is trusted.¡±

    Li Lang took a moment to internalize the new information. He had known the power behind Liang Po wasn¡¯t simple the moment he had met him. Many had gossiped about how he had whimsically chosen to participate in The Orchid Covenant¡¯s annual competition when he hailed from a powerful organization himself. Now that he learned how the Myriad Bones Pavilion was a small but well-connected group, it made a lot more sense.

    ¡°That means I should try talking to him then¡­¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t really help you there. I haven¡¯t really spoken with him before,¡± Sima Xue said apologetically.

    The others at the table were no different. At the end of the day, Li Lang knew it was a request he had to make himself anyway, so he mentally prepared himself.

    ¡°B-boss, do you want us to g-go with you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no telling what that guy would do,¡± Long Yi added.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go talk to him myself. Bringing you guys along will just make it seem like we¡¯re pressuring him to accept. I¡¯d rather not complicate things.¡±

    Seeing how Li Lang had decided on his next course of action, Sima Xue suddenly clapped her hands.

    ¡°Ah, I can ask around my juniors to find him for you. It¡¯s the least I could do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask around the others from the Bloodwave Conclave as well. I couldn¡¯t gather them last time for your tests, but they should at least be able to share his whereabouts.¡±

    With that, Li Lang soon learned of Liang Po¡¯s location. It appeared he had just recently been spotted returning to the mountain, so the timing was perfect.

    Surprisingly, his location wasn¡¯t in one of the many personal rooms. Li Lang had presumed he would be lying in bed all day due to his previous experiences with him. The man always seemed to be tired and unmotivated most of the time.

    Instead, he was in a very public place. Liang Po was located within the grand hall, where everyone initially arrived upon entering The Great Trial of Water Crest. It was the central hub between all the trials. An open space with tall ceilings, decorated with red lacquer paint.

    There were many pillars supporting the large room. Above, there were also numerous ridge beams above, connecting the pillars in supporting the ceiling.

    It was up on one of these ridge beams that Li Lang found Liang Po. He had simply been lying there on his side, supporting his head with one hand. He was observing the people below without a care in the world.

    With the ridge beam being over five meters in the air, Li Lang was forced to climb up a pillar to reach him.

    I regret not learning a movement technique that allows me to leap up into the air.

    It took a while, and it looked uncouth, but Li Lang managed to make it up there. The young cultivator from the Myriad Bones Guild had long noticed Li Lang before he had started climbing. When Li Lang arrived, he simply looked at him, amused.

    ¡°You again. Did you need me for something? I¡¯ve said all I can about the martial intent already.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to bother you, and it¡¯s not about your martial intent. I wanted to ask you if you had hunting nets that would work against Qi beasts around my level.¡±

    ¡°Oh, here to borrow items? I never had much need for tools ever since I learned martial intent, but I do have something that may work. You¡¯re after birds of some sort, right? They usually aren¡¯t that large.¡±

    At his words, a neatly folded net appeared in his hands. He dangled them and hummed to himself.

    ¡°Perfect. Do you think I could borrow it? I¡¯ll return it within a few days.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s in it for me? To be honest, I¡¯d rather watch you struggle. It¡¯d be more interesting. After all, the height of ingenuity comes from adversity.¡±

    ¡°...I can maybe help you with the technique you¡¯re currently learning. My cultivation may not compare to yours, but I have a knack for figuring out cultivation techniques. I¡¯ve been helping a few dozen others, so you ask them if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t pass up an opportunity to peek into what technique the famed genius received. He had been devastated when the artifact spirits declined to share the techniques of everyone within the realm. Previously, they only acquiesced to share the texts of those who consented to his research offer. If he wanted to learn what Liang Po received from the trials, he would also need his approval.

    ¡°Haha, there¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m used to relying on myself.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­is there anything you want?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t make it hard for you. I¡¯ll let you borrow this net if you promise to do something for me.¡±

    ¡°May I hear what that entails first?¡±

    ¡°Nothing unreasonable, just delivering a letter for me.¡±

    ¡°Then why would you need my help?¡± Li Lang shot back skeptically. ¡°There¡¯re many people you could ask or hire.¡±

    ¡°If only. Few are willing to venture out of the Luminescent Domain for such small errands but you¡¯re different. You¡¯re from Yellow Qilin province, right? It¡¯d be simple for you to visit the adjacent province of Vermillion Dragon.¡±

    Li Lang sucked in his breath at the request. He didn¡¯t know if he should even ask about the contents of the letter. It could be correspondence with a spy or something. The last thing he needed was to be captured and accused of being a demonic cultivator again.

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    Li Lang couldn¡¯t decide if he should accept or not.

 Chapter 121: Steel Sparrows

    ¡°Calm down. You look like you¡¯re being blackmailed to do something bad, so there may be some misunderstandings here. The letter isn¡¯t something that¡¯ll get you in trouble. As long as you can pass for an orthodox cultivator, you should be fine to just deliver it.¡±

    Li Lang maintained eye contact with Liang Po and examined him for some time. He saw no deception in his eyes, but it was still hard to take his words for it.

    ¡°I can attempt to deliver it but no guarantees. If I feel like it¡¯ll be dangerous, I¡¯ll just turn back or throw it away. So if it¡¯s something time-sensitive, forget it.¡±

    ¡°Truthful, I like that. That¡¯s no problem. I don¡¯t plan to send the letter right away, anyway. I¡¯ll contact you when it¡¯s ready and you can send it when you can.¡±

    Liang Po¡¯s words put a lot of trust in Li Lang. He didn¡¯t even specify the timeframe it had to be delivered. However, since he was allowed to abandon the errand, he chose to entertain him.

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    The two young men shook hands and Liang Po threw over the net. Li Lang took his time examining the net. It was made of a grey material that felt like plastic. It was smooth and light. His antics didn¡¯t escape Liang Po¡¯s notice.

    ¡°No need to keep staring. It¡¯s made from basilisk bones.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. Has the bones been treated in any way at all?¡±

    ¡°Beats me. I just received it. I didn¡¯t ask any questions.¡±

    Seeing how Liang Po didn¡¯t say anything further, Li Lang took his leave. He was able to just slide down the pillar this time, making it easier and more graceful than his trip up.

    The first thing he did was to practice with the net. He didn¡¯t want to fail in his attempt to ground the Steel Sparrows and be chased off. He wanted to get it right on the first try.

    While he practiced, he even tried to cut off a tiny piece from the net so he could feed it to Ruby. However, no matter how hard he tried, his mundane knife wasn¡¯t able to slice through.

    That was until he requested help. He now had an on-demand secretary at all times, so he made full use of it.

    ¡°Blue, can you help me cut off a part of this?¡±

    The blue lights gathered and turned into the familiar girl once more. Her expression was still neutral despite being summoned again and for a small matter this time. Thankfully, she was too afraid of Ruby¡¯s appraisal to voice her discontent.

    She simply nodded and did as requested.

    Her hand made a slicing motion from the distance, and blue lights flashed past Li Lang. The breeze accompanied it and before he knew it, a small piece of the net had been sliced. It was such a small piece toward the edge that one would be hard-pressed to notice it.

    With that done, he quickly got Ruby to analyze the material as he continued his practice.

    The next morning, he ventured outside after accepting the next round of his trial.

    He made his way away from the others and searched for a good place to set up. The forest was quite dense with trees and foliage, so there were many promising spots. It took no time at all for him to finish laying the trap.

    Then came the hard part. He had to get lucky and find a flock of Steel Sparrows nearby. Otherwise, he would have to uproot his trap and move shop.

    He had to do exactly that three times.

    On the third time, he finally spotted three Steel Sparrows resting on a tree. They chirped joyfully as they nuzzled up against each other. They weren¡¯t big, only the size of an adult¡¯s palm. Their shiny steel beaks glistened in the sunshine and complimented their yellow feathers well. They gleamed with a metallic sheen, so it was hard to miss.

    Li Lang cautiously approached, but the alert birds were easily able to spot him. However, they tolerated his existence as they didn¡¯t deem him a threat yet. Li Lang made sure to swiftly change that impression of him. He grabbed a handful of rocks and threw them at the Qi beasts.

    Instantly, they vanished from sight, reappearing high in the sky above Li Lang. The three of them made threatening noises at their assailant as they hovered above him. The threats quickly turned to action, as one of them dove down toward Li Lang.

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    It moved quickly, dead set on piercing through the young boy with its beak.

    Li Lang was prepared for this moment. He knew their greatest asset was in their speed. However, their agility department fell behind. Li Lang made sure to have trees and other obstacles blocking the path as he sprinted away.

    Seeing this, the two other Steel Sparrows soon joined the chase. They charged in a linear path, attempting to skewer their victim. They only knew to charge together in a straight line, but their superior speed meant they were slowly gaining on their target.

    Unfortunately for the Steel Sparrows, before they succeeded, a large net suddenly fell down from one of the trees.

    They chirped violently at the abrupt development, but it was now inevitable that they had been caught. They could only stare with hatred at their target.

    Li Lang stared down at his trapped targets, who tried their best to break free. However, no matter what they did, the net hindered them from flapping their wings at full power.

    If Li Lang wanted to end this in the most efficient way, he could simply attack his now-trapped targets. The spear tip of his weapon may have trouble fully piercing through the small mesh size of the net, but he could use the flat end to bludgeon the birds.

    However, he stuck with the sharp end of his spear instead. That was because he needed to employ his poison in some way so the artifact spirit could select his desired reward. He was able to easily stab into the sparrows and inject poison into them. The wound may be shallow, but it got the job done.

    In a way, this acted as another test. A test to see if he could kill the Qi beasts by relying on the quantity of poison alone.

    His action made the Steel Sparrows cry out loudly, and their movements visibly dulled.

    Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds, and the scene continued. The cries of the wounded sparrow weakened along with its slowed movements, but it lived.

    One minute, two minutes, the results were still the same despite more poison constantly being injected.

    After five minutes, Li Lang had to refill the poison in his spear before he could resume.

    It was only ten minutes after the start of the entire ordeal that Li Lang gave up. Instead of the bird¡¯s condition worsening, it stabilized. Li Lang could tell it had reached an equilibrium, where the beast kept cleansing the new toxins as they entered its body.

    Okay, this is not an effective way to kill at all. Its body size is already so small, and it survived even after I used an equal amount of poison to its body weight.

    Li Lang repeated the test and received similar results with the other two sparrows. After he was done, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little guilty. His impromptu test felt like torture instead. His drive for data propelled him to continue, but it didn¡¯t make him feel good about it.

    He prayed that he would receive a fitting cultivation manual that had more effective poisons, so his future test subjects wouldn¡¯t have to suffer for as long.

    His prayers were not needed as Orange materialized the moment the trial was deemed complete. He appeared in place of the lights that usually displayed the results.

    ¡°Umm, Greetings, Li Lang. I am responsible for the martial trial, so I can help you. I assume you won¡¯t be continuing on to the next round, right?¡±

    Orange still spoke timidly, though he sounded much more relaxed when it was just the two of them. Perhaps he didn¡¯t do well with numbers or he didn¡¯t find Li Lang to be intimidating with his cultivation. Either way, Li Lang was glad they could communicate clearly with each other.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Uh, okay, I have an idea of what you want, but just to confirm, tell me exactly what type of reward you¡¯re looking for. I¡¯ll try to search for it.¡±

    ¡°A way to create deadly Qi poisons, and ideally includes the underlying mechanics of how to create them and how it works. It should allow me to create my own poisons in the future.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Let¡¯s see what I can find.¡±

    The boy in orange robes before him only closed his eyes for several seconds. Then he blinked rapidly.

    ¡°So, I think I found something that will satisfy your requirements. I assume you¡¯d prefer the one that goes more in depth on how Qi poisons work rather than the more powerful one?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing I can¡¯t have the best of both worlds?¡±

    ¡°Sorry. That would count as two rewards, and we can¡¯t do that. You¡¯re only entitled to one. These techniques vary a lot in quality since their authors are all different, but I think these ones I have for you are okay.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Get me the one with a more comprehensive explanation of the mechanics of Qi poison then.¡±

    ¡°Coming right up! Oh, please give my regards to the esteemed Ruby for me.¡±

    Before Li Lang could respond, the orange boy disappeared into the lights and flew away. In his place was a manual floating in the air. Li Lang quickly grabbed it and began transcribing it into his lab within Ruby.

    When he relayed Orange¡¯s words to Ruby as he typed, he could hear its voice tinged with indignation at the indecisiveness of the three artifact spirits.

    ¡°It¡¯s been days, Master! Those three haven¡¯t decided yet and are only trying to appease us with useless pleasantries. Let me talk to them again and I¡¯ll put them in their place!¡±

    ¡°Calm down. We both know they¡¯re the ones in a hurry, and not us. I¡¯d rather not act hastily and reveal that we can¡¯t actually do anything to them. It¡¯s not like you can proactively attack them, right?¡±

    ¡°If you step into the Foundation Establishment realm, I might¡ªOh no, I didn¡¯t mean to say it was your fault, Master. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. No offense taken. But you say you can do it once I break through into Foundation Establishment? Really?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I can feel myself getting stronger after each of your breakthroughs, Master. I should be able to project my aura far for a short distance by the time you advance an entire major realm.¡±

    ¡°Well, I look forward to it.¡±

    In the meantime, I look forward to learning about Qi poison. Let¡¯s see what I¡¯m missing here.

 Chapter 122: Vengeful Leaf Compendium

    Vengeful Leaf Compendium. That was the name of the manual Li Lang had copied down to his computer.

    It was exactly what Li Lang had asked for. He had been given a choice between one that went into more detail about how Qi poisons were created as opposed to a singular, powerful technique. The latter would likely only include the production method for a single specific type of poison. It would have been the choice if short-term gain in strength was his goal.

    As expected of a zealous researcher like Li Lang, he went with the choice that would feed him the most information. From there, he could unravel the mechanics himself, and hopefully create his own poisons.

    The compendium went in-depth on the topic, and took Li Lang days to read over it once, and weeks to really comprehend the contents.

    Having received multiple manuals from the pocket realm, Li Lang knew they all came from different authors. Their quality varied, as well as their way of explaining. There were no academic guidelines for how they organized the contents. In fact, the theories each author used were wildly inconsistent. That meant there was a lot of junk mixed in with the tidbits of information, which was why Li Lang took so long.

    In a way, Li Lang had felt like he was deciphering ancient herbal remedies.

    Phew. Hopefully, I got everything right. Time for the exciting part of testing my findings.

    From the compendium, Li Lang had gained new insight into the nature of Qi poisons. The texts went into detail about the properties of various plants one could use in brewing poison. It also went into detail how they interacted with other material in order to produce the desired effect. It was this mumble jumble of the author that tried to explain how poisons worked in their own made-up framework.

    The reason why Li Lang knew it was garbled was because he learned that Qi poisons weren¡¯t so different from the mundane poisons he knew, after all. They simply had an extra component that Li Lang didn¡¯t know how to handle.

    Previously, the toxins he formulated were simply infused with Qi. In the context of the Vengeful Leaf Compendium, he simply employed the simplest form of empowering. It gave Qi energy to the poison, but didn¡¯t include any methods of utilizing it. It was as if a boxer with amnesia was sent into the ring. He had a well-trained body, but no idea how to even throw a punch.

    This allowed the defensive mechanism in living creatures to walk all over the poison, weakening its effects.

    ¡°So Qi poisons, true to their name, simply combine Qi techniques with poison,¡± Li Lang muttered. ¡°That means I can create the poisons I know about¡­as long as I have the materials on hand. No, most of the active ingredients from the samples I have on hand are entirely different from what I¡¯m familiar with. I¡¯ll need to formulate entirely new poisons with the native Qi plants. If what the book says is true, powerful Qi plants produce deadlier toxic substances than anything I knew. Plus, it synergized with the imbuement of Qi.¡±

    Just like the tools used in creating Moon Brushes or weapon artifacts, different poisons had varying properties. It was more important to find one that allowed for a larger capacity of Qi and worked well with the technique, rather than relying on the poison itself. That was because Qi poisons comprised two parts, and their synergy together dictated its effectiveness.

    One part was the mundane poison. The second part was the Qi infiltration system. It was like a spy team that delivered the payload. It snuck poison past the defense systems of its target, allowing the effects to persist longer and be more effective.

    The compendium said it was akin to sending out tiny Qi soldiers to fight off the enemy. The various infiltration systems were how one trained their agents. The better it was, the more free rein the poison had to do its thing.

    For Li Lang, he believed it was similar to computer viruses and antivirus software.

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    With that said, he still needed to perform a lot of testing to learn how to ¡®code¡¯.

    Right now, he only knew how to employ the existing poisons recorded in the texts. The manual was dated, with numerous materials he had never heard about, so his selection was severely limited.

    He didn¡¯t mind though, as what he needed was a stable poison to perform tests with. He would further analyze how it worked after confirming the things he learned.

    While Li Lang had plentiful materials for refining pills, his catalog was lacking for poisons. Many of the things he lacked were things he had seen before, but didn¡¯t see a reason to stock up on.

    It made Li Lang rely on his companions once more.

    During the evening, he found his acquaintances gathered as usual.

    ¡°Hey guys, I don¡¯t suppose you have these materials listed here, do you?¡±

    The group gathered around the paper Li Lang placed on the table.

    ¡°Nima Roots, Cavandar Leaves, Branches from a Baleful sapling, and more?¡± Huang Si frowned. ¡°Those are some unusual items you¡¯re looking for. I think only alchemists with a specific area of interest would have those on hand.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to ask around?¡± Sima Xue offered. ¡°I have a few juniors that are alchemists.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please. Thank you.¡±

    While Li Lang waited to hear back, he objectively analyzed his current standpoint and planned how to proceed.

    He knew the artifact spirits of the pocket realm wouldn¡¯t let him stay forever. They told him Ruby was disturbing the energies in the realm, and they were a ticking time bomb. There was still a lot he wanted to get done.

    In Brushweaving, he had yet to start learning how to enchant artifacts. Without his mentor, Yi Lin, he knew his progress would be slow, so he had put it off for the moment.

    In Alchemy, he was tasked with refining a variant of a Qi Replenishment Pill that was of a specific element. It wasn¡¯t something he knew much about. He had failed every attempt so far without knowing why. As a result, it was placed on the lowest priority compared to the other trials.

    As for the martial trials, it wasn¡¯t something he wanted to force. He would only take it when he was confident about completing it. After all, Li Lang wasn¡¯t a fighter, and he¡¯d hate to get hurt. It would result in him having to rest instead of researching. That meant he would likely wait for his breakthrough to the seventh stage before proceeding.

    Li Lang was confident in being able to juggle these three topics without losing any trial points for a long time, but alas, that was no longer the concern. He needed to wait for Blue, Green, and Orange¡¯s decision before he knew if he was welcome to stay. Either way, he would need to make plans for when things went awry.

    To the onlookers, Li Lang had appeared no different from usual, completely ignorant of his woes. After coming up with some contingency plans, he continued like any other cultivator in the realm. He diligently worked on the techniques the trials had awarded him.

    For a time, the pocket realm appeared to have quieted down. Everyone had their heads down, focused on their own training.

    While Li Lang occasionally checked in with Blue to get an update, he was always met with the response that they needed more time.

    It made Li Lang start to suspect that their perception of time was different from his. After all, the spirits lived for who knows how long. For those who were hundreds or even thousands of years old, months may just feel like minutes to them.

    Lost in the flow of time, a month passed, then another. Before anyone knew it, two years had passed since the opening of the pocket realm.

    Things only got more peaceful as time went on, as the unqualified were ejected from the place. There were fewer and fewer people left to lash out at others, which meant things were quiet. Everything was nice and fine until it was not.

    In the early morning of a seemingly normal day, the skies suddenly rumbled, scaring away every Qi beast within the realm. The sun that had illuminated the place every day had begun to move backward, setting right after dawn.

    The unnatural phenomenon caused all the cultivators to panic. It was nothing they had ever seen before, nor was it recorded in their organization¡¯s texts.

    Only one person among the cultivators had any inkling as to what was happening.

    ¡°Ruby, does this mean those three are running out of time?¡±

    Before the Origin artifact spirit could answer, three lights seeped into his room. They swiftly formed into three young humans. Each looked crestfallen.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you guys have made a decision?¡± Li Lang asked, steeling himself for what was to come.

    Either they accepted Ruby¡¯s offer to submit to him or they didn¡¯t. In the latter¡¯s case, there were several ways it could play out. They could turn violent, attempt to eject Ruby along with him, or even simply beg them to leave. Regardless, it would be a pivotal moment of his life.

 Chapter 123: The Artifactsâ€™ Decision

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you guys have made a decision?¡±

    Upon hearing Li Lang¡¯s questions, the three lifted their heads and made direct eye contact.

    Each of them had many things going through their minds, but a consensus had been formed before they arrived. They had to swallow down any lingering regrets.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Blue declared as she stepped forward. ¡°We have run out of time. Our realm will collapse in a month¡¯s time, so we¡¯ve made a decision.¡±

    ¡°Hold on one moment. Ruby would like to join the conversation as well. Please place your hand here again.¡±

    As Li Lang held out his hat, Green and Orange wore bitter expressions. To them, Ruby was a supreme existence they couldn¡¯t defy. If they did, they would need the resolve to forfeit their lives.

    ¡°You three! About time, you¡¯ve decided.¡±

    ¡°Esteemed Ruby, thank you for your patience,¡± Blue respectfully replied with a curtsy before urging her companions to speak as well.

    ¡°Umm, sorry for the delay. I hope you can forgive us?¡±

    Green shook his head at Orange¡¯s pathetic display. Determined to have a better showing, he puffed out his chest.

    ¡°I appreciate you for being so accommodating. We have thought long and hard about your proposal and have come to a conclusion. We have decided to accept and submit to your master on one condition.¡±

    ¡°Conditions? You want to talk about conditions with us?¡± Ruby¡¯s displeasure grew as she spoke.

    ¡°Please calm down,¡± Blue interjected. ¡°Our condition isn¡¯t anything that would make you lose out. We simply ask that you swear not to replace us.¡±

    At the artifact sprit¡¯s words, Li Lang frowned. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what they were talking about, and he couldn¡¯t ask Ruby when they were also in contact with her, or so he thought.

    ¡°Master, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°Ruby? Can¡¯t they hear us?¡±

    ¡°Oh Master, didn¡¯t I tell you? I can do simple tasks, like controlling who I talk to.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ I wanted to ask you what their deal is anyway. What do they mean by replacing them? Can you do that?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. If I was in better condition, I could likely erase their existence, but I can¡¯t create new artifact spirits or anything like that.¡±

    ¡°So they¡¯re simply afraid of something we can¡¯t do?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Once Master grows more powerful and learns how to create artifact spirits, we could replace them if you want. It¡¯ll take some time though, it¡¯s not easy to make any changes to Spirit-grade artifacts.¡±

    ¡°As long as they submit to me, I don¡¯t see why I¡¯d want to replace them. I don¡¯t think we even threatened them about this either, so why did they bring this up? Hmm, perhaps they¡¯re trying to get this promise because they¡¯re thinking ahead into the future.¡±

    ¡°The future?¡± Ruby parroted.

    ¡°As spirits who have lived for a long time, they might simply be waiting out my lifespan. They don¡¯t think they can resist us right now, so they can only submit for the moment.¡±

    ¡°They dare?! I¡¯ll go teach them a lesson right away!¡±

    ¡°Wait, stop! It¡¯s fine. Their intentions aren¡¯t exactly malicious, and it doesn¡¯t change that they¡¯ll be submitting to me.¡±

    While Li Lang and his Origin artifact conversed, the three artifact spirits of The Great Trial of Water Crest were internally panicking. They had stated their intentions to submit but received nothing in response.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    It made them think the other party had some issues with their terms, which in turn meant they were planning on replacing them!

    Through their connection, the three conveyed their emotion to each other. It added to their alarm. Thankfully, Li Lang finally broke the silence.

    ¡°We accept your conditions. How shall I proceed to take ownership of you guys?¡±

    ¡°Esteemed Ruby? Do we have your word?¡± Blue didn¡¯t fail to confirm with their object of fear first.

    It was a rude gesture to bypass their soon-to-be owner, but it couldn¡¯t be helped, as Li Lang really was just too weak. The disparity between a sixth stage Energy Gatherer and a Spirit artifact was just too vast. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration when they said most people around his level would often go about their entire lives without ever coming into contact with such a powerful artifact.

    ¡°My Master has spoken! Whatever he says, I listen, so of course you have my word! I hope you never doubt our master again!¡±

    Ruby¡¯s aggression had made Orange take a step back, but Blue didn¡¯t falter. She nodded with a relieved expression.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    With the matter decided, the group soon found themselves back at the summit of the mountain again. The three spirits used their power to teleport them up there, allowing them access to the lone hut once more.

    The outside world had calmed down somewhat, but the sky was still dark. There was enough visibility to see, but the dreary atmosphere was ever-present.

    That all changed when they stepped into the hut.

    Thrust into the world of yellow clouds and purple skies, Li Lang stared around curiously, waiting to see what would happen next. With Ruby, he took ownership when it absorbed his Qi Stone and blood. It was easy to imagine how it worked when the artifact was a small item that one could hold. in regard to the pocket realm, it was hard to make heads or tails of it.

    ¡°So the artifact you represent is this entire pocket realm, right?¡± Li Lang asked.

    ¡°Hmm, sort of?¡± Orange answered without hesitation. ¡°We¡¯re three, but one at the same time.¡±

    His explanation didn¡¯t clarify anything, and Blue knew that, so she elaborated.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t a single artifact in the traditional sense at all. A single Spirit-grade artifact wouldn¡¯t have the power to sustain such a large realm. Our progenitor tried many times but failed at creating a Divine-grade artifact, so he combined us three Spirit-grade artifacts together instead.¡±

    ¡°Interesting!¡± Li Lang exclaimed.

    He hadn¡¯t even gotten started in artificing yet he was already intrigued.

    ¡°So,¡± he continued, ¡°where can I see your real bodies? It has to be somewhere here if you¡¯re taking me here, right?¡±

    Instead of using words, the three artifact spirits used action to respond.

    The clouds began to part, and a large looming shadow approached. It closed the distance silently. It appeared slow, but in the blink of an eye, it suddenly appeared right before Li Lang.

    It was an island. A floating island.

    It was large enough to hold three football fields and had a modest dwelling at the center of it. Other than the lone structure, there was only grass and a small field at the center of it next to the house.

    Before Li Lang could get a good look at the dwelling, the three spirits urged him to follow them.

    ¡°It¡¯s just inside here.¡±

    Entering the house, Li Lang was a little taken aback at the modest sight. There wasn¡¯t anything special inside. It was just a simple room, like any mortal would live in, except larger. There were no interior walls, and the entire building was like a giant studio apartment.

    Various things were messily scattered about. However, the things weren¡¯t covered in a thick layer of dust or anything. Despite the mess, it added credence to the theory that someone actively lived there.

    ¡°Do you guys live here?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, of course not,¡± Green grunted. ¡°This place belonged to our previous master. We kept it the same way he left it.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    The group continued their way toward the bed in the corner. Once they got there, the three sprits closed their eyes and the wall beside the bed began to shake. Three flashes of light abruptly shot out from the wall and fell onto the bed.

    Li Lang leaned in and examined the object that had newly appeared. It was a strange item made of three large balls, made with pearl-like material. They were stuck together, forming a triangle.

    Just as he was about to speak out, he noticed the melancholic expression the three spirits wore.

    Li Lang knew the three were still attached to their old master, so he allowed them a brief moment to reminisce. They only agreed to serve him for the sake of self-preservation. He felt a little guilty inside, but the deal was just too good to pass on.

    For Li Lang, it was a huge step toward gaining some sense of security

    He may not have vocalized it, but he was constantly on edge ever since he got into this world. A lot had happened. His foster family was torn apart, and he was left to fend for himself in an unfamiliar place. He couldn¡¯t even fully lose himself in research, as he knew he had to be on guard at all times and plan for his uncertain future.

    Now that may change.

    With a powerful Spirit artifact on his side and one that contained an entire miniature world, he fancied the prospect of having a safe haven to fall back on.

    If none of the large organizations outside can claim this pocket realm, it means this place is a natural fortress, right?

 Chapter 124: Artifact Binding

    ¡°Li Lang, this is our real body. Place your hand on it when you¡¯re ready,¡± Blue wistfully said.

    Not wanting to overstep, Li Lang ignored the somber mood and did as instructed. He held up the strange object that comprised three large pearls of different colors, stuck together to form a triangular shape.

    Unlike its appearance, it weighed close to nothing. If Li Lang hadn¡¯t known better, he would have thought it was just some eccentric ornament.

    ¡°We will begin the binding process,¡± Blue said. ¡°It may hurt just a bit and we will have to do it three times, but it should be quick.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Li Lang had thought of this possibility when he recalled how it went with Ruby. Seeing how Li Lang had nothing to say, the artifact in his hand began to glow.

    Immediately, Li Lang felt his Qi being drained into the artifact in his hand. It had such a strong suction force that he couldn¡¯t resist. He was like a raft in the middle of a storm, only to be pushed around by a greater force.

    The entire process only lasted several seconds, but to Li Lang, it felt much longer. Within a second, he could feel fatigue beginning to set in. The rapid loss of Qi sapped him of his energy. It made his mind dull, as if he had lost a significant amount of blood.

    Then he felt a prick on his thumb holding the blue pearl. He watched as a dash of red entered into the ball as if it contained water within. It quickly settled, leaving Li Lang staring, aghast.

    ¡°Is that it?¡± he questioned.

    Blue didn¡¯t have to verbalize her response as a shock ran through Li Lang¡¯s body. It caused him to feel indescribable pain deep within his being. As a bio-defense expert, he was knowledgeable about the human body, but he had no idea what the source of his pain was. That was because the pain came from his literal soul and spirit!

    Binding with artifacts was a regular thing for most cultivators. Most people in the Foundation Establishment would have experienced it at least once. However, none of them felt the same pain because it was rare for someone to bind with an artifact that was vastly more powerful than them.

    Artifacts were treasures. However, it needed capable hands to take control of them. Otherwise, it would just be a waste. A low-level cultivator wouldn¡¯t be able to make use of its power. In the first place, the artifact spirits wouldn¡¯t allow themselves to take someone that much weaker than them as masters. It was in their interest to sell them off for additional cultivation resources instead.

    Nevertheless, there were still some cases of these low-level cultivators taking in more than they could chew. It left them in a precarious situation where they wouldn¡¯t have full control of the artifact. In those instances, only those who learned how to get along with these spirits and grow rapidly in strength would prosper. Others lost control, hurting themselves in the process, or became targets of those lusting for their treasure.

    Thankfully, Li Lang didn¡¯t have to worry about any of this. With Ruby¡¯s presence, it was hard to imagine an artifact spirit being stupid enough to go against him.

    After what felt like an eternity to Li Lang, he finally broke free from the chilling pain that seeped into every inch of his body. He found his robes soaked with sweat and breathing heavily.

    ¡°Master, are you okay?¡± Ruby¡¯s voice rang out.

    ¡°That was¡­ worse than I expected. It wasn¡¯t this painful when I bounded with you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s likely because the pain back then crossed your threshold and immediately knocked you out.¡±

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    Before Li Lang could answer, he felt himself being shaken. He opened his eyes to find Blue, just a few inches away, staring intently at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake? Good, it seems like you didn¡¯t get injured either.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Are we done?¡±

    Unfortunately, Blue shook her head.

    ¡°There¡¯s still two more to go.¡±

    She stepped to the side, revealing Orange and Green standing there. Orange had an embarrassed expression, while Green smirked.

    ¡°Right, two more times¡­¡±

    <hr>

    After the painful experience, Li Lang had finally taken ownership of The Great Trial of Water Crest. With this far-reaching event behind him, he began to plan for the future.

    His situation had drastically changed. His new artifact spirit did not possess ultimate combat potential, but it contained valuable knowledge.

    It brought him closer to power, and one step closer to being able to confront the infamous Abductress who had kidnapped his two childhood friends. After all, the Abductress was someone rumored to be in the Spirit Divide realm, the same level of power as his new Spirit-grade treasure.

    It had been years since he had last seen Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei. It was hard to say if they were still alive. The only thing he could go on was the Abductress¡¯ words that she wouldn¡¯t take their lives. Li Lang could only furrow his brows as he thought of the fate his friends had met.

    At the same time, he felt a little guilty for being ecstatic at having attained the pocket realm. It had everything he wanted. A safe haven, knowledge, and a sense of security.

    I just need to work harder at trying to save them. Trying is the least I can do.

    If only there was a reliable expert who I could trade this artifact in return for saving them. Unfortunately, I¡¯ll likely end up being betrayed instead. It¡¯s just too easy to screw over a weak Energy Gatherer with no background.

    For a moment, Li Lang envied Sima Xue and Tang Yulian¡¯s powerful background. They likely had elders to rely on, and a family they could unconditionally trust. He was happy for them, but yearned to have things on easy mode as well.

    He knew that humans were social animals. They thrived when they united their power together. It allowed them to specialize in their respective field and pool their resources together. As great as The Orchid Covenant was for Li Lang and his peers, it simply was too hard to trust them fully.

    The organization was too loose, with mostly benefits being the driving force. At the same time, it was hard for the boys to utilize their resources, as they weren¡¯t in a position of power. They were just newcomers. Only those at the top could utilize the collective resources of an organization.

    Thinking up to that point, an idea struck him.

    Why don¡¯t I create my own organization? Hmm, we¡¯re too weak for anyone to want to join, but we can still establish a foothold first, right? As long as I use it correctly, the Cleansing Drug is my biggest trump card in this matter.

    The more he thought about it, the more attractive the idea sounded. Taking control of an organization meant control of all the resources as well. It would surely accelerate his progress in whatever endeavor he wanted to do. It didn¡¯t take much for Li Lang to set his new long-term goal.

    ¡°Have you recovered already¡­ Master?¡± Blue immediately inquired as soon as Li Lang opened his eyes.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine now, thank you. Can you bring me back to my room? I want to get a change of clothes.¡±

    ¡°No worries, Master!¡± Orange interjected. ¡°I can just fetch them like this.¡±

    With a snap of the finger, Orange materialized some familiar-looking clothes as if he were a genie.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t comment on the scene as it wasn¡¯t surprising considering he could teleport living beings such as himself. Lifeless objects must surely be easier. As he got changed into new clothes, he began questioning his new helpers.

    ¡°So now that I¡¯ve taken ownership of you guys, does that mean I can control who comes and goes from here?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, we can kick out anyone you don¡¯t want here or open up the entrance as well,¡± Green said as he flexed his arms.

    ¡°Mas¡­ter, we should first open up the Qi channels to the outside world,¡± Blue interjected. ¡°We did say we still had a month, but it¡¯s better to restore the place to normality sooner rather than later.¡±

    ¡°Okay, what should I do?¡±

    ¡°We simply need your command. Should we carry out the task of opening the Qi channels?¡±

    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±

    The three artifact spirits closed their eyes and stilled for a moment. After a few moments, nothing happened. Even when they declared they had completed the task, the entire place still seemed to be unchanged.

    However, the most unsettling fact was how his three new artifact spirits remained quiet, as if they had their attention drawn to something serious.

    ¡°Umm, is everything okay?¡±

 Chapter 125: Teahouse

    Outside The Great Trial of Water Crest, numerous organizations still had representatives gathered around. They were there to await the return of their disciples.

    It wasn¡¯t a rare scene, as these organizations often had a history with each other. It would be unthinkable to leave their talented future generation vulnerable to the malice of their enemies.

    At the same time, they gathered to collect information with each other. Unlike in the modern world, the sects didn¡¯t have diplomats stationed in each other¡¯s territory. A chance to communicate with their peers and acquire intelligence was too good to pass up on. That was why, while they each had their own camp set up, they also had one central hub, where the elders from various organizations gathered.

    It was a simple teahouse that one would see in any town. No one would blink an eye at it if not for how out of place it was, existing outside any permanent settlements. However, for the cultivators present, it was nothing special. It simply meant a qualified woodsmith had applied their expertise.

    The atmosphere inside this teahouse varied depending on the floor.

    On the first floor, many sat around and chatted while sipping on their drinks. The only thing missing from a usual teahouse was a storyteller.

    The second floor was slightly less boisterous. It was where the private rooms were, for when they needed to discuss matters requiring discretion.

    As for the third floor, it was much quieter. As if there was an invisible barrier that blocked out all the sound from below. It was eerily silent. That was because it was designed that way. It was where cultivators could cultivate in earnest, free from any distractions. While the cultivators could return to their own organization¡¯s camp, it was simply more convenient if they planned on staying around.

    As it was currently noon, most of the people within this establishment gathered on the first floor.

    While they merrily drank their beverage of choice, a discourse had once again broken out.

    ¡°Old An, I heard another one of your disciples had just been kicked out yesterday! That means you owe me that bottle of hundred-year White Blossom Wine!¡±

    ¡°You old snake. You¡¯ve been eyeing my wine for all these years, so how can I know you didn¡¯t order your disciples to play any tricks? I¡¯m calling this bet off!¡±

    ¡°You damn fossil, who still plays with worms at your age. You dare to go back on a bet? Do you think I¡¯m as soft as tofu, and will bend as you want? Willing to bet, then you must be willing to lose. Pay up!¡±

    The two elders slammed their tables and stood up to their full height, glaring at each other. The people in the background continued chatting as if nothing was happening. While it partly might have been due to their confidence in their powerful cultivation, a bigger reason was definitely due to the presence of a certain personage.

    This special character was Jian Beiyun, the current head disciple of the Nightmoon Valley. As the de facto leading organization within the Luminescent realm, all the elders present gave the young man some face, treating him as their equal. In fact, they gave him more than that. That was due to Nightmoon Valley¡¯s tendency to police the realm. They knew to leave it to a member of their organization when conflict broke out.

    ¡°Elder An, Guardian Su, how you are both doing today?¡±

    Jian Beiyun approached with a jovial demeanor, as if he hadn¡¯t witnessed the fighting at all. The two older men in question didn¡¯t disregard him, but instead acted as if they were little boys caught by their parents doing something naughty.

    ¡°Young Master Jian! We¡¯re both doing great! Thank you for asking.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯re just getting a little too excited due to the small bets we made in jest.¡±

    ¡°Oh, bets? I heard that¡¯s been getting popular among folks around here these days.¡± He scanned the room, but no one met his gaze. ¡°Seeing how there are significantly fewer youngsters left in the pocket realm, why don¡¯t we make the betting more official? I can be the host, so rest assured to place your bets with me.¡±

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    ¡°Ohoho, interesting,¡± a high-pitched voice laughed out, coming from a large man built like a sumo wrestler. ¡°Brother Jian, let me join in on the fun too. My Myriad Bones Pavilion can co-host it with you. With Brother Jian¡¯s credibility and my financial capabilities, I assume no one has any complaints, right?¡±

    The large man guffawed once more while holding onto his sizeable stomach with both hands. Soon, words of agreement came one after the other, and the matter was settled.

    A space in the corner was swiftly cleared out, allowing a gambling table to be set up.

    ¡°Place your bets, place your bets! You must bet spirit stones if you¡¯re betting against the house. For side bets using other resources, please go to the other side over there,¡± a young woman cried out.

    ¡°I place twenty orange spirit crystals on Tang Yulian staying the longest!¡±

    ¡°One hundred on Sima Xue!¡±

    ¡°Two hundred on Liang Po!¡±

    As the betting ramped up, Jian Beiyun watched on with his co-host off to the side. Upon seeing the rowdy scene, Jian Beiyun nodded appreciatively.

    ¡°Does this satisfy you, Brother Jian?¡± the extra large-sized man asked.

    ¡°Of course, Elder Quan. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°Haha, no need to be so formal, and stop calling me elder. I¡¯m not that old yet!¡±

    Jian Beiyun revealed a trace of hesitation through his smile but quickly adjusted it. He had to hold his tongue, lest he offend the large man before him for no reason. Swallowing down his reluctance along with the knowledge of the man¡¯s four-digit age, he replied back merrily.

    ¡°Sure thing, Brother Quan. I was just happy to see everyone getting along for once. This is how we should be. United, so those so-called righteous hypocrites won¡¯t dare to overreach.¡±

    The portly elder simply let out a hearty laugh in response.

    Their happy times didn¡¯t last long. All of a sudden, the entire venue went silent.

    Every cultivator turned to the same direction, at the entrance of the pocket realm. No one spoke for several dozen breaths. But then, all hell broke loose.

    ¡°What in the world is happening?! This has never happened before for hundreds of years since the discovery of this realm!¡±

    ¡°Please excuse me, everyone, I must report back to my leader at once.¡±

    ¡°Likewise. Good day to you all.¡±

    While everyone rushed into action, Jian Beiyun and Elder Quan did the same. They rapidly exited the building and flew up to a better vantage point. With their cultivation, they could easily count the blades of grass by the pocket realm at this distance.

    However, what they were focused on at the moment wasn¡¯t something tangible. Each cultivator employed their own methods to observe the flow of Qi in the area. Their vision presented a violent vortex of energy rushing into the pocket realm.

    ¡°Elder Quan,¡± Jian Beiyun inadvertently reverted his way of addressing the imposing giant. ¡°As the most experienced person here, what do you make of this situation?¡±

    ¡°Strange. Very strange. Artificial pocket realms normally don¡¯t do this by themselves. We know this realm was created by a powerful organization in the past, but it still can¡¯t operate by itself. We¡¯ve confirmed no one was inside before the kids went in. There¡¯s no way anyone below the peak of Violet Core could subdue an artifact powerful enough to host such a sizable pocket realm. Hopefully, it is a special function of the artifact created with the old ways unknown to us. Otherwise, I fear it would mean someone had managed to avoid our detection. That is someone far more powerful than what we can handle. We should inform our ancestors to be safe.¡±

    Jian Beiyun swallowed hard at his companion arriving at the same conclusion. He had hoped this senior had the knowledge about strange artifacts that could activate themselves. As the possibility of the situation getting out of control grew, he could only silently pray for his junior sister¡¯s safety as well as all the young cultivators still inside.

    <hr>

    The strange phenomenon that took hold of the pocket realm had alerted all its inhabitants. However, it didn¡¯t last long. After half a day, everything returned to normal, and the cultivators put it long behind them. As curious as some of them were, they had more important things to attend to.

    After two years since entering the pocket realm, a little over half the people had already been ejected. A majority of those who remained struggled with the few points they had left. Every day was a struggle. This included Wei Ping in Li Lang¡¯s group.

    He had been stressing about his next breakthrough to the sixth stage of Energy Gathering. Perhaps due to this stress, he was still stuck in his bottleneck. Thankfully, they all entered the pocket realm, having gotten started on a craft. They were ahead of those at their age. That was why their entire group still remained.

    However, there was another reason why Wei Ping still had plenty of trial points to spare, despite the bottleneck he faced in his cultivation. It was still fresh in their memory during the day, after the pocket realm was in disarray. Li Lang had invited both him and Long Yi into his room that day to break some news to them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to say this, so I¡¯ll just be direct. I¡¯ve taken control of this pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°Come again?¡± Long Yi replied.

    ¡°I have taken ownership of this pocket realm. I can control who enters and leaves.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

 Chapter 126: Alerting All Parties

    ¡°Umm, is everything okay?¡± Li Lang asked as he noticed the three artifact spirit¡¯s troubled expressions.

    The three of them were silently staring off into the distance with their eyes closed.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s hard to say, M¡­Master,¡± Blue replied.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to call me master if you don¡¯t want to. I don¡¯t mind you just calling me Li Lang or something else.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± Blue hesitantly answered. ¡°Your esteemed Origin artifact would reprimand me if I took such a casual tone with you. Do not worry, I can adjust. We all will.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. We have time. So what¡¯s gotten you guys so puzzled?¡±

    ¡°Here, it¡¯ll be faster to show you.¡±

    At her words, a small yellow cloud flew up from below. It flew just above them before beginning to rain. The strange part was that none of the rain landed on Li Lang. The water had a mind of its own, gathering right before Li Lang. It swirled and soon formed a water mirror depicting the scenes from outside.

    Hundreds of cultivators could be seen floating up in the sky. They surrounded the four pillars that marked the pocket realm, each staring at it unflinchingly. Their serious demeanor showed they meant business. Li Lang could only imagine the tension in the air if he was there in person, in the presence of numerous Foundation Establishment and Violet Core cultivators.

    ¡°What are they doing? Did they find out someone took ownership of you guys? Because if that is so, we¡¯re in trouble.¡±

    ¡°Umm, we¡¯re not sure if they know. That¡¯s why we are so concerned,¡° Orange timidly clarified.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Green joined in. ¡°If they do realize something, they may contact those grand elders of theirs. If those guys come, while they may not be able to hurt us, they could forcibly move us if they band together.¡±

    ¡°Is my previous command what alerted them?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Blue nodded. ¡°They likely noticed the inflow of Qi.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you three warn me, then?¡±

    ¡°Our hands were forced. We needed to open the Qi channels eventually, or we¡¯d start collapsing. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s likely they¡¯ll just observe from a distance.¡±

    Are they taking me lightly because of my low cultivation or young age? Well, it¡¯s likely both. I can¡¯t let the beginning of our relationship turn out like this.

    ¡°Blue, Orange, and Green! All three of you will have to promise me you¡¯ll never withhold any crucial information like this again. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Master.¡±

    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m so sorry, master. We won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Now tell me. What else can you guys do besides being a giant trial for the younger generation?¡±

    ¡°Master, there isn¡¯t much else we can do,¡± Blue said. ¡°All our power goes into maintaining this large space, so we have no offensive capabilities.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­understandable. How long do you need to absorb the outside Qi before you can stop, then?¡±

    ¡°If you plan on staying inside, Master, it¡¯s better to keep it open and allow the flow to stabilize. Things will calm down soon.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t the cultivators outside remain suspicious, then?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve seen it already. It won¡¯t change much. This way, they may think we¡¯re just carrying some old orders left by our previous master.¡±

    Li Lang could only sigh at his ignorance in the matter. He didn¡¯t know what was best for them in this situation. He simply was too inexperienced in dealing with artifacts.

    ¡°They don¡¯t look to be doing anything, so let¡¯s just watch and see for now. If they do try something, are you guys able to relocate?¡±

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    ¡°No. With your cultivation, you won¡¯t be able to move us. You¡¯ll at least need to be in Foundation Establishment to do that.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s out of our hands. There isn¡¯t much we can do now.¡±

    Realizing the futility of overthinking it, Li Lang decided to be more productive. He may no longer need to worry about the trial points, but that didn¡¯t mean he needed to stop progressing. Besides, he also had to care for his companions.

    He got the artifact spirits to teleport him back to his room, where he then sauntered off to find his peers. It didn¡¯t take long, as he found every member already gathered in the mess hall.

    ¡°You guys are early. I thought I¡¯d have to wait for you if my searches ended up empty.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about, Li Lang?¡± Long Yi replied. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re all going to gather here after the stuff that¡¯s been happening. The entire realm shook, and all the Qi beasts were disturbed. It was even dark out when it was still daytime. Then it all returned to normal as if nothing had happened!¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    The entire table looked at Li Lang strangely, but quickly wrote it off as his usual eccentrics. Li Lang sat down and listened to them discuss the situation for a while. He waited for the moment the conversation died down and split off into smaller ones.

    ¡°Wei Ping, Long Yi, can you come with me for a second?¡±

    They both nodded without hesitation and stood up. They were used to Li Lang doing this when he needed to discuss sensitive information. Their most frequent topic was regarding the Cleansing Drug, which was followed by Li Lang taking some samples of their flesh and blood.

    When they closed the door to the room, they sat down as they usually did. However, Li Lang stayed by the door, facing away from them.

    ¡°W-what¡¯s the matter, boss?¡±

    ¡°You losing trial points again? It hasn¡¯t been easy for any of us, but I think you¡¯ll be able to hang in there with three things you could be working on. We just have two.¡±

    Li Lang ignored them and kept his back facing them with his eyes closed as he was deliberating how to break the news. He suddenly banged on the door and turned around.

    ¡°Screw it. I don¡¯t know how to say this, so I¡¯ll just be direct. I¡¯ve taken control of this pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°Come again?¡± Long Yi replied.

    ¡°I have taken ownership of this pocket realm. I can control who enters and leaves.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Li Lang took a moment to survey Wei Ping¡¯s reaction and found him surprisingly calm.

    ¡°You¡¯re not surprised by this?¡±

    ¡°N-no, I am. It¡¯s j-just that I know you w-wouldn¡¯t joke with us like this. I¡¯m all ears if y-you want to explain. It¡¯s fine if y-you don¡¯t, too.¡±

    Li Lang sighed at the scene.

    ¡°I can¡¯t give you the details, but I somehow subdued the artifact that controls this realm. I¡¯ve told them to allow you two to remain inside unconditionally already.¡±

    ¡°Then we don¡¯t have to worry about making progress anymore?¡± Long Yi muttered. ¡°Hooray! I can finally take a break! You can keep your secrets if you want. Just make the realm give me some real food! I¡¯m so tired of these Nourishment Pills.¡±

    The other two only spared Long Yi a glance before ignoring him.

    ¡°B-boss, this is,¡± Wei Ping sucked in his breath, ¡°very significant. Wouldn¡¯t the a-artifact of this place be very powerful?¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t attack, but it¡¯ll serve well as an impregnable fortress. In fact, once I break through to Foundation Establishment, I plan on using this place as our home base.¡±

    ¡°T-that will probably t-take a few years if we continue to d-do our best. Let¡¯s p-proceed as we have been.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Long Yi interjected. ¡°Come on, guys. Let¡¯s have a break for one day. Or even one meal, at the very least. You can get us free food now, right?¡±

    ¡°I probably can,¡± Li Lang replied. ¡°But I¡¯d rather not do that while so many other cultivators are still around. People will start asking questions if you start stuffing yourself with food.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah. Like his s-sanity for spending points on food.¡±

    ¡°Does this mean I have to continue as it is? Noooooo!¡±

    <hr>

    All the experts from various organizations camping outside The Great Trial of Water Crest didn¡¯t have to wait long before they received news. An entire two years had passed since the opening of the pocket realm. Multiple disciples were ejected each day. Very few manage to stay inside for three or more years. From this point forth, every day was an achievement.

    Even the people from a prestigious organization like the Nightmoon Valley were no different.

    ¡°Junior Wong, tell me everything that happened yesterday inside the pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°Senior Jian, you guys noticed it too from outside?¡±

    Jian Beiyun nodded.

    ¡°Just tell me your side of the story for now. It¡¯s important information that I have to include in my report. You can ask your questions with the others later.¡±

    ¡°Well, the entire realm suddenly went into chaos. The outdoor area inside remained dark despite it being daytime, and the entire place rumbled. It recovered very fast, though. Less than the time it takes to burn an incense.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all? Nothing else? No disciples acting suspiciously or anything like that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Tang Yulian had broken through to Foundation Establishment a while back. Senior Sister Sima is gearing up for her own breakthrough as well, along with that Liang Po.¡±

    Jian Beiyun sighed at the lack of useful information. The junior before him obviously didn¡¯t take note of the incident relating to the pocket realm.

    ¡°You may go.¡±

    Not long after Junior Wong had left, Jian Beiyun took out his sound transmission jade.

    ¡°I have an important report to make that should be relayed to the grand ancestor.¡±

 Chapter 127: Various Investigations

    A few weeks passed after Jian Beiyun had reported back to his superiors, but nothing happened. There was no movement. He was told that the grand ancestor had been informed, and that was the end of it. No further instructions or news.

    This strange reaction wasn¡¯t an isolated incident. From conversing with the members of the other organizations, they all received similar responses. It was as if the highest-level cultivators within the Luminescent Domain had unanimously decided to ignore the issue.

    Left with no choice, Jian Beiyun could only helplessly stare out at the pocket realm every day, hoping for the best.

    Eventually, the incident had been pushed to the back of most people¡¯s minds. All the members of the younger generation who came out of the pocket realm had nothing to add. Everything inside remained normal. Several organizations had even left, as all their disciples had returned.

    While that meant the place quieted down, there was one that didn¡¯t. The betting table Jian Beiyun had set up remained lively every day. More and more cultivators placed a bet as the days passed. There were even more that were waiting for there to be fewer people remaining within the pocket realm. They waited for the number of contestants to go down from the three-digit to the two-digit ballpark.

    Like this, months passed.

    An entire year after Jian Beiyun¡¯s report, an important incident took place that shook every cultivator in the vicinity. They couldn¡¯t be blamed, as several powerful figures from various organizations had arrived together.

    A group of eight Spirit Divide cultivators had appeared!

    They each varied in appearance. Some took the form of a young child, while others were old men with hunched backs. There were quite a few who even had scales instead of skin, making them look like beasts rather than humans.

    Their auras were restrained, but every cultivator present could instinctively feel the level of threat each of them posed. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say every single one of these Spirit Divide cultivators could take on everyone else present by themselves.

    At the forefront of this group was an old man. Despite his age, he had well-defined muscles and strong features.

    Jian Beiyun immediately stepped forward and respectfully greeted him.

    ¡°Master, you have personally come?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. On the ancestor¡¯s instructions.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I look forward to your guidance,¡± Jian Beiyun bowed.

    ¡°Remain on standby. We are simply here to observe for now.¡±

    ¡°Very well¡­¡±

    Hearing the esteemed elder¡¯s words, everyone on the first floor of the teahouse began to disband. That included the eminent Spirit Divide experts, who dispersed into their own respective organizations.

    Instead of returning to their own encampment as well, Jian Beiyun proceeded to guide his master up to the second floor. They sat down inside a private room and he began brewing tea like a model disciple would.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Beiyun? How many times have I told you not to bottle things up? Speak when something troubles you. If you continue to ignore my teachings, you¡¯ll only have yourself to blame when cultivation deviations befall you.¡±

    ¡°I apologize,¡± he lowered his head. ¡°It¡¯s just that this incident is too strange. Master, you and the esteemed ancestors ignored us for a whole year and then suddenly showed up. I¡¯m just feeling unsure if I would be overstepping if I pressed for answers.¡±

    ¡°Uncertainty creates stress, but there are matters that would stress you even further if you knew about them. Ignorance is bliss. Alas, you will one day assume a position where you will have to shoulder these woes. I chose you as the head disciple for a reason. I have no intention of hiding these matters from you. This is a burden you will have to learn how to carry.¡±

    ¡°I thank you for your consideration, Master. I will do my best to live up to your expectations.¡±

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    The old man nodded as his young disciple poured him tea. He waited until he had a chance to take a sip before continuing.

    ¡°After your report, the ancestor paused their closed-door cultivation and personally went out to investigate.¡±

    ¡°What?! The ancestor himself?¡±

    ¡°Beiyun, you should know that matters that may involve Celestials in the Heaven Link realm are not to be taken lightly. Our ancestor knows that, and so do all the other Spirit Divide cultivators. That¡¯s why they immediately mobilized to search for news from the mainland.¡±

    ¡°Right. I¡¯m not questioning the ancestor¡¯s decision. I know if there really is such an expert, they must be from the mainland. But even if one needs to be at least in the Spirit Divide realm to cross the cloud seas, it doesn¡¯t mean all the ancestors had to be mobilized. Couldn¡¯t you have gone yourself, Master?¡±

    ¡°I tried convincing him, but he wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. It wasn¡¯t for nothing, though. People like our ancestors who have been around for such a long time naturally have their connections. We were able to swiftly secure reliable intel.¡±

    ¡°And the results?¡±

    ¡°No movement at all. None of the human factions on the mainland observed any Celestials leaving the mainland.¡±

    Jian Beiyun was visibly taken aback at the news.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way someone on Violet Isle broke through without anyone noticing. Does that mean it¡¯s someone from the hundred races?¡±

    ¡°Nothing can be confirmed. The most favored theory is a newly ascended Spirit Divide expert. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, we¡¯ve thoroughly swept the area and found no signs of that. We should¡¯ve been able to detect a newly ascended Spirit Divide cultivator.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, if they were the sole person there. Are you able to confidently say the same if they hid themselves among the large crowd that came here after?¡±

    ¡°That¡­makes no sense. Why would they do that? Even if they hid among the disciples, they shouldn¡¯t be able to enter the pocket realm with their bone age.¡±

    ¡°Beiyun, never assume what we know as absolute. Things are always changing and new information is discovered every day. They may have discovered a way into the pocket realm that we don¡¯t know of. I¡¯ve also investigated the background of each person who had entered the realm, but the others want to know all those who still remained inside when the event happened, so they can probe further.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Master. I have a list of names right here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯ is a rare sight to see you so organized without being told. Good, good, good. You¡¯ve improved, Beiyun.¡±

    Jian Beiyun could only politely clasp his fist in salute toward his master as he kept quiet. There was no way he would explain how the list was compiled for gambling. It was something he would keep quiet about unless directly asked.

    <hr>

    ¡°You two, we should prepare to leave the realm soon,¡± Li Lang declared.

    ¡°What? I thought we could stay for as long as we liked?¡±

    ¡°We can, but that would be detrimental to us. I¡¯ve spoken to Blue, one of the artifact spirits of this place. She told me we could resume our trials at a later time. We need to leave here before we draw too much attention to ourselves. The last thing I need is someone discovering the fact that I obtained this place.¡±

    Having obtained the pocket realm didn¡¯t mean Li Lang could now isolate himself for all of time. He still needed to be part of society in order to obtain resources and knowledge.

    Blue had told him that it was impossible for the current him to overturn the rules of the pocket realm. That meant he could only obtain the rewards after passing the relevant trials. Despite being the owner, he would have to play by the existing rules. However, he didn¡¯t have a time limit and could make his attempts at a later date.

    ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t move this place yet?¡±

    ¡°Correct. We can come back for it later. It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll be going anywhere.¡±

    ¡°B-boss,¡± Wei Ping interjected. ¡°Can we h-hold off for a little while longer first?¡±

    It only took an instant for Li Lang to realize why Wei Ping made such a request. He was extremely close to breaking through his bottleneck. Having access to the martial trial was a huge boon.

    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t want us to be the last ones out and draw attention, but maybe I can have everyone else remain longer, then?¡±

    Wei Ping wasn¡¯t the only one close to breaking through. Practically everyone who remained was in a similar situation. Li Lang himself could retain the connection with his Qi at a small distance, if only for a split second. Both Sima Xue and Liang Po were now at the peak of Energy Gathering.

    Li Lang also wanted to stay longer as he was close to completing his research on his newly devised Qi poison. At the same time, he knew there were many materials awaiting him out in the real world, so he had reluctantly listened to the logical side of himself. Now that Wei Ping was also begging for more time, he easily relented.

    Unbeknownst to the young cultivators, it was their decision to prolong their stay that caused a commotion outside.

    Three years after the opening of the pocket realm, over two dozen people still remained inside.

    Four years after the opening, that number remained unchanged.

    To put into perspective, in the previous decade, the person who came in eighth place for staying in the pocket realm for the longest only remained inside for three years.

    This caused everyone outside to panic. One strange phenomenon came after the other. Some feared the disciples inside had met an untimely end. Yet, they were powerless to do anything. No one could enter inside.

    It was only five years since the opening of the pocket realm that their hopes were reignited. Several figures could be seen emerging from The Great Trial of Water Crest!

 Chapter 128: Exiting the Pocket Realm

    After having spent five years in the pocket realm, it could be said that every returning disciple was almost unrecognizable. They had grown up quickly into young adults. The features of some had changed while others became more pronounced. Wei Ping and Long Yi were part of the latter, while Li Lang was the former.

    Wei Ping grew taller, even though he was still shorter than average, standing around five-two. As he had grown up, the mask he always wore had to be replaced. Thankfully, as he studied woodsmithing, he had crafted a new one for himself at some point.

    Long Yi had continued to grow over the years. He was a giant, especially when he stood next to Wei Ping. His muscles became more defined over years of training, but he never lost his childish facial features. There wasn¡¯t even a hint of facial hair.

    As for Li Lang, his body had finally caught up to the size of his head. It was still slightly larger than average, but could now be considered normal! While this meant he wasn¡¯t as unique anymore, the person himself didn¡¯t mind. He preferred to go unnoticed.

    The trio emerged from the pocket realm, standing alongside many others. They included the twins from the Eternal Wave Sect, Huang Si from the Bloodwave Conclave, and more. Li Lang had specifically orchestrated this so they could blend in with the others.

    Their group didn¡¯t even manage to take a dozen steps before a crowd quickly formed around them. The experts with higher cultivation moved faster than they could perceive. None of them complained as they reunited with the members of their organization.

    From the corner of Li Lang¡¯s eye, he noted the position of Tai Xilin and slowly steered away from that direction. He felt he was someone that knew them enough to see through their lies. Whether that was true or not, he didn¡¯t want to put it to the test.

    His worries had been misplaced, as someone else called out to him.

    ¡°You three, over here.¡±

    They found the speaker to be Sheng Zhaoming, one of the leading figures within The Orchid Covenant. Standing beside him was Sheng Haoran, the boy who had once ambushed them. He was now a man, towering over his grandfather by an entire head.

    The three were swiftly brought away to be questioned. While they weren¡¯t suspects, it couldn¡¯t be helped that their organization was hungry for information. Every other organization was doing the same with their disciples.

    It was something they expected, so the trio had previously talked over what to reveal and what not to reveal. Even so, the questioning took up the entire day before they were let out.

    However, the moment they set foot out of the tent, a piercing gaze washed over them. They found an old man with bulging muscles, staring them down. He had a serene expression, but that didn¡¯t ease the pressure he gave off. It wasn¡¯t Qi pressure or anything, but simply from the eyes of a hunter.

    The trio were frozen under his gaze. It was only when the old man spoke that they relaxed a bit.

    ¡°I believe you three are Li Lang, Wei Ping, and Long Yi, correct?¡±

    The three nodded like baby chicks.

    ¡°Good, good. You youngsters have decent cultivation for your bone age. Make sure you don¡¯t waste your potential by rushing into the next major realm.¡±

    With those words, the man vanished, as if he had never been there. The three young men didn''t even dare to say a word, fearing he may be nearby.

    While Li Lang and his companions recollected themselves as they prepared their return to Emberglow, the old man reappeared inside a tent a distance away, located within Nightmoon Valley¡¯s encampment.

    ¡°How did it go, Master?¡± Jian Beiyun asked.

    ¡°Hm, their bone age should be correct. But they are still one of the more likely suspects among all the participants who entered the pocket realm this year.¡±

    ¡°Master¡ª¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Stop. It is not solely because they are from the righteous sect¡¯s territories. Our agents dug deep. Two of them had just begun cultivating shortly before coming over to our domain,both with only grade one aptitude. How in the world did they make so much progress, even if they switched to demonic cultivation techniques when they had no guidance?¡±

    ¡°Just as there is aptitude for the orthodox sects, there is something similar for us as well, but it¡¯s just not measured. It could simply mean they¡¯re talented in demonic cultivation, right?¡±

    ¡°Beiyun, don¡¯t blindly trust others just because you have interacted with them before. Especially if you know they have a relationship with little Xue. Trust, but verify.¡±

    Just as Jian Beiyun had this conversation with his master, several similar discussions were taking place all over the area. Everyone¡¯s logical conclusion was that Li Lang¡¯s party was among the most suspicious, despite their efforts to blend into the background. However, they all adopted a wait-and-see approach.

    The next day, in The Orchid Covenant¡¯s area, every member gathered within the main tent. There weren¡¯t many people as the youngsters who had previously been ejected had already been sent home. Only a select few chose to stay.

    ¡°On behalf of Head Councilman Liu, I commend these three individuals before me for having lasted the longest among our members,¡± Sheng Zhaoming proclaimed. ¡°While this may normally mean we would all be returning right away, due to this year¡¯s unusual circumstances, we will be staying until the pocket realm is closed. All of you may leave ahead of time if you would like, but you¡¯ll have to wait if you would like to travel back with us.¡±

    Upon hearing the offer, Li Lang instantly wanted to agree. But he then remembered how the Skyrunner they had was much slower than the Skyvessel they took to get here. In fact, they hadn¡¯t even brought their Skyrunner here. It was still back in Emberglow City. Even if they did have it, Li Lang calculated that it would be faster if he simply ejected the last five remaining cultivators from the pocket realm within the next week.

    Waiting was usually dreaded when one didn¡¯t know how long they had to endure. Having complete control, it was a piece of cake for Li Lang to wait a week.

    The only downside of their situation was that they would often come face-to-face with one of their former enemies, Sheng Haoran. Having their tents nearby, they ran into each other first thing in the morning.

    ¡°Stop blocking the way. Who do you guys think you are after lasting in the pocket realm due to external factors? You only got lucky!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, were you in the pocket realm at all? Because I didn¡¯t see you,¡± Long Yi taunted.

    This sparked a verbal spar between the two. The conflict ended as quickly as it started. Both sides found their argument to be pointless. There were even signs that Sheng Haoran didn¡¯t want to escalate their animosity further.

    ¡°Enough! I may have misspoken, but I don¡¯t have time for this. There¡¯s money to be made!¡±

    With a flick of his sleeve, Sheng Haoran stormed off. His words piqued the trio¡¯s interest.

    ¡°What do you think he¡¯s talking about?¡± Long Yi inquired.

    ¡°M-maybe he¡¯s assisting a s-senior with some matters for p-pay?¡±

    ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t seem like a bad idea to pass the time,¡± Li Lang paused, catching on to his own words. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯ve trained so much that we¡¯re considering helping someone with their work being a good way to pass the time.¡±

    Long Yi then drew their attention by pointing toward the fading back of Sheng Haoran.

    ¡°So, are we going or not? We¡¯re going to lose him if we don¡¯t decide now.¡±

    It only took Li Lang a split second to decide. He knew his plans after returning to society would require quite a sum to fund his research. Any money made was another step forward for his cause.

    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±

    The trio proceeded to tail their fellow disciple and soon departed from the area allocated to The Orchid Covenant. He didn¡¯t stray far, heading straight to an odd-looking wooden building at the center of all the encampments.

    ¡°This¡­ is a teahouse?¡± Long Yi muttered.

    Seeing how no one had stopped Sheng Haoran from entering, the three of them continued onward. They entered into the lobby of the first floor unhindered.

    Immediately, they could overhear several ongoing conversations overlapping just off to the side. It was there they found a few dozen cultivators sitting around, sipping from their cups. The noise was especially loud from one corner of the establishment. The table was surrounded by several people, with Sheng Haoran among them.

    ¡°A gambling stall? With all these cultivators?¡± Li Lang immediately recognized the scene before him.

    The three stared, frozen in place.

    Li Lang experienced it himself when he participated in the annual competition hosted by his organization. He had even bet on himself and his companions, earning him a hefty sum. This meant it wasn¡¯t a surprising sight, definitely not enough to take the winds out of their sails. The thing that had stunned the trio was the person standing behind the table.

    They had seen him briefly before they entered the pocket realm. He was also someone who had helped them reach Emberglow City back when they were like lost chicks loitering around Polarity City. They had thought he was a respectable person of status, which was why they were so lost upon seeing him working the gambling table like a mortal.

    None of them tried to hide their gaze, so it was inevitable Jian Beiyun, the man in question, would notice them. From reading their expression, he instantly knew what they were thinking about. He could only give them an embarrassed smile as he gestured for them to approach.

 Chapter 129: Commemoration

    ¡°So, you guys finally came out. The three of you sure have grown a lot.¡± Jian Beiyun paused as he looked over the three young men¡¯s height. ¡°How is Sima Xue doing? Has she hit a growth spurt as well?¡±

    ¡°Um, you could say that,¡± Li Lang replied. ¡°She¡¯s been busy preparing to take the next major step.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m thankful Tang Yulian is in there with her. Otherwise, I would think she would¡¯ve rushed her attempt a long time ago. Anyway, you guys did a lot better than most expected. I hope you made use of this opportunity to your fullest and have no regrets.¡±

    ¡°Of course. We wouldn¡¯t dare to waste any opportunity given to us,¡± Li Lang smirked. ¡°I see you have also taken advantage of this opportunity here.¡±

    Seeing Li Lang direct his gaze toward the gambling table, Jian Beiyun cleared his throat.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as much of an opportunity as it is a way to prevent disputes between the distinguished parties here.¡±

    Li Lang silently nodded as he surveyed the people around them. He wasn¡¯t knowledgeable about the ways those from famous organizations within the Luminescent Domain dressed, but he could read between the lines. A brief exchange of glances with Wei Ping confirmed it.

    However, one person among them was completely clueless. Long Yi made no attempts to hide his intrusive gaze as he tried to identify the other people within the teahouse. That lasted until a timely elbow from Wei Ping.

    It was Li Lang¡¯s turn to clear his throat this time.

    ¡°Anyway, I see that you have all these names listed on the table. Are you guys betting on who remains the longest?¡±

    ¡°That is the most basic way to bet, yes. You can also bet on individuals, go for a trifecta or even a superfecta. If you prefer something more unorthodox, you can practically bet anything you want as long as you find someone to bet with. We can act as the middlemen in that case.¡±

    Changing the subject quickly, Li Lang¡¯s eyes swiftly honed in on the gambling. He had made a small fortune during his previous hand at it, and he smelled an opportunity to do so again. He spotted most of the names crossed out, with the exception of five. They represented the final five cultivators who remained within the pocket realm.

    Previously, Li Lang had asked the Blue to send everyone out of the realm with them, except for the top five. This was purely based on their remaining trial points.

    Blue, Orange, and Green may have been able to make a more precise judgment regarding who had more potential, but that wasn¡¯t important. Li Lang decided it was better to go with the method that the external parties could quickly figure out. After all, enough strange events had taken place, and they would definitely investigate everything in detail afterward. He wanted to keep up the appearance of the artifact spirit executing simple old instructions.

    The point was to weave a clear narrative, so they wouldn¡¯t investigate too much into it.

    Unbeknownst to them, the organizations within the Luminescent domain were already pulling their hair out due to all the recent developments. They were already investigating in full force. The pocket realm had somehow ceased ejecting people after the three-year mark before kicking a majority out two years later.

    ¡°Can a-anyone place bets?¡± Wei Ping asked, having seen Li Lang¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Of course. On Nightmoon Valley¡¯s name, we will ensure the fairness of any bets while Myriad Bones Pavilion¡¯s financial capability will ensure the pay should you win.¡±

    Jian Beiyun then continued by explaining the various rates listed. The ones for betting on individuals were simple, but the trifecta and superfectas had more complicated ways of calculating payouts.

    Li Lang¡¯s greed was easily stirred upon hearing those numbers. His upcoming future was expected to be costly. Few ever complained about having too much wealth. It would even be earned under the auspice of Nightmoon Valley, making it almost impossible for any organization to get away with targeting his earnings. It was the perfect opportunity for Li Lang to make a fortune.

    The question was if it was worth it.

    It shouldn¡¯t give away anything, would it? It¡¯s just pure luck. Guessing the correct order for all five cultivators should come out to zero point eight-three percent chance. Just around one percent. It¡¯s not too outrageous¡­

    Having spent years together, it only took one look before Wei Ping understood his intentions.

    ¡°Are t-there any minimum or m-maximum bets, Senior Jian?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, you three. Bet as much as you want. Let me do warn you, though. Only bet what you can afford to lose. You don¡¯t want to experience what poverty feels like.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°O-of course. I think w-we should just place a b-bet to commemorate our t-time at the pocket realm. How a-about it, Boss?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Taking the lead, Wei Ping quickly placed his bets. He then urged Long Yi next. They each used their own money, betting only a few Qi stones.

    When it was Li Lang¡¯s turn, he showed much deeper pockets.

    ¡°Li Lang, are you serious? You want to bet a thousand Qi stones? Your companions only bet a few. Shouldn¡¯t you show some restraint?¡±

    ¡°Senior Jian, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve saved up some money from refining pills. After our experiences in the pocket realm, all three of us should have no trouble earning this amount back.¡±

    ¡°Li Lang¡­You do realize the higher cultivation you have, the more expensive the things you¡¯ll need will be? A thousand Qi stones are equal to ten red spirit crystals. That¡¯s enough to purchase some basic Earth-grade resources.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t regret it, senior.¡±

    ¡°As long as you understand, very well then.¡±

    Jian Beiyun no longer bothered to convince the young man. He had tried his best and sometimes it was best for youth to learn a lesson. Sometimes, one had to touch the steaming kettle to learn it was hot.

    From his point of view, ten red crystals were not a lot. A regular Foundation Establishment cultivator may not agree, but his background was extraordinary.

    While he realized it may be worth a lot to mortals, it was a great opportunity for the three youngsters to experience some setbacks.

    With the bets finalized, Li Lang¡¯s party didn¡¯t spend any more time at the teahouse. They didn¡¯t exactly fit in, and there was an important job of relaying some vital information to the pocket realm to be done.

    Just like with Ruby, Li Lang lost contact with his new artifact spirits as soon as he got out of range. Unlike Ruby, Blue and her two companions had enough strength to travel to Li Lang¡¯s side. However, with all the experts around, they didn¡¯t even fathom performing such a stupid move. That meant Li Lang needed to approach the pocket realm once more to fix the results.

    With their Skyrunner left behind in Emberglow, the three used their own two legs to navigate toward the four pillars that acted as the entrance to the pocket realm. They had previously passed through the same spot, entering the center part in between the four pillars before being teleported inside.

    The location was right at the center of all the different encampments, so it was harder to lose sight of it than not.

    Numerous cultivators noticed the approach of the youngsters, but none really cared. More than several young disciples would approach the entrance once more in an attempt to find a way back into the pocket realm. It was such a common occurrence that it was practically tradition.

    This allowed Li Lang¡¯s party to come into contact with the four mysterious pillars unhindered. Placing a hand on the finely carved beam, Li Lang managed to establish a telepathic line to his three new artifact spirits. It didn¡¯t take long for him to convey his new instructions.

    ¡°Master, are you sure you want to allow this Gui Tianzi to come out last?¡± Orange inquired. ¡°I thought you were closer to Sima Xue and Tang Yulian?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. There isn¡¯t that big of a difference in time. They should all know the pocket realm is acting strangely, so they shouldn¡¯t even take it as a real defeat.¡±

    Now that money was on the line, Li Lang wanted to finish this affair and put it behind him as soon as possible. There were a lot of things waiting for him to do. Not to talk about his research into mass-producing talismans via printing, he also had an errand he promised Liang Po.

    There¡¯s also buying tofu pudding for Sima Xue, but that can wait. Maybe she¡¯ll even forget once she breaks through.

    He couldn¡¯t wait to return to Emberglow City and report to his mentors. All the new knowledge he gained meant the guidance of a mentor was even more valuable. Instead of stumbling around himself to figure out enchantment, he could just ask Yi Lin.

    With that in mind, he had set the dates of the last five cultivators¡¯ return to be within the week.

    Compared to five years inside the pocket realm, a week passed by in a flash. For the older cultivators who lived over centuries, it felt even shorter.

    Two days after Li Lang¡¯s group had exited the pocket realm, people began appearing with an interval of one day.

    ¡°Hei Qiu from the Fang Garden has returned!¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t fix the results to the highest payout. That would be too suspicious. That was why the three geniuses came next.

    ¡°Liang Po from the Myriad Bones Pavilion is the next to return!¡±

    ¡°Tang Yulian¡­¡±

    How swiftly they came out caught the various organizations off-guard. They expected the five remaining disciples to remain inside for a special reason. Chance encounters normally wouldn¡¯t be this quick. Seeing them come one after the other after only a few days made them unable to deduce the reasoning behind it.

    The most surprising of all, the last one to return, wasn¡¯t one of the three famed geniuses. Everyone had thought it would be Tang Yulian, as she was confirmed to have broken through first. If the other two geniuses broke through in time, they may also have a chance due to their other advantages. They were completely flabbergasted when they saw Sima Xue¡¯s return.

    ¡°Who is this Gui Tianzi? How come we¡¯ve heard so little of him before?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much either! I only know he¡¯s from the Eroding March Pavilion, and those guys are¡ªyou know. Not the most pleasant bunch to be around.¡±

    ¡°Then quick, go talk to Elder An. Despite everything that¡¯s happening, we can¡¯t falter when it comes to keeping track of geniuses. Who knows when they¡¯ll realize their potential and change up the landscape of everything!¡±

    Amidst all this hype and confusion, a lone boy exited out of the pocket realm under the hungry eyes of all the spectators. He knew he would draw attention when he realized he was the last one remaining, but he was completely oblivious as to why. Everyone stared at him like a hawk. Cold sweat built up on his brow as numerous figures of authority scrutinized every inch of his body.

    Everyone thought the same thing.

    ¡°This is him?¡±

 Chapter 130: Forced Q&A

    Under the scrutiny of numerous cultivators, Gui Tianzi slowly walked out from the entrance of the pocket realm. He normally had a cold demeanor, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t feel nervous. It couldn¡¯t be helped as he was only an Energy Gathering cultivator and a junior at that. The intense gaze from a group of cultivators who were each exponentially stronger than him was not to be trifled with.

    Thankfully for him, his ordeal was short. He didn¡¯t even make it a dozen steps before a strange-looking man appeared beside him. He had sunken eyes and many age spots scattered around his face. Anyone who saw him would deem him unhealthy, wondering if he was suffering from some sort of sickness.

    When Gui Tianzi saw this old man, his face brightened, and the tension in his body visibly dissipated.

    ¡°Elder An, I have returned,¡± he clasped his fist politely.

    ¡°And so you have. We shall return to our camp and prepare to depart immediately. The Pavilion Master will be eager to hear from you.¡±

    Elder An placed a hand on the young man¡¯s shoulder and prepared to exit the area. Before they could leave, several people blocked their path.

    ¡°Congratulations Old An and Young Master Gui for having lasted longest in the pocket realm. As one of the most talented people in this generation, it isn¡¯t proper to be leaving in such a hurry. We¡¯re all eager to hear from such a promising star.¡±

    ¡°Sifong, get out of the way. I don¡¯t care to hear the crap from your mouth.¡±

    Elder An didn¡¯t hide his hostility, and the tension thickened. Even a countryside mortal could sense that a fight could erupt at any time. The sickly elder got into a combat stance with one fist close to his chest while an open palm faced his opponent. He didn¡¯t stop there and even employed a strange technique.

    The skin of his palm burst out from within and a gray worm with rows and rows of sharp teeth let out a threatening screech. It was the scene out of some people¡¯s nightmares.

    However, few people in the audience were alarmed at the scene. Ever since they knew the last person remaining in the pocket realm belonged to the Eroding March Pavilion, everyone had done ample research on them.

    They were famous for employing various unnerving techniques that involved insects, invertebrates, arthropods, and other small creatures. The gruesome outcome of being on the receiving end of these techniques could be easily imagined, which normally caused people to keep their distance from this organization.

    As the tension crescendoed, several cultivators finally acted. Three more figures appeared alongside Sikong, who had opposed the Eroding March Pavilion members. One of them stepped forward and flashed an amiable smile.

    ¡°Elder An, what Elder Sifong says is not unreasonable. Perhaps you could delay your departure briefly, so youngster Gui could enlighten us to some things. After all, we have witnessed various unusual phenomena from the pocket realm this year.¡±

    The elders beside the speaker all nodded in agreement.

    Elder An grimaced upon recognizing the situation. He had expected that Sifong would be making trouble for him, but he didn¡¯t account for so many others supporting him. This was because the Eroding March Pavilion had never come into the spotlight like this before. Their members shared the trait of keeping a low profile and kept socializing to a minimum. In turn, this meant they had few allies, and now they suffered for it.

    The old man glanced around rapidly and finally landed his gaze on Jian Beiyun.

    ¡°Fine, but a day is all I can spare. In the interest of efficiency, I would like to humbly request Nightmoon Valley to arbitrate the discussion.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jian Beiyun nodded. ¡°We can do so immediately, but let¡¯s relocate to a better venue, shall we?¡±

    No one in the area questioned the Nightmoon Valley¡¯s head disciple, and they all soon found themselves back on the first floor of the teahouse.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Throughout the short trip there, Gui Tianzi could only stay silent and accept the situation. He had even begun to wonder how it had arrived at this. Despite thoroughly going through his memories, there was no way he would figure out that his predicament was due to a certain young man.

    <hr>

    ¡°Wow, they¡¯re really grilling him. The sun had set ages ago and they are all still in the same position,¡± Long Yi whispered to his companions.

    He was the tallest person among the trio, easily able to see everything going on in the teahouse. There was a large crowd gathered, centered around the man who had remained in the pocket realm for the longest. The elders sat closest to the proceedings while the younger disciples gathered on the periphery. This meant Li Lang and Wei Ping could barely see a thing.

    Hearing Long Yi¡¯s words, Li Lang scratched his cheek. He silently prayed for the young man being interrogated.

    I¡¯m sorry, whatever your name is. I swear I have nothing against you. It¡¯s just you had the highest payout for being the last one out.

    The only thing that lessened Li Lang¡¯s guilt was the fact he had to stay throughout the proceedings as well. He was waiting to cash in on his bet, and for that, he would have to wait until the interrogation was over.

    It was a tedious ordeal with numerous questions being different variations of the same thing. If not for Jian Beiyun mediating, Li Lang was sure the crowd wouldn¡¯t let the poor man go tomorrow, despite the deal.

    Everyone was curious as to why this particular youngster managed to stay within the pocket realm for the longest. He was only at the peak of Energy Gathering, at the ninth stage. Compared to the three geniuses, he wasn¡¯t anything special.

    While the older generation was invested in the answers, the younger generation was long bored with this affair. They spent the time quietly gossiping.

    ¡°Did you see Sima Xue and Tang Yulian? They¡¯re both so beautiful now!¡±

    ¡°An ugly toad who wants to eat swan meat, ha! My advice is to stop drooling over fantasy and focus on cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shut up! I was just admiring them. Are you one of their die-hard fans, protecting their name or something?¡±

    ¡°You boys are so vulgar. Maybe that¡¯s what is to be expected of people who could barely stay inside for a year.¡±

    While the younger generation whispered, as a whole, they were slowly growing louder and louder. Many of them were bored and were getting carried away. The only spot where this was untrue was where the subjects of gossip were.

    ¡°Li Lang,¡± Sima Xue whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about your promise of tofu pudding. I¡¯ll come to hold you up to that once I stabilize my cultivation.¡±

    I guess she didn¡¯t forget that easily. Hopefully, there¡¯s no premium edition of tofu pudding made with expensive Qi ingredients.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be in Emberglow City. Can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll be there when you come, though. I have some plans that may involve traveling.¡±

    ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry. As a powerful Foundation Establishment cultivator now, I¡¯ll easily be able to track you down.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course. Do as you will, oh esteemed expert.¡±

    ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    Even while bantering, Li Lang kept tabs on the man behind him. His white hair made him stick out in crowds, so it was harder for Li Lang to ignore him than not.

    He knew Liang Po was there waiting for a chance to speak with him. Ever since they saw each other today, his eyes hadn¡¯t left him.

    Under that watchful gaze, the questioning continued. It was only when the sun began to rise that the event ended. Li Lang wasted no time and honed in on a tired-looking Jian Beiyun.

    ¡°Senior Jian, can you please payout my bet? I plan on leaving today.¡±

    ¡°What? Oh, that,¡± the weary man sighed. ¡°Give me one second. Let¡¯s see here. Li Lang, Li Lang. One thousand Qi stones. Bet on Gui Tianzi coming in first place, then Sima Xue and Tang Yulian¡­You got them all right. That¡¯s¡­what can I say? Congratulations. Can¡¯t believe you guessed the exact order for all five of them.¡±

    The Nightmoon Valley¡¯s head disciple blinked blankly at the lucky man before him but didn¡¯t comment further.

    ¡°Haha, thank you.¡±

    Li Lang chose his words carefully. He didn¡¯t know if anyone present had lie-detection abilities, and he couldn¡¯t fail now when he had come this far.

    ¡°So give me a second to calculate the rates. Hmm, I only did the math for the most likely outcomes. This result was entirely unexpected,¡± Jian Beiyun commented as he worked on an abacus. ¡°Okay, so your payout should be two hundred and seventeen times your bet. That comes to two hundred and seventeen thousand spirit stones or twenty-one orange and seventy red spirit crystals. Here.¡±

    A brown bag was thrown at Li Lang. He quickly peered into the bag and was tongue-tied at the sight. He saw it filled with beautiful gems that sparkled even in the darkness of the bag.

    This should be more than enough to fund my cultivation and research. If my aptitude wasn¡¯t so low, it may even be enough for up until I reach Violet Core!

 Chapter 131: Striking Gold

    Despite his excitement at his newfound wealth, Li Lang was a little taken aback. Jian Beiyun had casually thrown a sizeable sum at him without a second thought. Li Lang knew the powerful cultivators were wealthy to the point that it was on another dimension, but it was still hard to process.

    It was what happened when the world possessed superhumans. Their sense of value was on an entirely different plane to those beneath them. They had the ability to forcefully take the belongings of everyone weaker than them. So it was a given that the wealth they possessed was drastically higher as well.

    It was Li Lang¡¯s first time seeing a red spirit crystal, not to mention orange ones. It was normally reserved for the wealthiest Foundation Establishment cultivators and above. In fact, many Foundation Establishment experts didn¡¯t even have one orange spirit crystal.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped. They were cultivators and not businessmen. Despite their ability to earn more, their consumption was just as high. They were the type of people willing to spend all their wealth to progress their cultivation. In a way, they weren¡¯t wrong in doing so, as the more powerful they were, the easier it was to regain the spent wealth. Advancing to the next stage of cultivation was much more important than accumulating wealth.

    While Li Lang was lost in thought at the implications of his newly gained wealth, a hand on his shoulder broke him free from his musing.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Jian Beiyun asked.

    ¡°Oh, apologies, Senior. I got a little overwhelmed. It¡¯s my first time seeing red and orange spirit crystals.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, it¡¯s not something Energy Gatherers often come into contact with. My advice is to buy a space ring as soon as you can and keep them out of sight.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t bother to stick around any further as he knew how tired Jian Beiyun had grown over the course of the question session.

    He swiftly returned to his companions and left the teahouse for their organization¡¯s encampment.

    ¡°Goodbye for now,¡± Sima Xue waved. ¡°Remember to save some money for my tofu pudding. Now that I¡¯m in the Foundation Establishment, I expect Earth-grade quality food.¡±

    At her teasing, a rare chuckle escaped Tang Yulian.

    ¡°Good luck to you guys. Do come find me if you find yourself in Calm Port.¡±

    The two quickly disappeared from view, returning to their respective organizations. With Huang Si already missing ever since they left the pocket realm, only the trio remained. That was with the exception of the silver-haired boy who had been lurking in the background.

    ¡°Li Lang, you¡¯ll stay at Emberglow City until you hear back from me, right? You won¡¯t suddenly disappear to go on a trip?¡±

    Li Lang was not surprised Liang Po had heard about his plans to travel. He had talked about it with Sima Xue when he was nearby, after all.

    ¡°Yes. The traveling won¡¯t start until I hear back from you. Though I¡¯m only waiting six months at most.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s plenty of time for me to write the letter. Thanks.¡±

    The trio had spoken about the request from Liang Po before, so they didn¡¯t dwell on the subject. They headed back to their encampment to prepare for their return to Emberglow City. With all the matters settled, it was easy to convince Councilman Sheng to set off the next morning. The time they saved when traveling with a powerful elder was more than just a few days.

    They had arrived at the pocket realm riding on a Skyvessel, but they would be leaving on a regular Skyrunner. The Orchid Covenant¡¯s disciples had already departed by themselves once they were eliminated. Head Councilman had long returned, so all they had left was Councilman Sheng¡¯s personal Skyrunner.

    They headed out in the early morning and managed to return to Emberglow in the later parts of the afternoon. If the trio had to trek the same distance on their own Skyrunner, it would have taken an entire week, at the very least.

    Sheng Zhaoming had flown them straight back to The Orchid Covenant¡¯s headquarters. As the last few members to leave the pocket realm, they were expected to report to their leader.

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    ¡°Wait here. Someone will call you in after I am done talking to the Head Councilman,¡± Councilman Sheng ordered.

    The old man then left them behind in the corridor, right outside the Head Councilman¡¯s room. The only other person present was Sheng Haoran, who had tagged along with his grandfather throughout the trip. The two parties awkwardly stared at each other, without a single word being exchanged.

    It was the result of their history. They were once antagonistic toward each other, but now things were different. Li Lang didn¡¯t want to waste energy on useless conflicts while Sheng Haoran didn¡¯t want to continue their enmity. Despite the strange circumstances, staying inside the pocket realm for five years was a huge accomplishment.

    Combined with the fact they had all aged and matured throughout the years, both parties wanted to avoid any conflict.

    This caused them to just silently stare at each other, at a loss for words.

    Hmm, it seems like he doesn¡¯t know that I was the one who sabotaged him inside the pocket realm. As long as he¡¯s over it, I¡¯m over it too.

    For better or worse, the awkward staring ceased when several newcomers arrived from the stairway. Half a dozen familiar faces soon approached.

    It only took a second for Li Lang to recognize them. Some of them were the other disciples who had entered the pocket realm together. Specifically, they were part of the noble faction, who were essentially stuck-up young masters. Two among them were even Sheng Haoran¡¯s companions who had previously ambushed them together.

    Li Lang hadn¡¯t seen any of them ever since he entered the pocket realm, but it was obvious the ones who did enter had been eliminated at some point before he knew it.

    ¡°Those guys did return! They are probably the luckiest members of our covenant since its inception!¡±

    ¡°Right? I can¡¯t believe this scrawny little masked freak not only got lucky and got selected, but even got a free pass to frolic in the pocket realm due to some anomaly,¡± one of them said as they sneered at Wei Ping. ¡°I bet you fifty Qi stones that he wasted his time making that new mask instead of doing anything useful.¡±

    ¡°What do you have to say? Is my friend here, right?¡±

    The group sized Li Lang¡¯s party up as they approached with a smirk. Whether it was due to being the smallest member of their party or the mask they didn¡¯t like, they had set their sights on Wei Ping first.

    ¡°None of your b-business,¡± Wei Ping replied, ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Before he could continue, the group of haughty young masters abruptly descended into laughter. Some held onto their stomach and bent their body ninety degrees as they guffawed while others were wiping away their tears.

    ¡°Hahaha, this guy can¡¯t even speak properly. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to stay in the realm by relying on his own merits.¡±

    ¡°Our covenant sure has fallen on some hard times. To think we have someone like him amongst us. Young man, I advise you to share everything you have received from the trials. What you have may be at a low level, but it would be much more useful in our hands than yours. That goes for you two as well.¡±

    Naturally, the latter part of his words were meant for Li Lang and Long Yi. The group didn¡¯t let the two stay out of it, either. They walked past Sheng Haoran to confront the trio. As expected, they treated him as part of their group.

    What they didn¡¯t expect was neither of Wei Ping¡¯s companions had planned to stay on the sideline in the first place. Just as Long Yi was about to jump into action, his shorter friend wearing the mask gestured for him to stop.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you g-guys should be the one laughing. I don¡¯t remember seeing any of y-you in the realm. W-when did you guys even drop out? Or were none of y-you selected?¡±

    The sharp retort managed to silence the young cultivators. In fact, it even riled one of them up.

    ¡°You court death! The pocket realm obviously was acting strange. It only kicked us out due to irregularities.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Junior Fei,¡± one of the older boys stepped forth to calm things down. ¡°There¡¯s no need to get angry. I know you¡¯re better than them. I may have been too old to get selected, but I can tell incompetence when I see it. They¡¯re just gutter trash that not even the orthodox people want.¡±

    This time, not even Wei Ping managed to stop his giant of a friend from taking action. Long Yi ignored every signal from his companions and rushed toward the older man who had just spoken. He was dead set on intimidating the young masters with his martial prowess.

    Despite how menacing it was for someone of that size to charge at them, the young masters only watched on in amusement. It was as if they were assured everything was under their control. They seemed even eager for Long Yi to strike first so they could justify the use of force.

    The moment Long Yi prepared to strike, a figure suddenly appeared before him. Using their back, they gently redirected Long Yi to the side and placed himself between the two parties.

    ¡°All of you, enough!¡±

    Upon seeing the person who had intervened, the young masters¡¯ eyes widened in surprise. No one in Li Lang¡¯s group could see the face of the interloper, as he had his back turned. However, they did recognize the clothes and voice. After all, he had been beside them all day.

    Why is Sheng Haoran getting involved now? Is he really working to resolve the dispute? It¡¯s not likely he just got a change of heart and wants to antagonize us now, but you never know when it comes to people.

    After all, we did screw up his friend¡¯s chances of entering the pocket realm. I also threw that talisman at him while we were in there. Let¡¯s just hope he¡¯s not the type that are slaves to their emotions.

 Chapter 132: Settling Back

    ¡°All of you, enough!¡± Sheng Haoran yelled out as he intervened in the scuffle between his friend and Long Yi.

    His attempt at defusing the situation had temporarily succeeded, as all parties were stunned into silence. His companions were dumbfounded as they wondered why he had intervened. Long Yi was rational enough to know he had no malicious intentions, thus allowing him to redirect his charge.

    All parties waited on Sheng Haoran¡¯s next words with bated breath.

    ¡°We¡¯re all from the same organization. There¡¯s no need for this, especially when we¡¯re right outside the Head Councilman¡¯s office.¡±

    ¡°Haoran, you should know better than to group us together with these buffoons,¡± the older disciple among them replied. ¡°While their achievement is commendable, even if it was due to luck, they should still share the techniques they learned with more talented cultivators like us.¡±

    ¡°Senior Bei, you may be misunderstanding something here. These three didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Sheng Haoran took a moment to look back at the trio. It was obvious he was hesitant, but that changed the moment he breathed in deeply and composed himself. With a determined look in his eyes, he turned back to his companions.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to admit these three had a better showing than me within the pocket realm. Their learning ability is above me. They even tutored the geniuses from not only the Bloodwave Conclave, but the Eternal Wave Sect and Nightmoon Valley as well.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± yelps of surprise filled the hallway.

    All the cultivators who hadn¡¯t entered the pocket realm were shocked. That couldn¡¯t be helped, as the people Sheng Haoran mentioned felt just too out of reach for most of them. They were like celebrities who they only heard rumors of.

    It seems Sheng Haoran has been keeping tabs on us while in the pocket realm. I¡¯m starting to feel guilty for sabotaging him now¡­

    ¡°You mean Tang Yulian and Sima Xue?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sheng Haoran nodded. ¡°In that regard, I¡¯m no match for their social skills, either. They befriended them, so I¡¯d advise you guys to just get along with them.¡±

    While most of the young masters were mulling over his words, the two who had ambushed Li Lang¡¯s party with him back during the annual tournament stepped forward. They grabbed onto Sheng Haoran¡¯s shoulders and shook him.

    ¡°Haoran, are you okay? What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. After what I¡¯ve experienced this time around, I¡¯m no longer afraid to admit my shortcomings. It seems I still have a lot to work on. Only when you can accept your faults that you can start to improve.¡±

    A strange atmosphere took hold of the hallway. No one really knew how to approach the situation anymore, but thankfully, it didn¡¯t last long.

    As if to purposely save them from the awkwardness, the doors to the Head Councilman¡¯s office opened.

    Sheng Zhaoming walked out and regarded each person in the hallway briefly before settling his sights on Li Lang.

    ¡°You guys may enter. Head Councilman Liu is waiting for you.¡±

    He then rested a hand on his grandson and smiled appreciatively at him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Your mom has been looking forward to your return.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s party waited no further and entered the room. The doors automatically closed behind them, leaving the young masters still dumbfounded in the hallway.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in the mood to go to the theatre anymore. I¡¯m heading off to the library.¡±

    ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll come too.¡±

    Having gotten a reality check, the young masters decided to work just a bit harder than they usually did. They all thought if these nobodies could get acquainted with the geniuses of their generations, so could they.

    On the other hand, Li Lang had completely put the incident behind him. There were too many things on his mind to have room for these squabbles. This was especially so when he had the Head Councilman in front of him.

    ¡°Li Lang, Wei Ping, and Long Yi. It¡¯s been quite a while, but we meet again,¡± the old man smiled.

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    ¡°Greetings to head Councilman Liu,¡± the three said in unison as they clasped their fists.

    ¡°Relax and sit. I just wanted to have a casual chat. After all, it¡¯s been five years since I¡¯ve seen you three. That may not be a long time for me, but that¡¯s almost a third of your lives.¡±

    Li Lang nodded and took the seat directly before the old leader. While what Liu Haiping said wasn¡¯t exactly correct for his situation, he had to admit he did spend a lot of time within the pocket realm.

    It didn¡¯t feel like it, though. I spent most of our time doing monotonous training and repeating the same tests over and over again. It only feels like it¡¯s been a year or two.

    The conversation proceeded in the direction the three had expected. They were asked numerous questions concerning their experiences. The Head Councilman even reminded them that everything they earned inside the pocket realm was theirs to keep, but they could also submit it to the covenant for rewards. It was obvious he was suggesting they share the techniques they learned.

    Having gotten their stories straight months before, the three collaborated in their retelling of the story they had devised. It was the exact same story they had told Sheng Zhaoming.

    When they finally got out of the meeting, they all rushed to find an inn to retire for the night. They knew they would be gone for a prolonged amount of time when they left, so they had to find a new dwelling. Li Lang had stowed all the belongings they didn¡¯t take with them with his brushweaving master, Yi Lin.

    However, they were too tired to go retrieve their stuff today. They immediately ate a hearty meal and fell asleep right after.

    Early the next morning, they traveled together to the small abode where Yi Lin lived. They walked slowly, as they basked in the morning sun, and watched others scurrying about to begin their day. It was a sight they hadn¡¯t seen in a long time and a refreshing one.

    ¡°Do you guys remember the names of those guys who provoked us yesterday?¡± Long Yi innocently asked.

    ¡°Why w-would you want to know?¡±

    ¡°To get back at them, of course.¡±

    ¡°D-don¡¯t! You¡¯ll get p-punished for inflicting v-violence on the members of the same organization.¡±

    ¡°Relax. I don¡¯t mean physically. There are lots of ways to get back at them. How about we sneak some laxatives into their food and drinks? Or maybe skin irritants on their inner robes? What do you think, Li Lang?¡±

    Having been called out, Li Lang could only shake his head. At the mention of the incident from the day prior, his feeling of guilt toward Sheng Haoran resurfaced. They had started off on the wrong foot, but upon reflection, he may have gone too far. Sheng Haoran was still a kid at the end of the day, and Li Lang had sabotaged a pivotal moment in his life.

    While the rational part of him that was well-versed in biology wanted to blame his teenage body for his emotionally driven decision, he knew he still should¡¯ve retained more control. With that in mind, he began lecturing his friend so he wouldn¡¯t stray down the same path.

    ¡°Long Yi, it¡¯s better to forget about it. If you¡¯re going to remember something, don¡¯t let it be the negatives. The positives are much more worthwhile.¡±

    Seeing Long Yi speechless as he mulled over his words, Li Lang continued.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to say that you should go thank Sheng Haoran instead of holding a grudge against those who confronted us. He stood up for us. You¡¯ll find that your life will become a lot happier if you start remembering the people who helped you instead of the people who wronged you.¡±

    Seeing neither of his companions backed him up in his plots, Long Yi quieted down and fell into deep thought.

    The three continued walking in silence for the remainder part of the trip. Yi Lin¡¯s house wasn¡¯t that far, so it had just been a few minutes.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let it go,¡± Long Yi muttered as they arrived.

    Li Lang chuckled to himself as he knocked on the door.

    He enjoyed mentoring the younger interns back when he first became a senior researcher. Not only did it help him create assistants, but it was never bad to see the youngsters mature. Hearing Long Yi take his words to heart, he felt satisfaction. It was also at these moments that he felt old.

    His smile soon turned into a frown when no one answered the door, despite knocking multiple times. He began to worry that his eccentric master had gone on a trip. Thankfully, that didn¡¯t turn out to be the case.

    The door finally opened after they had knocked on it several dozen times.

    ¡°It that you, Li Lang?¡± a man with messy bed hair peeked out from the door. ¡°I guess my Qi senses weren¡¯t fooling me. It really is you. Woah, you guys have really grown up! I barely recognized you if it wasn¡¯t for my Qi sense.¡±

    Upon seeing how disorderly his mentor was, Li Lang let out a sigh. It had been so long that he had almost forgotten about Yi Lin¡¯s lifestyle.

    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t be awake so early in the morning. What was I thinking?

    ¡°What are you three waiting for? Come in.¡±

    Under Yi Lin¡¯s urging, the three proceeded to retrieve their belongings. They stuffed it all into the Skyrunner they had parked in the back.

    ¡°We¡¯ll h-head back first. I h-have to go report to my m-mentor as well, and Long Yi p-probably has to do the same,¡± Wei Ping informed.

    Very quickly, Li Lang found himself alone with Yi Lin. It was a nostalgic feeling, but another matter took priority over basking in nostalgia.

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Have you decided to continue being my apprentice?¡±

    Before Li Lang departed, he had informed his mentor about leaving for the pocket realm. He even told him he wasn¡¯t sure if he would continue acting as his assistant when he came back. Nevertheless, Yi Lin made it clear he would welcome him back at any point.

    ¡°We can talk about that later. First, I wanted to know if you knew of any material that can be used to store Qi and interact with other objects at the same time.¡±

    Yi Lin was a little taken aback at the fervor of his former apprentice¡¯s questions. It was inevitable as Li Lang had been waiting this entire time to ask this question. The first thing he looked forward to do, now that he was back, was to work on the talisman printer. To do that, he needed a material that could act as a rechargeable battery for Qi and had a stable output.

 Chapter 133: Long Term Goal

    Having been suddenly asked a question, Yi Lin took a moment to recover and put on a thoughtful look.

    ¡°You mean like Qi stones and crystals?¡±

    Li Lang shook his head.

    ¡°Yes, but they aren¡¯t rechargeable and require a cultivator to extract their energy, right? I¡¯m looking for something that could power an artifact by itself.¡±

    ¡°In that case, you may have more luck asking an artificer.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t you know how they are able to form fully functioning artifacts throughout all the partnerships you had with them?¡±

    ¡°Not in detail. I only know it involves processing the cores found in powerful Qi beasts, but that¡¯ll be quite expensive for you. The core only forms when they reach the equivalent of the Foundation Establishment realm of us humans. Not all Qi beasts have them either, only in some of them.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, back to my question. Will you become my student again? I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s only a few times a week. It¡¯s better than getting no help at all.¡±

    ¡°No luck finding a replacement?¡±

    Yi Lin shook his head wistfully. No words needed to be said as to why. All prospective students were likely scared off by how messy Yi Lin was.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t finalized a decision yet,¡± Li Lang continued. ¡°But if I do, it won¡¯t be on a consistent basis. I may have to travel soon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Are you free now?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re working this early in the morning?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m already awake. Why not?¡±

    After five long years, Li Lang once again collaborated with Yi Lin. Having improved in brushweaving tremendously over the years, Li Lang was able to absorb much more than before. Many little things Yi Lin did had escaped his notice before or he hadn¡¯t understood its purpose. Now he knew exactly how skilled Yi Lin was. He easily completed four or five rune talismans with precision and speed.

    This experience allowed Li Lang to fill in the many gaps in his understanding of the profession. This is especially so in the enchanting department. He had been forced to brute force a way to enchant through trial and error. It was a far cry from established techniques that were honed through the generations.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to take my leave now. Thank you for having me.¡±

    ¡°Come back anytime. I¡¯ll be here for the foreseeable future.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t stay until the sunset like he used to. That was because he had another obligation to complete. Back when he met his alchemy mentor, he had made a promise. A promise to Zhao Longwei that entailed sharing alchemy techniques he earned from the pocket realm. A binding contract was even signed, so he had to make good on his promise.

    Li Lang found distances seemed to be shorter than before. He quickly arrived at the Alchemist Guild. It could have been due to his having grown or even his improved cultivation of an eighth-stage Energy Gatherer. Either way, he was quickly guided to a reception room where a middle-aged man with a full beard awaited.

    ¡°A triumphant return, I would say.¡±

    ¡°You flatter me, Senior Zhao. Luck seemed to be on my side. I hope the results will satisfy you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t wait. I¡¯m eager to learn the difference between the techniques used today and those of the olden days.¡±

    Both parties knew what they were here for, so they got right into it. Li Lang spotted paper and brush had already been prepared, so he began transcribing the alchemy techniques down.

    He wouldn¡¯t transcribe them word for word, though. He refused to reveal the fact he had the complete copy down. That was why he only summarized the key points of the technique as he knew it.

    In a way, it was a loophole in the contract they signed. It only indicated he would share the knowledge and said nothing about having to share the complete texts. No one had expected Li Lang to have memorized every detail of the technique. He didn¡¯t even include anything to do with the Primordial Star Fire, as the contract pertained to techniques and not heavenly fires.

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    ¡°Interesting¡­¡±

    Once the Elder began to read what Li Lang wrote down, he swiftly fell into deep thought.

    <hr>

    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Li Lang asked upon reuniting with his friends during the evening.

    ¡°Umm, fine. I let them know I likely won¡¯t stick around in a few months as I focus on my breakthrough.¡±

    Long Yi had reached the ninth stage of Energy Gathering by the time he exited from the pocket realm. With his grade-three aptitude combined with the Cleansing Drug, he reached the point that many considered to be the end of their cultivation. It was the large wall that had left many people hopeless.

    ¡°Did you tell them I¡¯d be dropping by tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I take that as a no, then.¡±

    ¡°You should be fine. As long as you pass the test, they¡¯ll teach you. You¡¯re better at the studying stuff, right?¡±

    ¡°Hopefully better than you. I can¡¯t believe you still haven¡¯t managed to craft a single artifact after all these years.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I only learned the basics before we left.¡±

    While Long Yi had shown talent in his martial prowess, his ability to study was another matter. The further one got into any crafting profession, the more knowledge one would need. It caused Long Yi¡¯s progress in the art of artificing to slow down. Thankfully, his martial ability made up for it during his stay in the pocket realm.

    ¡°Hey, at l-least Long Yi can go find Senior Crucible to m-make up for it later,¡± Wei Ping interjected.

    The three had agreed to refer to The Great Trial of Water Crest as Crucible from henceforth. They didn¡¯t want to leak information by carelessly calling out its name, and it saved them from the mouthful of a name.

    ¡°I doubt he would make good use of that opportunity,¡± Li Lang quipped. ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s fine. We accomplished our goals one way or the other. It¡¯s time I tried my hands at artificing. It¡¯ll be better to design our own artifacts rather than outright buying them.¡±

    Wei Ping and Long Yi exchanged a brief glance but remained silent. Li Lang accomplished incredible things from time to time. First with the Cleansing Drug, then with the pocket realm. They didn¡¯t bother voicing their doubts about whether he could learn about artificing in a short time.

    No one spoke, so Li Lang continued.

    ¡°As we previously discussed. We¡¯re going to be working on creating our own organization in the long term now. We¡¯ll start laying the groundwork as soon as I finish that errand for Liang Po.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t w-we wait until we¡¯ve b-broken through to Foundation Establishment first?¡± Wei Ping questioned.

    ¡°Hmm, that is the common sense, yes. It¡¯s rare for Energy Gatherers to take in their own disciples when they¡¯re still fledglings themselves. But we have different advantages that could entice people to join us.¡±

    ¡°You m-mean the Cleansing Drug.¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll make use of binding contracts to keep news from spreading.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll h-have to quit The Orchid Covenant b-by then, though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Haven¡¯t you noticed already? Our position is no longer the same?¡±

    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Long Yi cut in. ¡°I don¡¯t understand any of this. Not the reason why we have to create our own organization or anything that¡¯s changed. It¡¯s just that we got stronger, right? We¡¯re still far away from being able to establish any organization.¡±

    ¡°I told you this already. In a way, when we¡¯re under someone else¡¯s organization, we¡¯ll be working for them. We¡¯ll be able to gather vastly more resources and have others work for us instead if we form our own group.¡±

    What Li Lang had left unsaid was the fact he could observe his disciples over a long period of time. He could assign them their cultivation techniques, effectively making it one giant experiment for him. From those data, he could formulate his own solutions and techniques.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you already rich? You have enough resources to last well into Foundation Establishment.¡±

    ¡°Long Yi, you forget I have grade one aptitude. My progress will slow down to the appropriate rate as soon as I reach the peak of Energy Gathering. My advantage with the Cleansing Drug will probably be diminished if not gone entirely. The resources required to search for ways to progress faster would be tremendous.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to put you down.¡±

    ¡°No problem. I know.¡±

    Li Lang cleared his throat and directed the conversation back on track.

    ¡°As I was saying. Our position is no longer the same. Have you guys noticed how your mentor has treated you compared to before?¡±

    Wei Ping thoughtfully nodded, while Long Yi urged for an explanation with his look.

    ¡°Your mentor should be acting a little more reserved towards you now, right?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, now that I think about it. They were nicer than before. Or that may be because I hadn¡¯t messed anything up yet.¡±

    Li Lang acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard him and continued.

    ¡°News has spread that we were among the last to remain in the pocket realm. Combined with the gossip of our good relationship with Nightmoon Valley, Eternal Wave Sect, and Myriad Bones Pavilion, people should be treating us more seriously. They can¡¯t verify the authenticity of it, which is why they act carefully lest they piss off those colossal organizations. This means we should be fine even if we leave The Orchid Covenant.¡±

    ¡°As long as we don¡¯t find conflict with others, they won¡¯t find trouble with us. Is what you¡¯re saying, right?¡±

    Li Lang nodded in response, glad that his giant friend was finally caught up to speed. Unfortunately, he would soon be lost again as they discussed the details of their upcoming plans.

 Chapter 134: The Third Craft

    The next morning, Li Lang tagged along with Long Yi to see his artifice mentor. The place they went to wasn¡¯t the Artificer Guild or The Orchid Covenant¡¯s headquarters. Instead, they arrived on a busy commercial street within Emberglow City.

    The city¡¯s populace largely comprised mortals. Those who were below the Foundation Establishment realm were the majority, but this particular street had the highest ratio of high-level cultivators. That was because it was where all the stores that catered to cultivators were located. In fact, Li Lang had once browsed these streets when he investigated the various crafts available to him.

    He had once noticed the lack of brushweaver hardware stores, which led him to conclude the tools were mostly handcrafted by each brushweaver. It affected his decision to choose his mentor and was now where he would find his new mentor.

    Li Lang had the opportunity to search for other artificers to learn under as well, but he decided it was better to join Long Yi. His plan had always been to learn and work together with his friend, so it made sense he would learn the same techniques. He also already knew what this particular mentor asked for in exchange for teaching him.

    The two stepped into a store where various artifacts were displayed. They went straight into the back and entered a workshop area. There was a small forge in the corner, but the place mainly consisted of workbenches and cabinets. Only one person was inside the room, and they were sitting silently in the corner.

    ¡°Elder Tie, this is my friend, Li Lang, who also wants to study artificing under you,¡± Long Yi politely introduced his friend.

    Li Lang immediately moved to clasp his fist and bow to the well-built woman with her hair tied up into a large bun.

    ¡°Elder Tie, I am Li Lang.¡±

    The woman sat there silently with perfect posture, highlighting her strong build. Her hands were wrapped around a rounding hammer that she hugged close. She silently regarded the two young men before her with a neutral expression.

    ¡°As you know, I am Tie Qian. I assume Long Yi has already told you of my conditions?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Elder. I¡¯m willing to undergo your test and complete any chores you ask of me while I¡¯m studying under you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to answer a question for me first, before any tests. For what reason do you want to learn artificing?¡±

    ¡°Reason?¡± Li Lang repeated. ¡°I simply wish to broaden my horizons and maybe create artifacts of my own.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. If it was so, every cultivator would become an artificer and artifacts would become common. Long Yi here told me he wanted to utilize the opportunity the pocket realm offered. It may be a short-term goal, but it was a clear goal to work towards nevertheless. Now that that goal has been completed, his progress has stalled. That¡¯s why I believe goals to strive towards are vital. I want to know if you have a goal to work towards.¡±

    Being called out, Long Yi could only silently look away as he played with his hair. He had no words with which to defend himself. He knew his talents in artificing were limited, and that it would take him more time to master.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang took a moment to consider his answer. If he had all the time in the world and no pressing matters to attend to, he would want to learn all the unique crafts of this new world. It was purely to sate his curiosity.

    Unfortunately, the world was not an ideal place. He needed to consider his own well-being and those of his friends. His very childhood friends were still in a predicament, with their fates unknown. Everything he had seen and experienced in this world made him realize the importance of strength. The strong made the rules. Gaining strength was always an urgent matter if he wanted not only to stay alive but to save and protect his friends.

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    Strength came in many forms. The simplest was cultivation, but they were tied to the economic and political aspects as well. Only those who had the resources could achieve high cultivations. Excelling in political aspects could give you access to those resources or even command over experts to do your bidding.

    That was why Li Lang had aimed to form his own organization. It allowed him to make use of the pooled resources of this hypothetical group and attain human resources as well. In order to do that, he would need enough incentives to attract others. His first step in doing so was establishing a strong economic foundation.

    Artificing was to aid in that very endeavor, pushing forward in his project to print talismans. The problem was how much he should reveal to Elder Tie.

    ¡°Elder Tie, I¡¯ll be honest. I don¡¯t have any singular grand goal I strive towards. I only wish to satisfy my curiosity and learn a way to earn money at the same time.¡±

    His words made the elder narrow her eyes. Li Lang could feel the tension rising.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance. Is that your final answer?¡±

    Without any delay, Li Lang nodded. He knew his answer was tantamount to admitting he was only in it for the money. Pure greed for money was something many looked down on. It was the reason why merchants had a poor reputation despite their wealth.

    As quickly as the tension flared, it swiftly settled. The elder smiled as she cradled her round hammer.

    ¡°Honesty is good. Being able to admit your desires is a good thing. Demonic cultivators should avoid repressing too much or else they may suffer the consequences.¡±

    ¡°Well said, Senior.¡±

    Li Lang had decided to answer the elder in such a way because he had grown familiar with the ways of the Demonic Cultivator Territory. Demonic cultivators here were often straightforward and kept to their principles. There weren¡¯t many who kept on a facade all the time, as was common in the orthodox sect¡¯s territories.

    This was a natural product of their cultivation. Demonic cultivators suffered from mental influences as part of their techniques. Absorbing the Qi of others came at a price. They couldn¡¯t afford not to be straightforward or they would suffer cultivation deviation.

    ¡°Very well. As uncouth as it may be, a desire for wealth is an adequate motivator. Let us go over the test you must take. It will take place tomorrow and will consist of a simple written test and an affinity test. Long Yi can grab you the materials you will need to study.¡±

    ¡°Senior Tie, isn¡¯t tomorrow too soon?¡± Long Yi interjected, ¡°When I did¡ª¡±

    ¡°Silence. I have already decided. Your situations were different, and I have different expectations from an adult to that of a child. If he can¡¯t accomplish even this much, then he isn¡¯t worth my time.¡±

    The elder¡¯s words almost made Li Lang feel regret for not having learned artificing sooner. It only lasted a split second, as he knew he previously had his hands full with alchemy and brushweaving already.

    Very soon, Elder Tie ushered the boys away, forcing them back into the other parts of the store. Long Yi guided his friend into another area in the back, where half a dozen young cultivators were busying away with the operations of the store.

    As someone familiar with the place, Long Yi knew exactly where he needed to go to retrieve the materials Li Lang needed.

    ¡°Here¡¯s everything you¡¯ll need. You only have a day, so I suggest you get started right away.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it should be fine. If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m good at, it¡¯s studying.¡±

    Li Lang chose to omit the fact that he could abuse Ruby¡¯s artifact space as well. So far, not even the artifact spirits of his Crucible could detect when he engaged Ruby. They were existences comparable to Spirit Divide realm cultivations, so it stands to reason that not even Violet Core realm elders would detect him accessing Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    ¡°What about the affinity test? Is that something covered in this text as well?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that. To be honest, I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think you can prepare for that. It¡¯s like the aptitude test. You are born to either have it or not.¡±

    Another thing they believe is decided at birth. Interesting. I can¡¯t wait for the test now.

    Li Lang¡¯s trip was then cut short. There was nothing else that needed his attention, and he needed to prepare. He returned to the inn alone and began transcribing the contents over into Ruby. Having done so many times within the pocket realm, he finished without breaking a sweat.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what we have here, Ruby. Artificing should be very close to blacksmithing, which is essentially modern metalworking. I may not have studied metallurgy too much, but this shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s confident demeanor was destroyed within the hour. What he read was completely different from what he expected.

    ¡°What is this? They don¡¯t even use heat!¡±

 Chapter 135: Written and Affinity Test

    Li Lang was taken aback by the things he had read for his artifice test. He expected the contents to pertain to blacksmithing, metallurgy, and the Qi method equivalent. He was even ready to make use of his advantage of possessing the Primordial Star Fire in this endeavor.

    However, the artificing basics he read drew an entirely different picture. Artificers weren¡¯t Qi blacksmiths. Instead of relying on the forge to smelt and temper materials, they relied purely on Qi techniques. No heat was involved. Simply by exercising these artificer techniques, one could extract their desired metal from the raw ores.

    While it was alien to Li Lang, he was also mesmerized by it.

    A clean energy-efficient way to extract ores! It would require no large facilities and produce no pollution. Even without the environmental and economic concerns, it would mean a lot for materials that would benefit from non-thermal extractions.

    Li Lang¡¯s mind was filled with various materials that came to mind. Materials like Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide and other high-temperature superconductors could help preserve their superconducting properties. Carbon nanostructure materials like graphene could retain their structural integrity and unique properties as well. It was even possible to create brand-new carbon nanostructure materials with the aid of this non-thermal extraction method.

    Li Lang allowed his ideas to flow freely for some time before reining himself in. At the end of the day, he knew it would be difficult to obtain the materials he was familiar with. Combined with the presence of Qi, he would likely need to research materials from a new perspective.

    This became even more evident when he reviewed the contents for his upcoming test. It was mainly basic knowledge about the process of Artificing. There weren¡¯t any techniques included, as it focused more on identifying potential materials. These potential materials all had names that were entirely different from the ones in Li Lang¡¯s old world.

    Seeing these unfamiliar names, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but mutter them out loud.

    ¡°Starlight Gold, Ethereal True Steel, Moonlight Copper, Demon Steel¡­None of these were available in the stores I¡¯ve been to.¡±

    Finding a topic he hadn¡¯t discovered was both a joyous and sorrowful event. Joyful about the new possibilities and sad about the missed opportunities. He had an inkling about these materials ever since he had Long Yi craft his spear. Back then, he had received some Aqua Night Iron from his friend.

    From Ruby¡¯s analysis, he found the structure to be similar to iron, but at the same time, had different properties. The Qi it had been exposed to had changed it into a new category of substance. One he had yet to fully test. To do so would require studying how it interacted with various Qi of different elements, and under different conditions. To just say it was a time-consuming project was an understatement.

    While he wasn¡¯t ready to lose himself to material science research yet, he still wanted to stock up on these materials.

    ¡°I wonder where I can buy these metals.¡±

    With the motivation to solve this mystery behind him, the time for the test came very quickly.

    He arrived in the same room as the day before and found Elder Tie sitting in the same position. This time, she had her round hammer in one hand and a clump of ore on the desk before her. She was repeatedly slamming her implement down gently. The rhythm of her strikes crescendoed, reaching speeds where Li Lang could only see blurs. When she stopped, the clump of waste was neatly separated from a large nugget of metal.

    ¡°The test is on the bench over there. You can start whenever you want.¡±

    After leaving those instructions, Elder Tie ignored his presence and went to retrieve more ore from the cabinets. Seeing this, Li Lang went to the table as instructed and began his test. The sooner he was done, the sooner he could ask questions.

    A simple paper test was something Li Lang had faced thousands of times throughout his education. He wasn¡¯t fazed by it, not even needing to cheat with Ruby before he finished it.

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    It wasn¡¯t a test that made him regurgitate the contents he studied, but one that used a mix of pictures and identifying properties to test his knowledge. An impressive artist had drawn the materials he had studied, which he then had to identify. There were short answer parts to it as well, going into the basics of the tools artificers used, what they could or could not do, and so forth.

    It was evident Elder Tie didn¡¯t want her prospective students to be disillusioned with the craft before they started. She clearly laid out what to expect.

    ¡°I¡¯m done, Senior Tie.¡±

    ¡°Oh, quite fast of you. Do you happen to excel in studies as opposed to your friend?¡±

    ¡°I guess you could say that,¡± Li Lang awkwardly replied, balancing the act of badmouthing his friend behind his back and answering truthfully.

    The elder skimmed through the test within an instant and placed it back down.

    ¡°Good, you have passed. Now for the affinity test.¡±

    ¡°Wait. If I may, elder. Can I ask some questions first?¡±

    The muscular woman gave him a stern look before slowly nodding.

    ¡°I want to ask why Artificers don¡¯t make use of heat to extract the metals like a mortal blacksmith would and where I could purchase these materials from the test.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore. Have some patience. One question at a time,¡± Elder Tie shook her head to show disapproval at the barrage of questions. ¡°The mortal method is too inefficient for us. The heat from normal flames would not be enough to handle Qi ores, and only a few people have heavenly flames. Even then, depending on the properties of those flames, there will be some materials that cannot be processed as the elements conflict. That is why our predecessors devised various metal Qi techniques that have less stringent requirements to use.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying there are techniques that involve heavenly fires, then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are, but they are each particular to the type of heavenly fire. Give it up, Li Lang. It is much more efficient to use metal Qi techniques for extraction. Metal is the most structured of the five elements. It provides stability and support to the other elements which are most conducive to our work.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take a detailed lecture for Li Lang to know how important those properties the elder mentioned were. It allowed artifacts to co-exist with other elements, creating tools with various elemental affinities. It opened up numerous possibilities and options for what could be created.

    ¡°Thank you for the explanation, Senior. What about where I can purchase these materials?¡±

    ¡°That will be through our organization, but you will need to be recognized as an official Artificer first.¡±

    ¡°What? I can¡¯t buy it from any other place? What about the Artificer Guild itself?¡±

    ¡°Even the cheapest materials are at the peak of Mortal grade. Each artifact and the materials to create them are strategic resources for each organization. It¡¯ll be unlikely for you to find anyone willing to sell it to you.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    At that explanation, he began to understand a little better as to why Long Yi had yet to craft a single artifact. As a new apprentice, it was hard to see any organization willing to risk their strategic reserve for them. Without practice, it would be hard to excel in anything.

    ¡°No more thinking, no more questions. Let us finish the test first,¡± the elder¡¯s voice woke Li Lang from his musing.

    ¡°Understood. Please go ahead, elder.¡±

    The stocky woman nodded and led Li Lang to a different room. The new room was much smaller, barely able to fit the lone desk in it. Li Lang found it to be similar to the interrogation rooms found in police departments.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to guess what came next, as the only thing in the room was a lone rectangular bell. It was made with a bright green metal and was completely smooth on all sides. Beside it laid a small mallet made of the same material.

    Without any explanation, Elder Tie picked up the mallet and gently struck the bell with it. No audible sound was produced, but instead, glittering dust fell out of the bell. To be more precise, the dust was powdered metals of some sort.

    ¡°As you can see, the more metallic dust you can produce, the better. Go ahead and strike the bell when you¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°No other instructions, techniques, or hints?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that. You either have an affinity with the metal element or you don¡¯t. If you don¡¯t, it simply means you are not ready yet.¡±

    Li Lang instantly frowned upon hearing those words. He had an unpleasant experience with aptitudes already, and he suspected similar results might happen again.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way to practice artificing in that case?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be as impossible as someone with grade-one aptitude using the orthodox ways to reach Foundation Establishment. You¡¯d need a lot of miracles to line up. Fortunately, there are ways to improve one¡¯s affinity, unlike with aptitude, but we¡¯ll talk about that when we get there.¡±

    Li Lang skeptically listened on but knew he just had to do as he was told for now. It wasn¡¯t time to investigate the underlying reason for what affected one¡¯s affinity.

    Under the watchful gaze of Elder Tie, he picked up the mallet and struck the bell.

    Then, nothing happened.

 Chapter 136: Metal Affinity

    An awkward silence befell the room as nothing happened, despite Li Lang striking the green bell with the mallet. Just as he had feared, it seemed he had no talent once again, but for artificing this time.

    ¡°Elder Tie, are you sure this bell is working properly? Maybe it ran out of metallic dust or something?¡±

    The broad woman sighed and shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the current you simply don''t have the affinity for it. If artificing is something you really want to pursue, I recommend trying again in a few years. Unlike aptitude, affinity can change over time. You can try to work with metals more often or learn various metal Qi arts to acquire the affinity.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s mind began to run into overdrive mode as the elder continued. While he may be annoyed by the so-called natural talent acting as some sort of roadblock for him again, he was just as eager to look further into it.

    ¡°Unfortunately, you are an adult now. If you were younger, we could still take you as an apprentice to build up your affinity.¡±

    From the elder¡¯s tone, Li Lang believed she wouldn¡¯t budge on the matter, so he didn¡¯t even attempt to plead his case. If what she said was true, there was no point anyway to become an errand boy to build up affinity when he could do the same by learning useful Qi techniques.

    Hmm, a metal Qi art that can be useful to me. Why would practicing any technique with the metal attribute bestow this affinity, anyway?

    Li Lang began to go over the issue from the perspective of a native of this world. The regular person here had minimal education. If the affinity could be earned by working closely with the metals or the associated attributed Qi, he suspected it had something to do with perception.

    As far as he knew, even after countless years since the inception of artificing, no one in the world had discovered the reason behind the so-called affinity. They only figured out it was related to one¡¯s experience.

    They have a bad habit of believing things are limited by one¡¯s natural talents around here. It makes no sense that just being around metals a lot would increase this made-up concept of affinity. It must be something people learn from observing and handling metal Qi itself.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Li Lang¡¯s mind to go over the possible things one could learn about the metal attribute from observation alone. Since the elder had said she only accepted younger children if they didn¡¯t have affinity, it was safe to assume it was because it was easier for children to obtain the affinity.

    Children generally equate to low cultivation. It isn¡¯t plausible for them to be able to observe intricate Qi techniques, so the thing they learned is most likely something physical that they can see.

    Once Li Lang made those connections, a hypothesis swiftly formed.

    ¡°Elder Tie, do you think I can try this test one more time?¡±

    ¡°Li Lang, I¡¯m sorry to say these things don¡¯t change overnight. I advise you to try again another time.¡±

    The elder¡¯s tone made it apparent that she didn¡¯t want to waste any of her time any longer, but Li Lang continued.

    ¡°Please, Elder. It¡¯ll take just a second. Let me try one more time.¡±

    Seeing Li Lang¡¯s determined eyes, Elder Tie sighed.

    ¡°Fine. Make it quick.¡±

    Having received permission, Li Lang quickly collected himself and picked up the mallet. He inspected the material again, running his hand over it. While he did so, he closed his eyes and concentrated.

    Once he had adjusted his mindset, he struck the bell.

    Elder Tie dismissively shook her head as she began composing the words she should say to be rid of the young man. While he was a friend of one of her current students, she was too busy to be entertaining the youngster.

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    She turned around and began exiting the room.

    ¡°Are you satisfied now, Li Lang? A shortcoming is a shortcoming. All you need to do is to recognize it so you may begin to address it.¡±

    Hearing no response, the elder began to feel irritated. She had tried her best to be accommodating, but when a youngster refused to even give her the basic respect she deserved.

    I¡¯m going to have to take the appropriate action and dish out punishment, she thought to herself.

    She did a one-eighty and just as she was about to lecture the young man, she abruptly stopped with her mouth still open.

    She saw Li Lang leaning over, closely inspecting the bell. To be more precise, he was squinting his eyes at the area right below the bell. That wasn¡¯t the part that had caught her off guard. It was the new layer of metallic dust currently forming below the bell that caught her attention.

    As an experienced expert and artificer, even if she didn¡¯t see the dust fall with her own eyes, she could still tell that the volume of metallic dust had increased. It was also that same experience that screamed out how absurd her observations were.

    ¡°That¡­You did it?¡± she weakly muttered.

    From all her years as an artificer, she had seen countless people taking their affinity test. As the word implied, usually only those who regularly came into contact with metals and metal-attributed Qi would possess the quality of an artificer. Those who didn¡¯t have to work harder to make up for it.

    The affinity tests were always final. No matter how many times one did it, the results would be the same. It took time to build up this affinity. It was utterly unheard of that someone would succeed on their second try but not their first.

    ¡°How is this possible?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ have no idea either, but I should have passed the test now, right?¡±

    Elder Tie alternated her gaze between Li Lang, the bell, and the mallet. Many things ran through her mind, but she couldn¡¯t make any sense of what happened. She could only stare on, astonished.

    ¡°Senior?¡±

    Seeing her confused state, Li Lang struck the bell once more. A glittering wave of metallic dust once again rained down from the bell.

    ¡°Li Lang¡­What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I just wasn¡¯t prepared the first time?¡±

    Li Lang could only come up with such a poor excuse, as he had no intention of revealing anything.

    After failing the first attempt, he took some time to consider the reasons why. Since it was known affinity could grow over time, Li Lang just had to figure out what factors stimulated this growth.

    It didn¡¯t take him long to arrive at a possibility. Many people in this world likely didn¡¯t have the same education he had. For most people, they didn¡¯t go to organized schools and instead learned from apprenticeships. Based on this, Li Lang suspected potential artificers learned the nature of metals over time. That meant a variety of things, including how it reacted to heat, how it could be reshaped, or how it could be combined with other materials into alloys. It was the mindset of how one treated metallic objects.

    When Li Lang had done his affinity test, his mind wasn¡¯t focused on any of these properties. Instead, he was thinking of how his Qi would react to the bell to produce the supernatural phenomenon of refining metals with a simple strike. It was ironic that a man of science like him would be hyper-focused on the paranormal instead.

    That was why, on his second attempt, he stuck to a more traditional mindset. He thought of the specific atomic and structural properties, such as metallic bonds. He focused his mind on how the atoms are arranged in crystal lattice structures with free-moving electrons in the outermost shell. He also focused on the various metallurgy techniques used to handle metals.

    To his pleasant surprise, his second attempt had produced the result he desired.

    So the affinity is simply knowledge of the properties of metals? I guess you can learn some things from hands-on practice, like how old blacksmiths could tell the heat from the color. One has to be conscious of these principles. It would make sense that a person¡¯s mindset about something would take some time to change. In my case, I simply blundered, allowing my curiosity to take over.

    Still, the threshold to gain affinity shouldn¡¯t be too high if children can attain it from observation alone. They don¡¯t even have any proper education on the nature of metals.

    Through this experience, Li Lang discovered the importance of a person¡¯s mindset within the world of artificing. It made him particularly excited to be able to utilize his wealth of knowledge. At the same time, he knew creating an artifact wasn¡¯t so easy, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t be so rare.

    While Li Lang was deliberating the specific factors one needed to know in order to qualify as someone with affinity, he eventually noticed how quiet Elder Tie had become.

    ¡°Elder Tie, are you okay?¡±

    She didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°Elder Tie? Is everything all right? Have I passed?¡±

    It was only upon hearing the last part that the elder reacted. She snapped her gaze at Li Lang, staring into him with the intensity of a predator watching their prey.

 Chapter 137: Beast Cores

    Having the elder glare his way, Li Lang bowed politely and acted submissively to prevent worsening her impression of him.

    ¡°Elder Tie, I await your instructions.¡±

    Hearing his words, the elder seemed to have snapped out of it. She cleared her throat, playing off the astonishment she had just presented.

    ¡°Interesting. I¡¯ve never seen or heard of two affinity tests by the same person, on the same day, producing different results. It must either mean the testing device is defective or you managed to improve within minutes, which is an unprecedented feat in itself.¡±

    The elder held up the green bell in curiosity, examining it carefully before striking it with the mallet once more. Just like the first time she had done it, metallic dust descended from the bell.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take a further look at it later. For now, you have officially passed the affinity test. I welcome you as my student.¡±

    With that, the elder quickly explained a few rules and how things worked before retreating with the bell in hand. She had told Li Lang to report to his seniors at the workshop to get things started while she went to attend to her own matters.

    Left to navigate through the workshop alone, Li Lang headed back to the work area where Long Yi had once brought him. Inside, he found half a dozen other young cultivators, hard at work in their own task.

    He even spotted Long Yi in the corner, sorting through a bunch of cabinets. The entrance of a new person drew everyone¡¯s attention, and Long Yi was no different.

    ¡°Li Lang, you got accepted?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he nodded. ¡°I was told to find a senior by the name of Jing Dou.¡±

    At his words, everyone directed their gaze toward a tall young man at the center of the room. He had a thin frame, but glimpses of toned muscle could be seen from his rolled-up sleeves. Hearing his name, he immediately put down his round hammer and approached Li Lang.

    ¡°That¡¯s me. New student?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Elder Tie told me to report to you to get started.¡±

    The young man had a serious expression as he nodded several times to himself.

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll walk you through your role in the workshop for the day. I recommend you ask as many questions as you can because you¡¯ll be busy starting tomorrow.¡±

    Li Lang interpreted the advice as a green light to go wild with questions. He had previously been distracted by the new topic of artificing, but he could now ask about his current main objective.

    ¡°Senior Jing, I wanted to ask you to give me a tour of all the materials you use in this workshop. Especially in materials that can power artifacts.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Right over here.¡±

    Jing Dou led him toward the cabinets where Long Yi was and began bringing out materials from them. The man took his responsibility seriously and got straight to what Li Lang wanted.

    ¡°There are various materials that can conduct Qi, but only a few that can actually contain it over a long period. Among this select group, even fewer can manipulate Qi without the active intervention of a cultivator. These materials are all at the pinnacle of mortal grade, so please do be careful with them.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s artifice senior spread out two bags of materials for him. Inside the first bag, he found ingots that gave off a dull sheen.

    These should be alloys of some sort. Interesting. I¡¯d love to take a few samples.

    When Li Lang laid eyes on the contents of the second bag, his eyes widened. He immediately knew the object before him was exactly what he wanted. It was an oval crystal ball-like object but with a murkier coloration. It was the size of a tennis ball and exuded powerful energy.

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    ¡°This is a Qi beast core!¡± Li Lang exclaimed.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. This one is just from an Energy Gathering level beast, so it¡¯s incomplete. Proper beast cores are perfectly round.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I could purchase a few?¡±

    ¡°Junior¡­I may have said they were just from Energy Gathering level beats, but I¡¯m referring to beasts at the peak of that realm. Even then, the chance of finding a beast core from these powerful beasts is one in a hundred at best! The market price for these is dozens of red crystals.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Do you think I can buy everything here?¡± Li Lang said as he smiled cheerfully at the six cores before him.

    ¡°What?! Junior, that would cost¡­¡± Jing Dou took a moment to re-examine the young man before him, trying to gauge his background. ¡°Nevermind. You can¡¯t have any of these cores without Elder Tie¡¯s permission. I doubt she would sell you any, as these are valuable resources. Mortal grade artifacts may not be particularly powerful, but it is vital in an artificer¡¯s training.¡±

    ¡°I heard, but that¡¯s fine now, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m an apprentice artificer, and I can pay for it too.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s for assisting artificers in their studies. It would be a waste for a beginner to use them. Please be patient. There will come a time when you¡¯re ready to create an artifact yourself. Familiarize yourself with how we run things around here first,¡± Jing Dou sternly remarked.

    He made it clear that he wouldn¡¯t budge on the matter and there was nothing Li Lang could do. He could try reaching out to someone at The Orchid Covenant for a chance to purchase these cores instead, but he doubted he would receive a positive reply. It made him curse at his lack of power within his organization.

    As much talent as he displayed with the incident in the pocket realm, it was another matter when it came to artificing. It was known he was new to the craft. Everyone would assume it¡¯d be wasteful to give him strategic materials.

    It¡¯s so close yet so far!

    Left with no choice, Li Lang could only keep himself occupied with learning the other aspects of artificing.

    Like that, two weeks passed.

    As he returned to his lodging at the end of the day, Li Lang spotted a familiar figure sitting in his room. Both Wei Ping and Long Yi were there, sitting with them.

    ¡°Li Lang, you¡¯re back!¡± a cheerful girl called out.

    ¡°Yes¡­I didn¡¯t expect to see you so soon, Sima Xue.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I told you I¡¯d come as soon as my cultivation stabilizes. I also happen to be running an errand for someone.¡±

    Sima Xue grinned as she held up an envelope.

    ¡°Errand? From Senior Jian or on behalf of Nightmoon Valley?¡±

    ¡°No silly. For Liang Po. You guys were talking about running an errand for him right? Well, this is the letter he wanted you to deliver.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­I thought he said he would come deliver it once it¡¯s written. Why do you have it?¡±

    ¡°Myriad Bones Pavilion¡¯s headquarters is in Nightshade Valley, where I am from. I offered to bring the letter for him since I¡¯m headed to you anyway. Don¡¯t tell me you forgot about your promise of tofu pudding, did you?¡±

    ¡°...Of course not. I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    ¡°Then good. I¡¯m ready to head out for it tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°We can just go get some tonight, you know?¡±

    ¡°No, no. I don¡¯t want the regular kind found around here. I want the best! Let¡¯s go to Polarity City! They have the best food around.¡±

    ¡°That¡­is a little sudden.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re heading off to deliver the letter for Liang Po anyway, right?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a little too reckless for you? Polarity City is just on the border of the orthodox sects.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Nothing ever happens in neutral territory. As long as I don¡¯t step over into enemy territory, I¡¯m fine. Besides, you¡¯re going to accompany me, right?¡±

    Being pressed by an innocent-looking smile, Li Lang glanced at his companions for help. Neither of them dared to meet his eye, abandoning their friend in need.

    Li Lang took a moment more to deliberate on the matter. It was true he was planning to complete Liang Po¡¯s errand as soon as possible. It was partly because he wanted to complete all his obligations to be able to focus on his research. However, there were several other underlying reasons.

    One, he wanted to procure modern orthodox cultivation techniques and materials. The righteous sects had a much larger territory overall, meaning they had a bigger selection of resources. They were approaching the Foundation Establishment realm, so it was vital to stock up on as many materials as possible. The more options they had, the better.

    Two, he wanted to start recruiting some young disciples if possible. All the people in Demonic Cultivator Territory were partial to demonic cultivation. Even those with grade two aptitude would rarely pursue orthodox techniques. The mindset they had was deeply seeped into their culture.

    As for the final reason, it was the most important of them all. After learning more about how demonic cultivators were organized, and how they weren¡¯t a united entity, Li Lang was determined to look into a certain cultivator. A cultivator who had kidnapped his childhood friends and was feared far and wide.

    I have to see if any of the sects are behind the Abductress. If she isn¡¯t so powerful, I could say for certain a sect is behind her, but with her cultivation, it¡¯s hard to say whether she¡¯s independent or not.

    Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei, you both better still be okay¡­

 Chapter 138: Toward Neutral Grounds

    The next morning, the trio scrambled to inform their mentors of their abrupt trip. When they were done, they regrouped in front of the inn where Sima Xue awaited. She was lazily sitting in the driver¡¯s seat of a Skyrunner.

    The exterior of her Skyrunner was painted pitch black in color, while the interior was a dull orange.

    ¡°You guys all set?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Y-yes. I got the innkeeper to k-keep our Skyrunner in their s-storage shed, along with our b-belongings,¡± Wei Ping replied.

    ¡°Good. Then get on. We¡¯re setting off.¡±

    The three young men kept quiet despite feeling like they were herded around like sheep. With all said and done, Sima Xue was still a bona fide Foundation Establishment cultivator. It stood to reason that they listened to her.

    It wasn¡¯t that there were no advantages to having her come along. As a powerful expert from a wealthy background, Sima Xue¡¯s Skyrunner could travel much faster than the trio¡¯s. Despite all three of them reaching the late stages of Energy Gathering, their Skyrunner was still an entry-level vehicle made by an apprentice. The imposing black Skyrunner, on the other hand, was evidently made by a master woodsmith.

    As their ride took off to the skies of the underground city, Li Lang brought their issue up with the only woodsmith among them.

    ¡°Wei Ping, do you think you can build us a Skyrunner similar to this? Or anything better than our current one, for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Not y-yet. It takes a l-long time to grow something without h-heavenly resources to accelerate the p-process. By the time I c-create one for us, we¡¯d be l-looking into getting an Earth-grade one.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys just buy a new one? You earned a fortune with the betting, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    The last part was directed at Li Lang. He knew his betting wasn¡¯t anything confidential, but it didn¡¯t feel comfortable that the news of his wealth was out there. The only solace he had was that the same knowledge would deter those from official organizations from robbing him.

    While some unsavory characters may still appear, none who valued their position in the Luminescent Domain would want to offend Nightmoon Valley.

    With the safety of knowing that in mind, the group nonchalantly soared out from the underground city of Emberglow, and into the blazing sun once more. Skyrunner traffic was moderate. Unlike roads, there was so much more space around. Thanks to the third dimension, it was especially uncommon to see traffic jams.

    The dark Skyrunner took to the skies, flying straight for the clouds. As their altitude and speed rose, the winds grew sharper. In response, each of the cultivators had a thin layer of Qi defending them from the elements.

    Like this, their flight began to pick up speed.

    ¡°So,¡± Li Lang said, breaking the silence, ¡°I remember Senior Jian being worried about traveling this route. Particularly during the evening. Are you sure everything is okay?¡±

    Sima Xue took a brief look around before glancing back at the window that connected the driver¡¯s seat to the inside of the vehicle.

    ¡°This area is approaching the border. Rogue demonic cultivators like to congregate around here. They usually only operate under the cover of night.¡±

    ¡°Rogue cultivators just hanging around here? Why don¡¯t they head elsewhere or you guys send someone to root them out?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re like cockroaches. They have dozens of holes to hide in,¡± Sima Xue explained, her face souring upon thinking of the hideous pest. ¡°When things don¡¯t go too well for them, they jump across the border to provoke those simple-minded righteous sects to distract us. They do the same after hunting down orthodox cultivators on the other side, using us as shields against the sects.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, sounds like you¡¯ll need to work on both sides to snuff them out.¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not happening,¡± Sima Xue immediately quipped. ¡°This place is just too perfect for them. They are close enough to prey on cultivators in neighboring territories and know how to stay out of sight enough to not provoke a large response from the official organizations. Not even my Nightmoon Valley can extinguish their presence here indefinitely.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    It¡¯s good to know as strong as cultivators can be that they¡¯re not omnipotent and omniscient.

    A few moments went by as the helpless mood took over the group. That was until Li Lang resumed firing off questions to sate his curiosity.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been around long enough to learn a few things, but just to confirm, the rogue cultivators usually don¡¯t prey on other demonic cultivators, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Rogue cultivators, by default, mostly comprise Qi pilfering users,¡± Sima Xue thoughtfully explained. ¡°And most Qi pilfering techniques do not work well against those who practice possession-type demonic cultivation. The spiritual contamination is known to get too messy, and even those who lost themselves to greed are averse to using them as cultivation resources. It¡¯s smarter to target orthodox cultivators that don¡¯t come with any extra drawbacks. Even then, it¡¯s dangerous enough, trying to keep one¡¯s sanity and emotions in check.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you and your organization Qi pilfering users, too?¡± Long Yi interjected.

    ¡°Yes, but we¡¯ve been through a strict selection process to find those who are strong of the mind. The strict requirements are why the majority of organizations that practice Qi pilfering are powerhouses. With proper screening and training, groups like my Nightmoon Valley are the role models of how to do it right,¡± the young girl proudly proclaimed. ¡°The typical rogue cultivator is another story. They aren¡¯t vetted and are likely unprepared to step onto such an arduous path. It may have the potential to great power, but there are always equal drawbacks.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think possession techniques are any weaker, though,¡± Li Lang commented as he thought back to his fight with Bai Yuchen.

    Bai Yuchen had taken snake-like characteristics. It even allowed him to use a sharp sense of smell and vibration detection. Li Lang could imagine an expert who could stay rational while benefiting from these boons.

    ¡°They¡¯re not, but it does take more time to achieve the same heights. Overhunting a certain type of Qi beast is an issue. As they progress, their rationality also becomes more beast-like, making their thinking abilities weaker if they¡¯re not careful. In contrast, Qi-pilfering techniques only have the possibilities of rejection and increase in violent tendencies.¡±

    As the group was merrily chatting, Sima Xue suddenly stopped talking and narrowed her eyes. An ear-piercing screech swiftly followed, alerting everyone to a bird of some sort.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Li Lang and his companions to spot the new intruder. It was a colossal bird of some sort, with a wingspan the length of a bus. It had metallic grey feathers and a yellow crown around its head. It was obvious from its demeanor that it wasn¡¯t happy to see the young cultivators.

    ¡°Well, rogue cultivators may know to stay away from Nightmoon Valley-marked vehicles like mine, but Qi beasts don¡¯t have the same intelligence. These dumb aerial Qi beasts truly live up to their reputation if they are dumb enough to attack me with their measly strength.¡±

    Despite the sudden appearance of a foe, no one in the Skyrunner panicked. From the aura the beast let out, they all knew they were only dealing with a beast with strength equivalent to a peak Energy Gatherer. With a Foundational Establishment expert around, the bird didn¡¯t pose a threat.

    Sima Xue materialized a sword from thin air, and just when she was about to act, a voice called out from behind her.

    ¡°Wait, Lady Sima! Please allow me to fight it!¡±

    The entire group turned to the speaker, Long Yi, with a questioning look.

    ¡°Long Yi, a-are you serious? We¡¯re i-in the air right now. I don¡¯t t-think you can fight t-this bird without being able to f-fly yourself.¡±

    ¡°Umm, let me give it a try. The kind lady here wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch if I fail, right?¡±

    Sima Xue blinked blankly at the sudden proposal thrust upon her. She slowly nodded after some time. She may have been newly ascended, but she knew the power difference between her and the bird was enormous. Taking responsibility for their lives against an opponent of such a level was a piece of cake for her.

    ¡°That¡¯s still a bit risky,¡± Li Lang interrupted. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do it, let the three of us work together. We should be able to put up a better fight if we worked together.¡±

    Long Yi simply wanted to test out his new strength. After having cultivated diligently for years, he was itching to put himself to the test. He didn¡¯t mind his friends joining at all.

    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s do it then.¡±

    The trio then prepared their weapons. They had yet to obtain an artifact, so their weapons were still mundane weapons. It was one of their weaknesses and something Li Lang planned to address during this trip.

    He was carrying around a lot of cash, and he couldn¡¯t bring his Skyrunner around like most people did. Now that he would be taking some time off from his training, he fully intended to go on a shopping spree. After all, even Jian Beiyun had advised him to purchase a space ring.

    Li Lang shook off his idle thoughts as he moved to match Long Yi¡¯s movements. While none of them could fly, as late-stage Energy Gatherers, they were all capable of range attacks. The three leaped up to the roof of the Skyrunner and took up their stances.

    As if to answer the trio¡¯s challenge, the large grey bird screeched and was soon upon them. It didn¡¯t attack them immediately and instead circled around them. It flew right below them, entering their blind spot before unleashing a tackle on the hull.

    Sima Xue didn¡¯t let that happen, though. She adjusted their course to match the bird. With her superior cultivation, the beast¡¯s movements were in the palm of her hand. Their Skyrunner easily got right next to the aggressive bird. Immediately, the three began channeling their Qi arts.

    It was time to unleash their honed techniques out in the real world.

 Chapter 139: Bird Strike

    Li Lang and his two friends each sized up the Qi beast flying parallel with their Skyrunner. It tried to swerve left and right to lose them, but Sima Xue followed along its movements with ease. The bird visibly got frustrated and tried ramming them again and again with abrupt movements, but even then, the vehicle expertly mimicked its motion.

    This brusque action got the trio looking to stabilize their footing.

    ¡°Careful there!¡± Li Lang shouted out.

    The speeds they were traveling meant the wind was whistling their ears, but it posed no problem for those with their cultivation.

    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing!¡± Sima Xue yelled back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry and fight freely. I¡¯ll catch you if any of you fall.¡±

    Li Lang could tell she said the last part with a mischievous smirk. He chose to ignore it, as the star of the current show was not him.

    Despite having reached the eighth stage of Energy Gathering, he would normally not be a match against a beast at the peak of the same realm. This was doubly true against an aerial beast. He knew his role was that of a supporting one. Long Yi would be their main force. After all, he was the one who suggested they take on the challenge instead of having Sima Xue swiftly deal with it.

    ¡°Terra Moon Slash!¡± the sizable man in question cried out.

    Staying true to the principle of honing a few techniques to perfection rather than becoming a jack of all trades, Long Yi had tirelessly trained the same Qi art for years. It could be said the current Terra Moon Slash had undergone a transformation compared to the time he first revealed it at the tournament. It was that tournament that earned him a spot to the pocket realm, so it was vivid in his memories for him to compare to.

    Time waited for no one. The ranged attack, which consisted of a sharp stone shaped into a crescent moon, swiftly flew toward the Qi bird. From how close they were flying together, the beast didn¡¯t even get the chance to react before it landed squarely on its side.

    A sharp, piercing screech rang out as the move managed to draw blood, but the wound was shallow. The plumage had softened the blow. Still, the creature evidently suffered as it flew around erratically from pain. Sima Xue decided to simply hover their carriage a short distance from the spectacle.

    ¡°W-we should act. Or e-else it may r-recover,¡± Wei Ping advised.

    Li Lang nodded in response and attacked. His Qi art ended up being just a second slower than Wei Ping¡¯s. The trio hadn¡¯t practiced their teamwork much, having secluded themselves in solo training for years. That was why they allowed Long Yi to take the opening hit first, as he would be the most powerful among them.

    ¡°W-Wind Shattering Claws!¡± Wei Ping cried out.

    With the pocket realm having blessed every participant with techniques that fit the user, Wei Ping no longer used basic techniques. Previously, he found all the martial arts in the repositories wanting. His smaller stature and unfamiliarity with combat meant carrying heavy weapons while performing a series of physical and Qi techniques to be too much.

    Thankfully, the pocket realm had just the right martial art for people like him. Instead of the dagger he once wielded, he now used a sharp pair of claws attached to the back of his hand. It was light and not intrusive. He could still freely use his hands for grappling or movement.

    Unfortunately, the claws were weapons meant to take advantage of their user¡¯s swiftness and agility. With them being in the air and on the roof of a Skyrunner, Wei Ping could only let out an unimpressive Qi attack.

    The sharp winds shot out from his claws, only stripped some plumage off the giant bird.

    However, another attack sneakily followed right behind the sharp winds, traveling on the same trajectory. If one witnessed the scene from start to finish, one could observe this second attack adjusted its trajectory as if it was alive.

    This was a characteristic ability of late-stage Energy Gatherers and a Qi art that Li Lang employed.

    Under Li Lang¡¯s guidance, the small projectile flew straight toward the wound Long Yi had opened up. It used Wei Ping¡¯s wind attack as cover, striking the complacent Qi bird. However, when the attack did land, nothing particular happened. The projectile was simply a needle with the thickness of a finger. It could hardly do much damage to the carriage-sized bird.

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    However, that changed very quickly within a dozen seconds.

    The thrashing around ceased. The Qi beast became lethargic and drooled at its mouth as it glided in the air. The parts near the wounds twitched. It evidently had difficulty breathing. While it looked like it was on death¡¯s door one second, it suddenly recovered.

    It flapped its wings with power, stabilizing its flight. It prepared to do combat with its assailant to take revenge for the pain it suffered. Unfortunately, just as it turned toward the Skyrunner, its movement began to slow again. This transition wouldn¡¯t be the last time that it happened.

    The group of four watched on as the bird went through several cycles of pain and relief.

    ¡°Did you get it?¡± Long Yi commented with a blank look on his face.

    ¡°Hmm, probably not,¡± Li Lang muttered as he carefully observed the bird. ¡°It¡¯s at the peak of Energy Gathering. It¡¯s good enough to disrupt its movements, though. Prepare to finish it off.¡±

    With those words, Li Lang threw out another needle. Despite the added distance to the target this time, it still managed to strike its target with ease. That was thanks to the target being distracted from its own suffering.

    Qi beasts were still animals. They practiced no techniques and relied on their natural gifts. That meant they simply relied on their instincts to flush out any poisons from their bodies. With no refined techniques to rely on whatsoever, it was left to suffer the effects of Li Lang¡¯s poison. While their natural constitution was significantly stronger, they couldn¡¯t avoid the fast-acting poison entirely.

    Seems like the Qi beasts outside the pocket realm are no different. Thanks to the Vengeful Leaf Compendium, the Qi aspect of the poison is able to put up a fight before it succumbs to the defenses.

    The reason why Li Lang¡¯s needle caused the bird to suffer from the effects of the poison again and again was thanks to the same principle as his spear. The specially made needle had a compartment in it that was hollowed out. It contained a sizable payload that constantly leaked out of the needle until it ran out.

    It was all thanks to this new poison, needle, and delivery method that Li Lang successfully crippled the beast to the point it became unable to formulate any counterattacks.

    Li Lang¡¯s new Qi art enabled this delivery method. Once again, the new Qi art he learned wasn¡¯t a flashy attack of any sort. Its name was Gossamer Knife Dance. It simply allowed its users to control knives remotely, as if they had strings attached to them. It required great control of one¡¯s Qi but produced low-power attacks. Many would consider this technique to be subpar in frontal combat.

    The most useful environment for such a technique would usually be indoors when used for an ambush. The core principle behind the Qi art was to catch foes off guard, with sudden attacks from unexpected angles. It was something assassins would use. However, in Li Lang¡¯s case, he made a slight change to it.

    Combining the Qi art with these custom-made needles, it became a force to be reckoned with. While a decent number of other poison users also employed needles, they usually used much thinner ones that were difficult to see in motion. They often were enough to keep the enemy on their toes while they had to deal with other attacks. This was because poisons weren¡¯t substances that could kill within a few seconds. Even with the most deadly substances, it was difficult for it to kill the infected before the cultivator flushed it from their system.

    Poisons were used in a supplementary capacity in combat. A distraction and a nuisance. Few used it for anything more.

    As someone who wasn¡¯t well-versed in fighting, Li Lang sought to challenge that. He aimed to create a poison and delivery system that he could rely on entirely in combat. So far, the results seemed promising, but much still needed to be improved on.

    The lethality is lacking and didn¡¯t completely subdue the opponent either. I¡¯ll need another move to deal damage if I am to use it as it is.

    Li Lang shoved aside the thoughts irrelevant to the moment as he witnessed Long Yi send out yet another attack.

    After his first move, he realized his regular Terra Moon Slash was lacking in penetration power to finish the beast off. That was why, starting from the second move, he slashed downwards instead of horizontally.

    He manipulated the form of his Qi art, changing from the crescent slash form into a rock spear. Evidently, just that alone was enough. He didn¡¯t even need to put any extra power into it. One after the other, spears pierced through the disoriented Qi beast. A third stone spear pierced straight into the chest of the Qi beast. It only embedded itself halfway until it was stopped, but it did the job.

    After being skewered three times, the Qi beast finally lost its capability to maintain flight, nosediving straight to the ground.

    ¡°Well, that was anticlimactic,¡± Long Yi commented as soon as the trio returned inside the Skyrunner.

    ¡°Is t-that surprising?¡± Wei Ping chimed in. ¡°With L-Lady Xue here, was there e-ever any doubt?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s that, but what the hell was that, Li Lang?¡± Long Yi yelled, almost tongue-tied. ¡°I know I made those needles, yet I didn¡¯t expect it to work that well. When did your poison manage to do that?¡±

    With those words, the two young men and one woman glanced over at Li Lang with a giant question mark on their faces.

    The man being glared at scratched his cheek and looked out the window in the other direction. Sima Xue didn¡¯t let him escape just like that. Her hands stretched through the window and a finger repeatedly tapped on Li Lang¡¯s shoulder with enough force that it couldn¡¯t be ignored.

    ¡°Hey, answer us! What did you use?¡±

 Chapter 140: Precursor

    Li Lang could feel his companion¡¯s gazes that urged him for an explanation regarding his poison. He didn¡¯t want to delve too deep into it, so he brought up another urgent matter at hand. He stuck his head out the window, glancing downward and scanning the area below for a few moments before turning to address his peers.

    ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t we go retrieve the body of that bird? It could contain a beast core!¡±

    The three other people present were all knowledgeable in their own way. Wei Ping made it a habit to gather information and often picked his friends¡¯ brains. He learned about the value of beast cores the same day Li Lang had. Long Yi was an apprentice artificer himself, and Sima Xue was a Foundation Establishment cultivator from a deep background. Retaliation set in and they unanimously came to a decision. Their Skyrunner began to descend.

    The view of the grassy plain below grew larger. There was nothing nearby except the mountains in the distance. It made it particularly easy to spot the body of the large bird lying in the field.

    Sima Xue landed the Skyrunner right next to it, and the group began to examine the body.

    ¡°It¡¯s dead, isn¡¯t it?¡± Long Yi asked, not speaking to anyone in particular.

    ¡°It is,¡± the lone Foundation Establishment cultivator in the group confidently answered.

    She dauntlessly moved closer. When she was right before the corpse, she waved her hand at the body and the bird was cleanly bisected. Then she simply stood there for a few moments before turning back to the group.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dud. No cores at all.¡±

    ¡°I guess we can¡¯t be that lucky,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°We c-can still salvage the body f-for meat, feathers, and other resources,¡± Wei Ping encouraged.

    ¡°Okay, I can carry it for you, then.¡±

    Before anyone could react, Sima Xue waved her hand again, causing the remains to disappear. It drew Li Lang¡¯s attention to the ring on her finger.

    How marvelous and useful. I definitely have to buy one during this trip. As a center of trade, the prices in Polarity City should be reasonable.

    Li Lang slightly regretted not making the time to purchase a space ring back in Emberglow. He had gone off track with his studies and had forgotten about it. It was only when they traveled that it highlighted its convenience by an order of magnitude.

    With the matter promptly settled, the group quickly ascended once more, heading north toward their destination. Not even a minute had passed since they took to the skies when they found Sima Xue poking her head back into the interior of the carriage.

    ¡°So, as Long Yi was asking, what¡¯s that poison you used back there?¡± she mischievously grinned.

    It reignited the curiosity of Li Lang¡¯s companions, causing him to sigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s just something I was recently able to recreate based on the technique I received from the pocket realm. I don¡¯t know what else you want me to say.¡±

    ¡°Oh, keeping secrets, are we? How crude.¡±

    Wei Ping and Long Yi seemed to enjoy the teasing, so they jumped at the opportunity to join in.

    ¡°B-boss is always like that. He won¡¯t t-tell us anything until it¡¯s settled.¡±

    ¡°You know what they say about a man who keeps secrets.¡±

    Li Lang held his gaze at Long Yi for a few moments before looking away.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re not going to ask?¡± Long Yi cried out, looking like he had been wronged.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡±

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    With those words, Li Lang glanced out the window and kept to himself. It caused the lone girl in the group to chuckle at the scene.

    ¡°Haha, you guys got him pouting like a little kid.¡±

    With that, Li Lang no longer paid any attention to their conversation. He silently entered Ruby¡¯s artifact space and began recording his observations. This was the first time he used his poison against that species of Qi beasts. He needed to record everything and monitor his new creation.

    Once he was done, he stared blankly at the lab refrigerator, that was holding a sample of his new poison.

    How can I possibly explain the process of synthesizing the poison? It¡¯ll just bring up a bunch of other questions that I¡¯d rather not get into.

    Li Lang thought back to the time he spent in the pocket realm. He had spent years experimenting and developing various poisons and finally decided on one he was satisfied with.

    Synthesizing poison wasn¡¯t as straightforward as it was for him in the past, even without taking equipment into account. With the added variable of Qi added to the mix, he needed to perform thorough tests after each minor change was made.

    Poisons that only caused diarrhea in the past could mutate into something that only caused rashes. Only a few among what he could produce with the materials on hand remained relatively the same.

    However, there was one thing that remained relatively constant. The onset time.

    Most poisons usually did not take effect instantly. Poisons that took five minutes to two hours to take effect were classified as short-term poisons. Only a few had an onset time measured in seconds. That was why you often heard of antidotes and other ways to deal with poisons.

    When you combined that fact with the miraculous ability of Qi to cleanse away all foreign elements from the body, it made the selection particularly hard for Li Lang. In order for his poison to be effective in combat, he would have to discover one of these immediate poisons.

    He had spent quite a long time reviewing the Vengeful Leaf Compendium to no avail. All the formulas within its text were meant for a supporting role in combat. That meant its potency was nowhere near enough. Paralysis was the name of the game. It highlighted how poison users in this world still relied on brute force at the end of the day. Rarely did anyone rely on poison in isolation. It was used to gain an advantage during intense melees.

    With no interest in forcing himself to become a close combat expert, Li Lang continued his research for a long time. It was no surprise that he looked at what was familiar to him first. Instead of synthesizing something completely new from the exotic materials he now had access to, he recreated everything that he could within his means.

    On one particular day, while they were still in the pocket realm, Li Lang placed a bottle of every poison he could reasonably make without advanced devices in front of him.

    ¡°Hmm, almost all of these are a pain to synthesize without any tools. At least I don¡¯t have to worry about the safety factor when I make it. I can just cleanse it away with Qi at any time.¡±

    ¡°Master, shouldn¡¯t you create the poisons according to the method you learned instead?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°Testing these mundane ones wouldn¡¯t be helpful to your cause.¡±

    ¡°I want to use these as a benchmark, so I can observe how Qi affected it.¡±

    ¡°Observe? You would have to make it in reality to test it, master. Nothing living can be replicated within my space.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly true. I¡¯m standing right here, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Master, that¡¯s¡­ridiculous!¡±

    ¡°What? If you can simulate how the materials interact with each other, you can simulate my bodily functions too, right?¡±

    ¡°...Normally, the sense of pain, or even just the ability to be harmed, is disabled. It¡¯s that way for good reason. Even if what happens here won¡¯t physically harm you, intense pain could still scar your mind! I¡¯d advise against doing something so reckless, master!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it should be fine. I received training in how to deal with pain before. I won¡¯t go crazy over it.¡±

    ¡°Master¡­¡±

    Ruby was speechless upon hearing her master¡¯s words. It wondered where in the world could Li Lang possibly receive such training, but more importantly, why. When it had first met its master, he had still been a child. She couldn¡¯t even fathom the conditions that would lead a child to receive such training.

    Without Li Lang revealing it himself, there was no way the artifact spirit would realize he meant from his previous life. As a scientist who worked for the Federation of Humanity, Li Lang naturally had received training befitting his position.

    Torture resistance training was mandatory after he had received a high enough clearance level. These courses included dealing with various drugs, truth serums, and a plethora of other methods to extract intel from him.

    This caused Li Lang to have the confidence to test his own creations on himself.

    If Ruby can just reset everything in an instant, there should be no danger at all. I can even take this opportunity to test out how to defend against poisons myself.

    Like that, Li Lang spent months testing various poisons and compared them to the mundane version. While he did this, he continued working toward the various trials, training in both martial and crafting pursuits.

    During one combat trial that led him outside, he set foot in a new area to hunt down some Qi beasts. As usual, he collected every new specimen within sight. It was one of these materials that caused a new breakthrough within his research.

    This branch contains traces of amygdalin, prunasin, and sambunigrin!

 Chapter 141: Cyanogenic Glycosides

    Li Lang struggled to contain his excitement as he stared down at the auto-analysis report. It had an exhaustive list of names, including amygdalin, prunasin, and sambunigrin. They were all cyanogenic glycosides and were exactly what Li Lang wanted. That was because they were the ingredients for making cyanide. It was a poison with an onset time measured in seconds rather than minutes or hours and would be his first choice if he had access to any material he wanted.

    He couldn¡¯t be happier at having attained a natural source of these cyanogenic glycosides. Extracting these cyanide compounds from raw materials was much easier than synthesizing them from simpler substances. This was especially so for Li Lang, who did not have access to any industries.

    As Li Lang analyzed the details of the report, his excitement died down. The unnamed branch he found contained very small traces of these precursor materials to cyanide. With the concentration too low, it became a problem to produce useable quantities. It simply wasn¡¯t realistic to harvest the vast portion of the forest for a small supply that he would struggle to replenish.

    ¡°Ruby, bring out samples of this tree branch for me.¡±

    ¡°Right away, master!¡±

    Blinking once, Li Lang could see the branch he had harvested during his adventures out in the pocket realm. Its appearance wasn¡¯t anything special. It had a rough texture and a particularly dark shade of brown. Taking a sniff, the tree had a faint almond-like scent. Other than that, it appeared like a branch from any regular tree.

    Hmm, too bad the tree was withered. There aren¡¯t any leaves or anything else to examine. How should I proceed to extract sufficient hydrogen cyanide?

    With one question answered, Li Lang was rewarded with several new ones. It became the new topic that would occupy most of his free time.

    Thankfully, plants and faunas were something Li Lang had dealt with all his life. It didn¡¯t take long for him to come up with several ideas to increase the concentration levels of the cyanogenic glycosides.

    As always, the easy part was done in Ruby¡¯s artifact space. The difficult part was to do the same in reality.

    One evening, when Li Lang¡¯s group gathered once again in the mess hall, everyone surprisingly discovered that Li Lang was the first one there. He stood over their usual table, which now had several clay jars. He was wrapping them with large pieces of cloth.

    The second person only frowned at the scene for a split second before greeting his friend.

    ¡°H-hey boss. What a-are you doing?¡±

    Li Lang continued to busy himself with the jars, answering with his back turned to the person he was conversing with.

    ¡°Hmm, just preparing to ferment something nice,¡±

    ¡°What? D-don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re making f-food,¡± Wei Ping cautiously glanced around for any eavesdropped before leaning in to continue his next part in a whisper. ¡°Even i-if you have c-control of the artifact spirits now, shouldn¡¯t y-you avoid doing something so e-eye catching?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that. This isn¡¯t food, but something I will use to aid me in combat.¡±

    Before Wei Ping could ask for further clarification, another person entered the hall. They turned to find Long Yi walking in, staring at them with a curious gaze.

    ¡°What are you two doing, whispering away in the corner like that?¡±

    ¡°Just preparing to ferment something nice,¡± Li Lang answered once more.

    ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me you two are making food of all things. How can you leave me out like this?! And didn¡¯t we say not to draw any attention to¡ª¡±

    Wei Ping cut him off with a raised palm as Long Yi was getting riled up.

    ¡°Boss s-said it¡¯s not f-food.¡±

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    ¡°If not food, then what? Is it some alchemy material then?¡±

    ¡°Nope. It has nothing to do with alchemy, either. As I was saying, it¡¯s for¡ª¡±

    Another person walked in, cutting Li Lang short.

    ¡°What are you three doing, whispering like you¡¯re deviously plotting something? And what¡¯s that?¡± Sima Xue pointed toward the jars on the table.

    ¡°...It¡¯s to ferment something. Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡±

    ¡°What? You three are taking it so easy that you¡¯re fermenting food now? How¡ª¡± Sima Xue stopped mid-sentence on her own initiative. It was because the trio were all giving her a strange look. ¡°What?¡± she repeated.

    Li Lang used every fiber of his being to suppress a sigh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not food. We¡¯re not leaving you out. And before you ask, it¡¯s not for alchemy, either.¡±

    ¡°Then what? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re coming up with some new ink for brushweaving? I¡¯ve been¡ª¡±

    As if Li Lang was stuck in some nightmarish loop, yet another person walked in with impeccable timing. It made Li Lang particularly irritated. So irritated that he didn¡¯t even stop to consider the status of the other party. He simply yelled out the reply he had been repeating.

    ¡°Before you ask, these jars are for fermenting something. And it¡¯s not food, alchemy materials, or brushweaving ink!¡±

    Tang Yulian, a high and mighty Foundation Establishment cultivator, was stunned at the sudden outburst. She tilted her head slightly and looked toward her close friend, Sima Xue. Unfortunately, the group was not fated to have a proper conversation, as the last regular in their usual group walked in.

    ¡°What is all the commotion about fermenting? I could hear you guys all the way out in the hallway. I was conversing with a junior out there,¡± Huang Si indignantly bellowed. ¡°If you guys are so curious, then stop playing word games and just go take a peek. Why are you guys raising your voices over it?¡±

    As the Bloodwave Conclave disciple spoke those words, he walked straight to the table and stretched out a hand to uncover the mystery. Everyone watched on curiously. Everyone except for one person.

    Without any hesitation, Li Lang instinctively reached and grabbed Huang Si¡¯s hand, stopping him from touching the lid. The sudden move had taken Huang Si aback.

    ¡°Umm, sorry? Is this something you want to keep to yourself? I was just curious. I didn¡¯t want to take any. I¡¯m not much of a glutton.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Li Lang interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­it¡¯s just that opening it could ruin all of it.¡±

    Having some time to calm down, Li Lang realized he had acted on impulse. It was a normal reaction considering the dangerous substances he was handling. His mind failed to consider how harmless mundane poison was to cultivators, which made him embarrassed about his overreaction.

    However, it was too late for him to explain.

    All his companions gave him looks before they collectively dropped the issue. They each had their own thoughts as to why Li Lang was being so secretive about his actions, but they didn¡¯t want to agitate him any further.

    It wasn¡¯t for another few weeks until the group found out what was in those jars. Then he would be terrorizing the Qi beasts of the pocket realm with its contents for a good part of the year.

    <hr>

    Having finished a trip down memory lane, Li Lang massaged his temples. While his journey of synthesizing his new poison by using Qi techniques recorded within the Vengeful Leaf Compendium combined with his cyanide was not a short ordeal, the result more than spoke for itself.

    He had created a poison that was truly combat-worthy. He had yet to test it on any cultivators, for obvious reasons, but knowing it worked against Qi beasts was good enough for the moment. Five years had already passed by while he trained in the pocket realm. The more time that went by, the less likely his childhood friends from the Zi family would be in one piece.

    There was also his lifespan to consider. After all these years, he was still in the same major realm of Energy Gathering. While it would appear he still had a long life ahead of him, the delays added up. As someone who began at such a low starting point, there was even less time for him to waste. While breaking through could extend his lifespan, it wasn¡¯t something to get complacent about.

    It was one of the major reasons why Li Lang forwent recreating any major technological tools from his own world. The plethora of innovations in his mind would take too long to implement. He didn¡¯t have access to any familiar materials. All electronic devices hinged on the support of an entire industrial nation. As one man alone, it would take too long.

    Even a steam engine would take months of testing and fine-tuning. Just because you knew how something was made didn¡¯t mean you could easily recreate it from scratch. In fact, steam engines were so out of date that few people in Li Lang¡¯s old world would have memorized any blueprint designs, adding to the delay.

    As technology advanced, people slowly forgot many older skills. It was like how no common person would know how to be a blacksmith. They may have heard that it involved ores, a forge, and some hammering on an anvil, but the particulars were unknown to them. While some knowledge had been lost entirely over time due to them being obsolete.

    I have to hurry up and come up with a concrete plan. To do that, I¡¯ll need to find news about Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei first. Once that¡¯s found, I¡¯ll have more options.

    Beg or trade, I can petition an expert to assist me. Thankfully, I¡¯ve made the perfect connection for that.

    Exiting out of Ruby¡¯s artifact space, Li Lang opened his eyes and glanced at his current chauffeur. A woman of extraordinary background. If anyone could help, it would be from her organization.

 Chapter 142: Assistance

    Li Lang¡¯s group continued their travels toward Polarity City. It was a neutral territory that belonged to neither the righteous sects nor demonic organizations. Cultivators from both factions didn¡¯t dare to feud within its territory.

    ¡°We should be donning some disguises before we get too close,¡± Li Lang declared.

    His two companions, Long Yi and Wei Ping, nodded, while Sima Xue looked on in bewilderment.

    ¡°Disguises? For what?¡±

    ¡°Nothing too serious. Just some cloaks and straw hats. We¡¯d rather not flaunt our presence entering from Demonic Cultivator Territory. It would give the righteous sect a reason to find issues with us later on.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯d say just forget about those stuck-up fools.¡±

    Li Lang simply let out a chuckle and didn¡¯t elaborate. There were too many reasons why he would continue visiting the orthodox sects¡¯ territories. Not only did they possess the greater community of cultivators on Violet Isle, but they also had access to the most resources. Even if he now possessed the pocket realm, now known as the Crucible, Li Lang still desired access to modern cultivation techniques and more materialistic resources.

    Then there was the issue of finding the Abductress, which was another can of worms that Li Lang wouldn¡¯t want to share.

    Silence permeated through the Skyrunner as Li Lang stayed silent. Before any of its occupants could strike up another conversation, Sima Xue suddenly snapped to their right. She wore a deep frown and began steering them to a higher altitude.

    The trio could sense the seriousness in her demeanor and Li Lang stepped forth as their representation for clarification.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Hm, not for us. Another group over there seems to be having some trouble.¡±

    ¡°Explain trouble.¡±

    ¡°Just a fight between cultivators and Qi beast. Both parties are at the upper stages of Energy Gathering, but the human party is struggling because they can¡¯t fly while they¡¯re up against an aerial Qi beast at the peak of the realm.¡±

    It took a second for Li Lang to process what was happening. That was because Sima Xue was so nonchalant about the matter. She only kept an eye on the situation and went on her way, like a driver going around a site of collision.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go help?¡±

    Those words earned Li Lang a strange look from his chauffeur.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Li Lang took a second to glance over at his other companions to see their reaction. Long Yi gave him a firm look that yelled, ¡°We should help,¡± while Wei Ping left the decision up to him.

    ¡°Because there¡¯s someone there that needs help and you have the power to do it.¡±

    Sima Xue blinked blankly at those words, taking a long moment to consider them.

    ¡°Um, I thought those values were just something the righteous sects spew. I guess some of them actually carry them out.¡±

    ¡°Is it against your rules to help or something? Your senior, Jian Beiyun, selflessly helped us when we first arrived at Polarity.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different. I heard he met you at the alchemy guild so he could confirm your identity and cross out any ill intent. We¡¯re taught not to assist in situations like this when we¡¯re out in the wild. They could be malicious parties pretending to be in need only to strike us in the back. I¡¯m sure every disciple in our valley is taught to steer clear of conflicts that they have no part in.¡±

    The pragmatic words dazed Li Lang for a second. It had such an effect because he somewhat resonated with it. He knew what the Nightmoon Valley taught was the safer course of action and likely what most residents of this world would choose.

    In a way, all cultivators were competitors. They all competed for a finite amount of resources, whether they cultivated orthodox or demonic techniques. There were no reasons to lend a hand to a complete stranger. Doing so recklessly would only put you in danger. While it may sound cruel, it was also this self-reliance that made those who survived that much stronger. It was the cultivation world¡¯s survival of the fittest.

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    I knew those flowery words I heard back in Spirit Grove sounded too good to be true. It was all textbook good samaritan crap, while many disciples behaved arrogantly. The pragmatic demonic cultivators, huh? My quest to find someone amongst them to help rescue the Zi siblings is starting to look less and less probable¡­

    ¡°Wait,¡± Li Lang said as he placed a hand on Sima Xue¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°We should go help anyway. We¡¯re so close to the city that it¡¯s unlikely to be anything nefarious, right?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­we should be in the detection range of the city master, at the very least. Still, why would you want to help them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said it wasn¡¯t based on my emotions, but that¡¯s not entirely it. Saving them in their time of need would make them owe us a debt. I don¡¯t know about you, but making connections isn¡¯t something I¡¯d be averse to.¡±

    Despite realizing the dangers and lack of benefits from assisting others, Li Lang still couldn¡¯t completely ignore the situation at hand. He was someone from a peaceful world of law and order. Watching someone within arm¡¯s reach fall into a precarious situation and leaving them to their fate wasn¡¯t something he could do without feeling anything.

    I don¡¯t want to lose sleep over something entirely within our power to change. Especially when the risks are so low. I wonder if I could make the same decision if this took place further away from any civilization, though¡­

    ¡°I completely agree with Li Lang!¡± Long Yi righteously jumped into the decision.

    It gave them the majority, pressuring Sima Xue to go along with it.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Li Lang continued. ¡°I know you want to do it too. You tried to warn me too back at Spirit Grove when you didn¡¯t have a reason to back then, either. You want to help.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­ I didn¡¯t want any more young children to fall into the hands of the righteous sects. I¡ªI don¡¯t know¡­¡± Sima Xue¡¯s face went through a plethora of emotions within a split second. ¡°You know what? Fine! Let¡¯s do it. Let¡¯s just hope it doesn¡¯t come back to bite us.¡±

    ¡°You said it was only a Qi beast in the Energy Gathering realm. I doubt it could hurt you, even if it did bite you.¡±

    Sima Xue crossed her arms and scoffed, turning her head toward the scene of the nearby battle.

    ¡°Hold on tight, I¡¯m going to go a little faster.¡±

    With her deep cultivation, the Skyrunner abruptly sped up in a way that none of the trio had ever experienced before. If it wasn¡¯t for the warning, they may very well have lost balance.

    A distance away, a young man and woman were currently fighting for their lives. Unbeknownst to them, a rescue party was heading their way.

    ¡°Ning Fei, we have to land the Skyrunner if we want to have a chance! None of my familiars can do anything up here!¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. You¡¯ve said that five times already! It¡¯s not so easy when that stupid bird is blocking our path!¡±

    Every time they tried to steer their Skyrunner down, the Qi beast would sweep down for an attack. It appeared to be intelligent enough to know that they would be vulnerable during their descent. After all, if the bird simply pressed them down during descent, it could smash them against the ground instead of the gentle landing they were hoping for.

    Still, that would allow them the opportunity to jump off before that came to be, but neither of them wanted to proceed with that. Skyrunners were expensive, and the journey back to their hometown was too far to safely traverse on foot.

    It was this dilemma that kept them in a stalemate against the Qi beast.

    ¡°Maybe try speeding up. We¡¯re so close to Polarity City, and the guards are bound to do something if we get close enough.¡±

    ¡°Gui Hong, have you gone crazy? Inciting a Qi beast to attack the city, regardless of its strength, is a major offense! We¡¯d be lucky if they just locked us in a cell for that.¡±

    ¡°Hey, at least there¡¯s a way to talk out of that situation. Or maybe one of our elders could smooth things over?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going with diplomacy being our pavilion¡¯s strong suit now?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    The young man known as Gui Hong didn¡¯t have time to ponder further before being forced to swing out his sword, launching a Qi art for the umpteenth time to keep the bird at bay. After sending out his blows, he still kept a careful watch of where it would dodge.

    Qi beasts, especially those in the lower realms, were still beasts by nature. Their intelligence wasn¡¯t anything to speak of, so it was a viable plan to observe and study their movements. It was their weakness, while their superior physical capabilities were their gift. Regardless of how strong they were, beasts often still had habits.

    However, the Qi beast didn¡¯t dodge in any direction the boy had presumed. In fact, it hadn¡¯t dodged at all. His wave of Qi landed squarely on its chest, scattering its plumage through the air.

    Gui Hong stared at the scene with wide eyes. It wasn¡¯t due to his attack, but because of the lone girl who was currently floating in the air beside the bird. She was holding it by its throat while the beast tried to flap its wings in defiance. The beast managed to strike the girl multiple times, but it had absolutely no effect.

    The gulf between a major realm was vast. Once a cultivator had shed their mortality and truly stepped forward onto the path of cultivation, many of their previous weaknesses were gone. No longer could they be caught off guard by an unexpected blow. There was no need to direct Qi to the area they were defending. Their entire body was simply one entity. Every part of it was better protected than if they were to channel all their Qi into defense during their previous stage.

    ¡°A¡­a Foundation Establishment expert,¡± he muttered in fear.

    Few good things ever came from a powerful expert approaching you out in the wilderness. It was fear born from all the lectures he had throughout the years. He wanted to slap himself for not forcing his companion to speed toward the city sooner. Trouble had come to find him.

 Chapter 143: Eroding March Pavilion

    A shadowy figure sat on a vantage point that overlooked a beautiful landscape. Their eyes were shut as they tightly held onto a talisman. Whatever they were doing was draining stamina as sweat began to build up on their brows as time passed.

    They remained completely still even when a sparrow flew onto their shoulder. The bird made itself comfortable and chirped to its heart¡¯s content. Like that, time flowed, with the winds bustling and sounds of life from the forest giving off a vibrant atmosphere.

    After some time, the figure finally opened their eyes. Eyes were called the windows of the soul for a reason, because right now, they fully displayed the shadowy figure¡¯s anger. As if able to sense the human¡¯s emotions, the bird swiftly darted away.

    Despite the person¡¯s anger, they still moved in a calm manner, slowly taking out a purple jade from within their robes.

    ¡°Master,¡± the figure let out a distorted voice. ¡°I have an update.¡±

    It took a full ten minutes before the figure received a response.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°The plan failed. Someone from Nightmoon Valley intervened.¡±

    ¡°...Have you been discovered?¡±

    ¡°No, I made sure to erase any traces.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine. No big deal, but come back anyway to be safe. I¡¯ll send someone else to take over.¡±

    The mysterious disciple hesitated for a split second, wanting to overturn his master¡¯s order, but his rationality won out.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Placing the jade away, the figure finally stood up. He was on top of a thick tree branch that was a few stories above ground. He gave one final glance toward a distant black Skyrunner before sighing to himself.

    ¡°Nightmoon Valley,¡± the figure muttered hatefully. ¡°I thought they only acted when injustices occurred, not normal engagements with Qi beasts. They¡¯re making our people soft. What they are doing is harmful to the Luminescent realm!¡±

    <hr>

    Back in the airspace near Polarity City, a black Skyrunner made steady progress toward the city. Various other vehicles flew past them as they cruised.

    ¡°Thank you for saving us again. You¡¯re even giving us a ride. I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Gui Hong politely said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything. You¡¯ve said your thanks like five times already. I don¡¯t need any more of your thanks,¡± Sima Xue cried out, evidently annoyed.

    ¡°Now, now. Let¡¯s get along,¡± Li Lang mediated. ¡°It¡¯s not long before we arrive.¡±

    ¡°Umm, is there a reason why we¡¯re moving so slow?¡± the only other girl in the Skyrunner sheepishly asked.

    The words provoked an immediate response from her fellow disciple.

    ¡°Ning Fei, these people are our benefactors! What are you doing complaining to them?¡±

    ¡°Still¡­We could reach the city within a few minutes if we sped up.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop right there guys,¡± Li Lang interjected himself again. ¡°I asked Sima Xue to slow us down so we can have some time to chat. If you¡¯re in a hurry, then I apologize. We¡¯ll stop delaying right away.¡±

    The two disciples from Eroding March Pavilion exchanged looks. Through communicating with only their gaze, Ning Fei relinquished the decision-making power to her fellow disciple.

    ¡°We¡¯re happy to follow your arrangement,¡± Gui Hong happily declared. ¡°I¡¯d love to get to know more about the famous young lady from Nightmoon Valley and her companions.¡±

    Sima Xue only spared him a disinterested glance before bringing her full attention back to operating the Skyrunner.

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    Wei Ping didn¡¯t let that stifle the mood and jumped on the question train.

    ¡°So, y-you said you guys were f-from the Eroding March Pavilion, you say? Isn¡¯t that where Gui Tianzi is from?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s my cousin,¡± Gui Hong replied with a shy smile.

    ¡°Then y-you must also be as talented as him.¡±

    ¡°Senior Gui Tianzi is so much more amazing!¡± Ning Fei jumped to talk answer. ¡°Not only is he humble, having kept a low profile throughout the years, he¡¯s unchanged even now. He still treats us the same as he used to, even people like us who have only just reached the seventh stage. That¡¯s pretty commendable considering how everyone in the realm now recognizes his talents after the pocket realm.¡±

    From her gaze alone, it was easy to tell how enamored she was with him. It was what Wei Ping loved to see. People ran their mouths about things they were passionate about. Her talking without being urged made intel gathering easy.

    ¡°I s-see. Well, his humbleness is n-not surprising, considering y-your pavilion¡¯s reputation.¡±

    ¡°Yea¡­¡± the girl smiled with a tinge of red coloring her cheeks. ¡°As you may have heard, our techniques are not the most¡­elegant. We like to keep to ourselves.¡±

    Wei Ping didn¡¯t press any further into their organization¡¯s techniques. It wasn¡¯t a secret in the past, and definitely common knowledge now. With the rise of a new genius that supersedes Sima Xue, Tang Yulian, and Liang Po, everyone in the Luminescent realm had heard of Gui Tianzi and the organization he hailed from by now.

    They were well known for using various insects and invertebrates as their familiars. It gave others the image of grotesque possibilities. While many claimed not to fear death, few had the same tune when told their death would be subjected to being eaten alive by numerous insects from the inside out. Their gruesome techniques were why everyone steered clear of them until now.

    As they grew closer to the city, the two parties got more and more familiar with each other. The only exception was Sima Xue, who abstained from the conversation and was entirely focused on driving. However, the journey was so short that no hostility was felt.

    Once they landed outside Polarity City, the Eroding March Pavilion duo swiftly departed.

    ¡°Thank you guys so much for your help. We¡¯ll be sure to pay you back once we get the chance.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s group watched them pass through the city gates as they prepared to enter themselves.

    ¡°Should we head in too, now?¡± Li Lang directed a questioning look at Sima Xue. She was the reason they were standing there, as the group waited for her to drive the Skyrunner into the city.

    ¡°Why did you offer them to ride along with us?¡±

    ¡°What? We already saved them, and their Skyrunner was damaged. Isn¡¯t it the right thing to do to give them a lift? I mean, it was just for a short while.¡±

    ¡°Them being so close was exactly why we should¡¯ve just left them be. Their Skyrunner was damaged, but still working. Even if they didn¡¯t want to risk it, they could¡¯ve made it here by foot before night fell.¡±

    ¡°Like we said before deciding to help them, we wanted to make a connection with them. What better way than having a cordial chat?¡±

    ¡°That should¡¯ve taken place another time, within the city. Li Lang, you need to take safety into consideration. Allowing others to get so close to you is dangerous. Even if my cultivation is higher than theirs, it¡¯s hard to say what kind of items they carried in their space ring.¡±

    Li Lang frowned at her words. Upon reflection, he found her words to be true. Talismans that were an entire grade ahead of a cultivator¡¯s strength could not be activated, but there were other treasures in the world that didn¡¯t have that limitation. Artifacts were the obvious ones. Even he could control Ruby and the Crucible somewhat due to cooperation with the artifact spirit. There was also the possibility of something akin to a bomb.

    The existence of a space ring made transporting dangerous items especially easy.

    ¡°Sorry, I should¡¯ve consulted with you more.¡±

    Seeing how sincere his apology was, Sima Xue sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not your fault. It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal or else I would¡¯ve stopped you. These are things I learned over the years with my master, so I shouldn¡¯t keep you to the same standards. Just know that Nightmoon Valley¡¯s protocol on this is there for good reason. We¡¯re known to stick ourselves into other¡¯s business within the Luminescent realm. That means we¡¯re experienced enough to know how to deal with people.¡±

    Li Lang took a brief glance back at the reaction of his two male friends to check if they were enjoying his lecture. He found their gaze wandering around, not wanting to be part of the ongoing conversation.

    These traitors. It¡¯s Long Yi¡¯s idea originally to get involved and I have to suffer for it.

    Before Li Lang could sulk, Sima Xue finally steered the Skyrunner forward. The now-turned carriage made its way to the city gates and was immediately greeted by a guard.

    ¡°Friends from Nightmoon Valley, please feel free to enter straight away,¡± a guard politely gestured for them to walk on through, cutting ahead of the line.

    Seeing this preferential treatment, no one in the party corrected the guard and proceeded as instructed.

    The onlookers in the line watched on quietly as they allowed them to pass. Li Lang spied a person handing over a red Qi crystal as an entry fee when he arrived at the front.

    Hmm, it should be ten spirit stones per month. A red crystal is a hundred stones, so the price differs. Probably based on the cultivation level. I guess there are downsides to everything, after all.

    Those idle thoughts were quickly shelved as the group entered the city proper. The streets were bustling with numerous cultivators wandering about. One thing immediately stood out to Li Lang, that left him stunned.

 Chapter 144: Lively City

    ¡°There are regular folks around now?¡± Li Lang muttered as he watched the lively streets of Polarity City.

    It caused his two companions to take a second look at all the people around.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Long Yi agreed. ¡°There was barely anyone here the last time we were here. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s changed so much over the years.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? It¡¯s always like this whenever I come,¡± Sima Xue said.

    The contradictions caused the group to fall silent for a brief moment before Li Lang made a sound that indicated he remembered something important.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! They said mortals were usually not allowed in here unless there were events going on where menial workers were needed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll g-go inquire about it l-later,¡± Wei Ping offered.

    ¡°Event?¡± Sima Xue muttered. ¡°Oh, you mean the annual auctions? It happens over two months out of the year. I guess I normally only do come around this time.¡±

    ¡°Auction? Care to elaborate?¡±

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s get to our inn first, okay?¡±

    With the explanation delayed, the group slowly traveled through the busy streets. Once they got off the central road, the smaller streets were so crowded that the carriages moved at the same pace as the pedestrians.

    It gave ample time for the trio to witness the city in its new form.

    As expected from a young princess from a major organization, Sima Xue brought them to a luxurious inn. They had an entire driveway for carriages, and then a large shed to park them away as well. In between the entrance to the street, there were several finely sculpted marble art pieces. To Li Lang, they were of unfamiliar creatures and symbols.

    Sima Xue opted to stow her vehicle into her space ring before they made their way up the steps.

    ¡°Welcome to Serene Retreat, Young Lady Sima. We have your rooms already prepared,¡± the hostess greeted.

    ¡°You made reservations ahead of time? How? You dropped by before coming to fetch us?¡± Long Yi tactless asked, right before the staff.

    ¡°Of course not. I had the sect communicate to the proprietress here about my visit.¡±

    ¡°Communicate how?¡± Li Lang asked without missing a beat.

    He immediately realized she referred to a prompt method of communication. As a modern person, he knew exactly how vital that was to civilization. The only question left was whether it was through means like messenger pigeons, smoke signals, or a novel method involving Qi.

    ¡°With a transmission jade, of course. The big cities have one paired with each other.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible to buy these jades for myself?¡±

    From the corner of his eye, Li Lang caught sight of the staff bringing up her sleeve to hide her smile. It was then that he knew he had asked a stupid question. Sima Xue blinking blankly had confirmed this.

    ¡°Umm, probably not? They¡¯re valuable treasures that only large organizations have. Even my Nightmoon Valley doesn¡¯t have one to every city in the Luminescent Domain.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­Well, why don¡¯t we get settled into our rooms first before continuing our chat?¡±

    From context alone, Li Lang could surmise that this transmission jade wasn¡¯t as convenient as the phones he was familiar with. They appeared to be paired with each other, much like the quantum communicators the space force used on their capital ships. He only noted it down in the corner of his mind to keep an eye out for it before checking into their rooms.

    This time, the group of four were each shown to their own rooms. Unlike in the past, Li Lang¡¯s wallet was now much healthier. He didn¡¯t protest the arrangement, as he had already embarrassed himself with his questions. He¡¯d rather not be remembered by the staff as the country bumpkin.

    While he didn¡¯t care for his reputation or the likes, his current goal was to create his own organization. He had heard enough gossip about people in important posts to know the importance of a reputation for any respectable organization. These small matters appeared insignificant, but it affected one¡¯s credibility.

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    Li Lang knew that trust was the most important currency between groups. It took a long time to build, but only one misstep to ruin.

    After putting away their luggage, the group quickly assembled in the tea lounge next to the lobby. Further in was a proper restaurant, much classier than the pubs Li Lang had frequented. He would explore the eatery soon enough. For now, they occupied the lounge.

    They all assembled and resumed their earlier conversation.

    ¡°So, where do I begin?¡± Sima Xue pondered while holding her cup of tea with both hands.

    ¡°H-how about the o-organizer and when it s-starts?¡± Wei Ping suggested.

    ¡°Well, the organizer is Polarity City itself. That¡¯s why it draws such a huge crowd. Both righteous snobs and our demonic cultivators will be participating.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard anything about it during my time in Spirit Grove,¡± Li Lang commented.

    ¡°Well, yeah. The righteous sects want to keep up the image of us as unreasonable brutes. Only their elders, established clans, and powerful wandering cultivators would know about it. After all, only these powerful people have the wealth to participate.¡±

    ¡°Then why are there so many people here? They can¡¯t all be wealthy, can they?¡±

    ¡°What I explained is for the main event only. There are many other auctions happening at the same time, catering to different needs and price points. Many cater to the numerous scions from the established cultivator clans.¡±

    ¡°So¡­That means this secret auction is only secret to the regular folks without a background?¡±

    ¡°Generally, yes. The historic clans all know about the true nature of us demonic cultivators, of course. It¡¯s not exactly easy to keep it a secret for eternity. They only do it to keep their regular folks in check.¡±

    What a way to keep people in line with fear. Was I really living under such horrible people? No, I can¡¯t just take Sima Xue¡¯s side of the story at face value. Just like with demonic cultivators, the orthodox sects must have good and bad apples as well.

    Their afternoon discussion continued over the next hour. Li Lang and Wei Ping teamed up to barrage Sima Xue with questions while Long Yi busied himself with the snacks. As expected, it wasn¡¯t long before Sima Xue threw up the white flag.

    ¡°Guys, can we save the talks for another time? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll learn a lot on your own if you spend a day or two here. You still have an entire month and a half before the auctions are over. Unless you¡¯re in a hurry to deliver that letter.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go check out the city while the sun¡¯s still up,¡± Long Yi supported the young princess.

    Li Lang surveyed his surroundings and noticed the establishment had gotten busier as night approached.

    ¡°Hmm, I guess we can go out for a bit,¡± Li Lang pondered to himself for a brief moment.

    Seeing the place was starting to become too rowdy for a proper conversation, he stood up and stretched his back.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go take a walk and check out this auction. We sat for long enough.¡±

    With those words, the group began to wander the streets to appreciate the city proper.

    ¡°I still got to say again, this place is unrecognizable from when we came,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°Y-yeah. It¡¯s incredible.¡±

    Previously, there were only stores catered to cultivators, and the streets were sparse. Now, they were dozens of carts parked on both sides of the streets that sold food and drinks. It had a festive atmosphere, with a mix of people. It was easy to tell there was some tension between different groups, but they expertly ignored each other¡¯s existence and kept their distance. However, there were a few people that treated everyone equally.

    ¡°How does the general demonic cultivator see orthodox independent cultivators that aren¡¯t affiliated with any sects?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? They¡¯re just people, I guess. It varies from person to person. Unlike the arrogant sects, we don¡¯t discriminate based on their cultivation method. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have an organization like the Peerless Gate in our domain.¡±

    ¡°It seems like they¡¯re smart enough to play both sides, becoming merchants.¡±

    Following Li Lang¡¯s gaze, Sima Xue looked over at the people he was talking about.

    ¡°Oh, those are actual merchants from our domain. We don¡¯t restrict information or anything, so our regular merchants can come and go as they like. Those guys around them are the independent cultivators you¡¯re talking about. They act as the merchant¡¯s bodyguards.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, my point still stands. The independents are profiting from being neutral. Not bad.¡±

    ¡°Well, we need someone to carry out the logistics of trade.¡±

    ¡°Right. The profits of trade are hard to ignore.¡±

    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s why we still trade with them despite everything they have done to us.¡±

    Li Lang continued to walk, refusing to comment on historical grudges. While he heard some of it from Jian Beiyun about how the Demonic Cultivator Territory was originally a place of exile, he wasn¡¯t knowledgeable enough on the matter to comment.

    As the group merrily sampled the food stalls and took in the jovial atmosphere, they suddenly froze upon making eye contact with one of the passersby. In fact, both parties were frozen. The only exception was Wei Ping, who alternated glances between his friends and the stranger, befuddled at their reactions.

    Li Lang would¡¯ve preferred if they hadn¡¯t seen each other. Even if it was inevitable, he would¡¯ve preferred if only one party spotted the other. That way, they still had the option to ignore and leave. Now that both parties made eye contact, it became extremely challenging to just walk away.

    As if compelled by a mysterious force, both sides closed the distance.

    Li Lang¡¯s group of four each awkwardly clasped their fist to the middle-aged woman before them.

    ¡°Greetings, Senior Cao.¡±

 Chapter 145: Tofu Pudding

    With the greeting out of the way, the awkwardness between the four young cultivators and the middle-aged woman took hold of them again. Li Lang¡¯s group looked around, with no one wanting to have the first word. The elder just stoically stood there like a statue.

    After some time, the elder broke the silence.

    ¡°It¡¯s been some time, Li Lang, Long Yi. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m happy about our reunion considering who you¡¯re with,¡± the elder¡¯s last words were said while pointedly staring at Sima Xue.

    ¡°Elder Cao, I hope you are in good health,¡± Li Lang replied with a bow. ¡°You may be jumping to conclusions. It¡¯s a long story, after all.¡±

    ¡°Well, I have some time to listen to your excuses as to why you¡¯re associating with this demonic cultivator that allegedly framed you. That, plus the fact of your rapid progress is especially concerning. Just so you remember, I put myself on the line to defend you. Have you forgotten my warnings?¡±

    The elder¡¯s stark contrast of tone almost made Li Lang flinch. Elder Cao had always been so kind to him during his time in Spirit Grove. It felt weird that she acted so hostile, but also understandable at the same time, considering she found him associating so closely with demonic cultivators. The fact their cultivation had skyrocketed since she last saw them was the last nail in the coffin. It left no question in Elder Cao¡¯s mind that they had gone against her warnings and dabbled in demonic cultivation.

    ¡°Elder Cao, I can¡¯t exactly tell you everything here. I ask that you consider where we are. There¡¯s no point in holding any enmity here,¡± Li Lang tried to explain.

    He couldn¡¯t exactly tell her everything, especially because they were currently posing as people who had switched over to demonic cultivation to blend in. It was what they decided to explain why they had progressed so rapidly in their cultivation. Otherwise, even demonic cultivators would be alarmed at the fact two boys with grade-one aptitude had reached the late stages of Energy Gathering before the age of twenty.

    Protecting this information caused Li Lang to make an on-the-spot decision. A decision to lie.

    ¡°The only thing I can tell you is that we no longer have any animosity toward Ling Xue. There¡¯s no point considering we live in Polarity City now. It¡¯s neutral grounds, after all. I still respect you, Elder Cao and Spirit Grove.¡±

    The elder grunted and looked away. She didn¡¯t say anything in particular, but for those who knew her, her stern expression softened.

    Before their conversation could continue, Elder Cao suddenly glanced in one direction down the street. She spotted her companions who had likely just finished their errands.

    ¡°In that case, I hope we have the opportunity to sit down and have a long chat once this auction is over. I¡¯m staying at the Haze Mist Inn. Come find me after the event if you want to explain yourselves.¡±

    With those words, the elder swiftly moved to regroup with her fellow sect members. From the distance, Li Lang could make out the green robes of the other Spirit Grove cultivators. He even spotted a few familiar faces who he couldn¡¯t put a name to right away.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Li Lang urged his group to keep moving. ¡°The elder excused herself so we wouldn¡¯t come into conflict with the other members, so we shouldn¡¯t let her efforts go in vain.¡±

    Just as Li Lang had noticed the other party, the Spirit Grove disciples noticed him as well. More specifically, only a select few did. Those who had spent some time with him. That was because Li Lang no longer had the characteristics of a large head. It wasn¡¯t so easy to recognize him.

    ¡°Is that who I think it is?¡± a young master with green robes exclaimed, increasing the intensity of his fanning to match his emotions.

    ¡°What are you looking at, Lu Hong? I don¡¯t see anything,¡± a portly young man inquired.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re too short, Zhang Bai. Of course, you¡¯re not seeing anything past this crowd,¡± another person interjected on behalf of the first man. ¡°I believe Lu Hong is talking about that brat with the big head. Though it doesn¡¯t seem like his head is that large anymore.¡±

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    ¡°Hmm, are you guys sure? It¡¯s been years since we last saw him. If that guy doesn¡¯t have a large head, it could just be a lookalike.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. I, Pei Fong, may be mistaken, but how could Young Master Lu Hong of the Lu Clan be mistaken?¡±

    The trio didn¡¯t get to argue long before Elder Cao reunited with the group. She was the elder responsible for watching over them, and none dared to talk over her.

    ¡°What are you all standing around for? If you¡¯re done, then let¡¯s start heading back.¡±

    ¡°Yes, elder!¡± all the Spirit Grove disciples, not just the young master trio, replied with vigor.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang¡¯s group had already evacuated the area. They were currently sitting down inside a large restaurant. It spanned several floors, and the aroma that seeped out from the kitchen made one¡¯s stomach grumble. It wasn¡¯t just because their chefs were skilled, but because of all the valuable ingredients they used.

    These ingredients came with a corresponding price. It was high enough to make Li Lang drop the menu upon reading it.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± he whispered over to Sima Xue with a strained tone. ¡°A hundred and twenty Qi stones for a simple bowl of rice? That¡¯s daylight robbery!¡±

    Having read the same menu, even Wei Ping and Long Yi gave questioning looks at Sima Xue.

    ¡°M-maybe we should go elsewhere? This p-place seems to c-cater to those in a higher realm,¡± Wei Ping said, as he glanced around at the other customers.

    Everyone else in the restaurant was an adult. They were all at least in the Foundation Establishment realm. It was a scene that befitted the name of Polarity City as a cultivator center.

    ¡°Oh, come on, guys. The food they serve here is all made from Earth-grade ingredients, at the very least!¡±

    ¡°A luxurious feast is the last thing we need to indulge in right now,¡± Li Lang quipped. ¡°There¡¯s still an auction on the horizon. Why would I waste my money here?¡±

    ¡°Earth-grade ingredients aren¡¯t just for pleasure! Not only do they nourish the soul, they also relieve you of cultivation fatigue. Many say regularly eating these high-quality foodstuffs aids in cultivation as well!¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t in the position to rely on something so expensive, yet can¡¯t be verified for its efficacy!¡±

    ¡°You promised me tofu pudding, and I want the tofu pudding from here.¡±

    Having been reminded of his promise, Li Lang lost some wind in his sails. At the time he requested her help in the pocket realm, he knew he had to pay a price.

    Well, if it¡¯s just once, I can still handle it. Plus, I can investigate if these foods actually have an effect on cultivation.

    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll order your tofu pudding, but nothing else.¡±

    Having gotten her wish, Sima Xue quickly switched over from tantrum mode to satisfied mode. The table of four placed their order for one serving of tofu pudding and it instantly came, as if to tell them to hurry up and relinquish their table.

    The pudding they brought came in a wooden bucket the size of a jug. Sima Xue got straight into it and scooped some into her bowl.

    ¡°Can you three not stare at me like that when I¡¯m eating?¡±

    Immediately, the gazes of the three boys scattered.

    The sound of other customers filled the room, as Li Lang tried to think up a way to ask her to share some of it. He needed to place it into Ruby for further analysis, but with how excited she seemed, he hesitated.

    Instead, he spent his time observing the other guests. All their meals appeared normal, with roast poultry and fine wines, but the aroma was much more fragrant than normal. It had a charm to it that made one salivate. All the high and mighty cultivators around him were stuffing themselves full at a rapid pace.

    ¡°Hey!¡± a voice shouted, waking the three young men from their thoughts. ¡°You guys can have some, you know?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Li Lang asked.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s no fun eating by yourself. Come on and try it out. It¡¯s as good as I remembered it to be.¡±

    Seeing her push the tub of tofu pudding toward them, the trio relented and partook in some pudding. Li Lang swiftly used his spoon to break up the pudding and had Ruby absorb some at the same time. Then, he finally tried some, and the moment it entered his mouth, he was stunned.

    The experience wasn¡¯t simply just food. A warm flow of Qi traveled down his stomach, along with the food. Unlike during cultivation, his body didn¡¯t resist it, causing no pain or discomfort. Instead, he felt the energy slowly being distributed to every single one of his cells. It felt his body glowing, releasing that rush of energy back into the world.

    He took another look at the other guests after his discovery. He found many among them had an older appearance. It was hard to tell their age from that alone, but the consistency did not escape his attention.

    They¡¯re not just stuffing themselves for pleasure. Could this really be helpful in one¡¯s cultivation somehow?

 Chapter 146: Touring the Streets

    After their meal, the group traveled along the streets of Polarity City in a leisurely manner. They took a stroll down the busy streets, exploring various stalls and shops.

    While Li Lang¡¯s party was enjoying the view, he was deep in thought about whether high-quality food could aid in cultivation and why. At the same time, he was beating himself up for his shallow cultivation. The tofu pudding he had entered into Ruby couldn¡¯t be fully analyzed. It was made from Earth-grade ingredients, which meant the Qi was in the realms of Foundation Establishment. He would have to wait for his breakthrough if he wanted the auto-analyzer to work on the pudding.

    Even if it did work, I doubt it will tell me much. It¡¯ll just be like the talismans, giving me just the material composition and Qi signature.

    Like that, Li Lang absent-mindedly followed along, entering into store after store as they shopped around.

    ¡°Welcome to our treasure pavilion! Everything here is for sale. Just let me know if you need help.¡±

    The treasure pavilion was what this world called pawn shops. It had a myriad of goods, including rare items that were hard to come by. The only caveat was that the rarity was taken into account when setting the price.

    ¡°Five orange crystals for a Foundation Pill? That¡¯s a lot more than I thought. That¡¯s like fifty thousand Qi-stones!¡± Long Yi exclaimed.

    ¡°It s-says they only t-take orange Qi crystals.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not surprising,¡± Sima Xue interjected. ¡°These are normally kept within an organization and not spread around. The currency being set is nothing unusual either. It¡¯s set so only people with a certain amount of cultivation or background can buy it.¡±

    Seeing Long Yi¡¯s questioning look, Wei Ping elaborated.

    ¡°For e-experts, only Qi stones at their level are u-useful to their cultivation. While the organization sets an e-exchange price for their d-diciples, it¡¯s not so easy in the outside world to attain higher grade Qi crystals.¡±

    Wei Ping continued to explain the intricacies of the economy to a frowning Long Yi. The sects and organizations monopolized the Qi crystal mines, so it was hard for others to come by high-level Qi stones. They had many uses, aiding in cultivation or powering formations. It was a waste for these organizations to trade them out to just anybody.

    At the same time, if the sects wanted to trade out a high number of these Qi crystals, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to find buyers who could afford them except those from other organizations. After all, mortal currencies were useless to them.

    Normally, the currency one used stayed close to their realm of cultivation. In a way, their economy was separated, with this mechanic acting as a chasm between them. It was the sects and official organizations that helped bridge that gap as renowned experts co-existed with their weaker juniors.

    Their shopping trip soon came to an end when they came across a grand hall surrounded by an active crowd. The structure was as large as a castle, likely being able to host thousands within its chambers.

    ¡°Here we are. The Grand Hall of Polarity City. This is where the main auction will take place in about a month¡¯s time. It¡¯s also where we can see the schedule for the various auctions taking place all over the city,¡± Sima Xue explained.

    They didn¡¯t have to push through the crowd to be able to see a giant stone tablet hovering in the air by the entrance. It was as tall as the building itself, spanning over fifty feet. Its contents weren¡¯t engraved, but written in an ink that shone for all to see, even during the light of day.

    ¡°There¡¯s quite a few auctions taking place, aren¡¯t there?¡± Li Lang noted as they stared up at the giant stone tablet.

    ¡°Oh look, there¡¯s two happening tonight!¡± Sima Xue said. ¡°Do you want to go for an artifact auction or one with cultivation techniques?¡±

    The tablet had noted down not only the type of items it specialized in but also the grade of the items. Both auctions were for Earth-grade treasures.

    Hmm, both are not something we can immediately use. Plus, we¡¯d have to compete against Foundation Establishment to win anything. This means as a spectator, the decision is based on what we find more interesting.

    ¡°Which one do you guys find more interesting?¡± Li Lang asked, turning to his peers.

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    ¡°Hmm, shouldn¡¯t we go for the artifacts? We wanted to buy some, right?¡± Long Yi answered.

    ¡°B-boss plans to c-create his own, though. Right?¡±

    Li Lang nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to create something to fit our style than to change our style to accommodate for the tool.¡±

    ¡°There could still be defensive or utility artifacts,¡± Sima Xue chimed in.

    This caused the group to quiet down as they fell into deep thought. Upon taking another glance up at the schedule, Li Lang voiced his new plan.

    ¡°They¡¯re an hour apart. Let¡¯s just go to both.¡±

    ¡°But they last for three hours at the minimum!¡± Sima Xue cried.

    ¡°We can just leave midway. These items aren¡¯t something we can use now¡­unless there¡¯s something you want?¡±

    ¡°All artifacts I use must be approved by my master.¡±

    ¡°In that case, we¡¯re all just taking a look, so it won¡¯t matter if we stay until the end or not.¡±

    With the matter settled, the group departed for the first auction on the schedule. The one for cultivation techniques. While Li Lang had access to a colossal collection in his Crucible, they weren¡¯t something he could access at will.

    His low cultivation meant he couldn¡¯t alter the laws of his Spirit-grade artifact. He needed to pass the trials properly to unlock the repository. Even if he could access it, Li Lang wouldn¡¯t say no to more techniques. He knew the ones in the Crucible came from another era, and adding modern techniques to his collection wasn¡¯t a waste at all.

    The streets were crowded, so it took some time for them to arrive at the venue. Still, there was plenty of time until it started.

    They stopped at the door, where a sign informed them they needed to place a deposit of five red crystals per person. Li Lang had more than enough to satisfy the requirement, so they were quickly handed badges to wear in exchange for the crystals. Each of them had a unique number on it.

    Walking inside, they found the venue to be similar to a theatre, a stone building with a grand auditorium with tiered seating. At the center was a stage made of white stones. The most noticeable thing was the decorative lanterns floating by the ceiling.

    Li Lang could tell it made use of an advanced application of brushweaving, drawing runes onto the air itself to produce the lighting effect. It wasn¡¯t something he was close to accomplishing at this point in time.

    The crowd slowly but surely filled in. Every single one of them was in the late stages of Energy Gathering, at the very least. In fact, the majority of them were Foundation Establishment cultivators. There weren¡¯t any Violet Core elders at all, unless they were incognito, hiding their presence.

    It wasn¡¯t surprising, considering they wouldn¡¯t waste time on items irrelevant to themselves. Their juniors could take care of themselves. They would likely only show up at the main event, where Saint-grade items could be found.

    Li Lang¡¯s group settled into their seats on the main floor and silently took in the atmosphere.

    The auction started precisely as scheduled. All the lights dimmed except for the one right above the stage, and a woman in tidy white robes stepped onto the stage.

    She wore a soothing smile that earned a positive impression on all those who saw it for the first time. It made even the most temperamental people struggle to flare up at her.

    ¡°Welcome everyone to the third cultivation knowledge session for Earth-grade techniques,¡± she said with a gentle voice that somehow managed to be clearly heard over the bustle of the crowd. ¡°I am honored to be graced by the presence of all you heroes and experts gathered here tonight. I am Xiao Gao Mei, your auctioneer for today.¡±

    Her speech caused the venue to quiet down, but she gave it an extra few seconds for people to settle completely.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Fairy Xiao! We¡¯re in luck.¡±

    ¡°Shush, it¡¯s starting.¡±

    The auctioneer resumed her speech and this time; she began going over the rules and etiquette for the session. It was obvious the lines were something she was well versed in, likely having recited it hundreds of times. Auctioneers always had to explain the rules in case there were any newcomers.

    ¡°With that out of the way, let us jump straight into it!¡± she proclaimed.

    At the wave of her hand, a white pedestal appeared in the center of the stage. Accompanying it was a worn cultivation manual with a frayed cover.

    ¡°Allow me to present the first item up for auction. It is a movement technique found recently in an ancient study. Its name is Whispering Strides. From our appraisal, it is a mid-tier Earth-grade technique rated as a level six technique. Thus, the starting price is fifty red crystals!¡±

    Xiao Gao Mei gave her audience some time to digest. The chatter livened up the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s the technique rating about?¡± Li Lang whispered over to his friend from Nightmoon Valley.

    ¡°It¡¯s a simple one-to-ten scale. The higher the rating, the more efficient the technique is believed to be for its complexity. It¡¯s an easy indicator of how refined a technique is but doesn¡¯t tell how powerful it is.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve never heard about it before. How about you?¡± Li Lang glanced over at Wei Ping.

    ¡°Just heard a l-little about it before. O-Only Earth-grade techniques are rated, s-so I hadn¡¯t d-dug too deep.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only really ever used in auctions or for organization in large sect libraries,¡± Sima Xue continued. ¡°It¡¯s something arbitrarily decided by several experts, so it¡¯s not that important usually. Though, as you can see, they care about details like that in an auction.¡±

    The auction proceeded as people began bidding for the item while Li Lang¡¯s group conversed quietly. Things heated up as demonic factions bid against orthodox ones.

    It was fine, as they were here as spectators, so they did exactly that. That was until Li Lang heard the description of the next technique.

    I want that!

 Chapter 147: First Auction

    ¡°Sold to guest number one-four-six for sixty-five red crystals!¡± Xiao Gao Mei, the auctioneer declared. ¡°Going straight into the next lot, we have a technique by the name of Tracing Origin Art.¡±

    At the wave of a hand, the book on the pedestal was swapped out for another one that was in better condition. Without giving the audience any time to change gears, she went straight into the description of the Qi art.

    ¡°This is a new technique created by a genius independent cultivator. It is able to mark your property so that you know where they are located at all times! Not only is it useful for travelers, but sects could make use of it to keep track of all their property, such as Skyrunners. It is easy to learn, being a low-tier Earth-grade technique with a rating of eight. The starting price is ten red crystals!¡±

    This time, the reaction from the crowd was much more tame. Much of it had to do with the excitement of the event starting to die out. Another part had to do with the fact that the current offering was more meant for caretakers rather than prestigious cultivators from established clans.

    There were fewer parties interested, being the deacons of various organizations and the independent cultivators.

    The bidding didn¡¯t start right away as someone in the crowd raised their hands.

    ¡°How hard is it to detect the presence of this Qi art or to erase it?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for asking, guest three-two-five. The Tracing Origin Art wasn¡¯t created with the purpose of being undetectable, so one should be able to discover it with their Qi sense. However, it was made to be as difficult as possible to remove. At the same time, it would inform the practitioner of anyone trying to tamper with it!¡±

    So it¡¯s basically a tracker with an alarm on it. Whoever made it surely must have suffered from a string of thefts or something.

    As the details were clarified, the bidding began.

    ¡°Fifteen red crystals from guest sixty-four!¡± the auctioneer exclaimed.

    ¡°Sixteen!¡±

    ¡°We have sixteen from guest two-zero-nine!¡±

    ¡°Twenty!¡±

    Various people were bidding from all around Li Lang¡¯s party. He glanced around and confirmed they were mostly independent cultivators. In fact, most people around him appeared to be of similar origin. It took a moment for him to realize there was an entire other level for participants.

    On the level above, there were dozens of private booths that overlooked the stage. Some of them had curtains surrounding them, while others were open for all to see. One could tell at first glance that all the people up there were from established organizations.

    ¡°How high do you think this technique will go to?¡± Sima Xue muttered. ¡°I personally don¡¯t think it¡¯ll pass thirty red crystals. They shouldn¡¯t have put something with zero combat uses so early in the auction. Everyone wants to save for the better techniques later on.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Li Lang answered, directing his attention back to the stage. ¡°I doubt they care about this lot very much, though. It¡¯s not something the wealthy wants, so it just serves as a warmup.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get that for your Skyrunner, Li Lang? It may come in handy,¡± Long Yi suggested with a grin.

    ¡°We only have one Skyrunner, and we¡¯ll be buying a space ring soon. There¡¯s no need.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you can use it for other things too, apparently. Weapons like your needles or your spear could get lost. Or even your alchemy cauldron.¡±

    Li Lang shrugged as he pondered the uses of a tracker.

    A Qi tracker. It highlights the wide range of things you can do with this mysterious power, being able to even replicate the functions of various technologies. Should I look into creating my own Qi arts as well?

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    ¡°Hey, Long Yi has a point,¡± Sima Xue interjected. ¡°You always like to keep track of progress and everything. You can even keep track of your stuff like those weird jars with this technique.¡±

    Li Lang gave the young princess a side-eye upon mentioning the incident with the jars of fermenting cyanide. He believed there was no point in keeping track of the jar itself. It was better to track the cyanide gas, to see if there was a leak, but then he ran into the problem of whether the Tracing Origin Art would work on gases.

    Wait. Gases? Then what about¡­

    Li Lang¡¯s eyes opened wide as he arrived at a revelation.

    ¡°Twenty-three red crystals to guest number one-three-seven!¡± the auctioneer continued to announce.

    Li Lang took a quick look at his own badge before raising his hand high in the air. ¡°Thirty!¡± he called out.

    ¡°Thirty red crystals from guest number sixty-two!¡±

    Upon hearing the sudden declaration from their friend, Long Yi and Sima Xue looked slightly astonished that Li Lang had actually bid on the technique. They had been jokingly teasing their friend, as they knew he had a hefty purse of over twenty orange crystals.

    He had more than enough capital to compete, but they knew Li Lang wasn¡¯t the type of person to frivolously spend on things that didn¡¯t interest him. It made them do a second take at the Tracing Origin Art to see what about it interested Li Lang.

    ¡°Thirty red crystals. Do we have anyone willing to go higher? It¡¯s your chance to obtain a technique from a new genius. It could be worth several times the amount in the future!¡±

    Whispering filled the auditorium as everyone watched on in amusement. It seemed the momentum of bidding had ceased with Li Lang¡¯s bid.

    ¡°Thirty red crystals going once! Going twice! And¡ª¡±

    ¡°Forty crystals!¡± a voice cried out from one of the balconies above.

    It caused several people to let out surprised gasps, as they didn¡¯t expect someone who could afford a private room to bid on such a low-level technique. Unfortunately for the crowd, the blinds were closed, giving them no fuel for their gossip.

    ¡°Fifty red crystals!¡± Li Lang cried.

    This time, the auctioneer, Xiao Gao Mei, let out an alluring smile upon hearing the new number. For auctioneers, it always felt nice when an item¡¯s price exceeded their predictions. She looked up directly at the booth that had just been outbid, speaking directly to them.

    ¡°Fifty red crystals from guest number sixty-two! Would our esteemed guest from booth number nine like to bid higher?¡±

    The lone figure behind the curtain remained motionless, as if he hadn¡¯t heard anyone. It caused the audience to sigh in disappointment when that continued even after several breaths. The auctioneer easily reined in her emotions and carried out her job. She wasn¡¯t too disappointed as the item was relatively cheap compared to what was to come. She quickly pushed the auction along toward the next lot.

    ¡°Fifty red crystals going once! Going twice¡­And sold to guest number sixty-two! Next up, we have¡­¡±

    While she began to introduce the next item, Li Lang¡¯s companions were swarming him for answers.

    ¡°Fifty red crystals for that? Is that really worth it? I swear that¡¯s the price of a small space ring!¡± Long Yi cried out.

    ¡°Yeah, fifty red crystals could get me ten servings of tofu pudding!¡±

    ¡°Guys¡­This is not the place to talk about it. I¡¯ll explain later.¡±

    Long Yi and Sima Xue put on a helpless look as they knew that meant the discussion was over for now. They knew Li Lang enough to know he wouldn¡¯t budge. What they didn¡¯t expect was Wei Ping suddenly making a noise beside them.

    ¡°Ah, I-I see. Could it be y-you¡¯re using it for that?¡±

    He directed his excited gaze at Li Lang, only to receive a glare in return. He quickly realized it wasn¡¯t something to discuss in public and nodded in apology.

    That Wei Ping, he sure is perceptive. Well, we did discuss it back when I was searching for methods the last time. If what they say about the Tracing Origin Art is true, it should help us make new discoveries.

    The excitement of his future experiment distracted him from paying any further attention to the auction. He believed he may have found a key to observing a phenomenon he long desired to research.

    Back when he was developing the Cleansing Drug, he had looked into the possibility of expanding more spiritual roots. It was something closely tied to aptitude, and what he believed to be the key to compensating for his low natural talent.

    However, the so-called roots or meridians weren¡¯t something physical. He had no way of observing it. He only knew that his Qi didn¡¯t flow in a straight line from point A to point B. It followed along paths or highways that he believed to be the meridians. They differed from person to person and were a complex network in the body.

    Without the means to observe it directly, it was just too tedious to study hundreds of subjects for a proper analysis. He deemed it unworthy of his time back then.

    Now, with the Tracing Origin Art, he just may be able to observe what he previously couldn¡¯t.

    At the very least, I should be able to map out my meridians and compare them to others.

 Chapter 148: Second Auction

    An hour passed by very quickly and it was soon time for Li Lang and his companions to depart from the auction for techniques so they could attend the artifact auction. However, as Li Lang had made a purchase, he parted with his group in order to redeem his item.

    After waving down one of the servants, he was quickly guided toward the back of the auction house. While the place wasn¡¯t as majestic as the grand hall, it was still beautifully decorated, as expected of a high-class establishment. The basic materials used in its construction, like the wood, gave off an otherworldly aura. It made Li Lang feel as if the flow of Qi in the building was smoother than usual.

    Hmm, something else to look into in the future.

    ¡°Greetings, sir. I am An Yue, the clerk who will be responsible for your transaction. I believe you wanted to finish the transaction now. Is that correct?¡±

    A young man¡¯s voice brought Li Lang back to reality as he gauged the person before him. He wore pale yellow robes and had an eye-catching pin on his collar. The pin had the words Polarity on it, denoting him as someone from the city.

    ¡°Yes, I would like to leave early. I appreciate you for being so accommodating.¡±

    ¡°No problem, sir. It is my job to serve. Now, your item is the Tracing Origin Art at fifty red crystals. You can either pay in full now or half now and the other half within a month. If you delay the full payment, you will be subject to a fee of¡ª¡±

    Li Lang held up a hand, stopping the man mid-speech.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll pay in full now.¡±

    The clerk nodded and watched Li Lang fetch a bag full of coins from within his robes. Li Lang counted five stacks of ten coins and handed them over.

    ¡°I must say, you are one of our younger customers I¡¯ve seen. Though it isn¡¯t surprising, considering you¡¯re talented enough to become both an alchemist and a brushweaver.¡±

    Li Lang stared at him blankly for a moment before looking down at his rings, realizing it was what gave him away.

    ¡°Oh, I just happen to have run into competent teachers.¡±

    An Yue smiled but didn¡¯t say anything, instead focusing on the money he received. His smile said it all. If a competent teacher was all it took to train alchemists and brushweavers, then pills and talismans wouldn¡¯t be so expensive.

    ¡°This is certainly fifty red crystals. We will have the item out momentarily. I do apologize for the delay. We didn¡¯t expect you to come for the item so soon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll still probably be quicker than coming towards the end when you¡¯re swamped with dealing with the other guests.¡±

    ¡°It should take a similar amount of time. We¡¯re trained arduously to handle the traffic in order to satisfy our customers. Please, come have some tea in the waiting room while you wait.¡±

    With those words, An Yue led Li Lang into the adjacent room before ordering a servant to fetch them refreshments. The clerk soon left Li Lang alone in the room as he went to oversee the exchange.

    Nothing particular happened for some time as Li Lang could only sip on his tea to pass the time. It took enough time that he began to wonder if they had forgotten about him, so he opened the door and peeked out into the hallway.

    Where are all the people? Do they seriously need all hands on deck for the auction?

    Just as Li Lang was about to venture forth, the sound of something dropping reached his ears. He turned to find a young man bending over to retrieve a pill bottle. The clumsy young man had his back turned to Li Lang but suddenly froze while bent over. He then slowly turned around, widening his eyes as he made eye contact with Li Lang like a child having been caught doing something bad.

    His figure blurred as he abruptly vanished around the corner, leaving Li Lang dumbfounded.

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    What in the world?

    A brief moment later, the young man poked his head back out.

    ¡°Umm, is something the matter?¡± Li Lang called out.

    His words only made the man flinch back into hiding in response. Another few awkward moments passed until the sound of footsteps could be heard. A conversation could be heard right around the corner. Li Lang recognized the voice to be from the same clerk who was servicing him.

    ¡°Yun Ming, what are you doing here so early? And why are you sneaking around?¡±

    ¡°Umm, I just couldn¡¯t sit still. You know¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, wait around if you like. There¡¯s no need to sneak around. Just give me a moment to finish my job and I¡¯ll accompany you. I¡¯ll be able to process your money, too.¡±

    ¡°Wait, is that the one?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Oh, yeah, it is.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    A moment later, An Yue appeared from around the corner. He spotted Li Lang looking over from the door, so he hurried his steps.

    ¡°Apologies, sir. I¡¯ve made you wait. Here it is. The Tracing Origin Art you¡¯re won.¡±

    An Yue took off the piece of red cloth covering the small booklet and hoisted the tray over for Li Lang to receive. Just as he was reaching out his hand to take hold of his new possession, he couldn¡¯t help but glance back over at the young man peeking out from around the corner. The man had sparkles in his eyes, which made it especially distracting.

    Noticing Li Lang¡¯s gaze, An Yu looked back and let out a sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. Please don¡¯t mind him.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Is he part of your auction house?¡±

    ¡°No, that is one of the sellers. He happens to be the one selling this Tracing Origin Art you have won and also the creator of it. He¡¯s a bit eccentric, but he means no harm. He¡¯s just curious about the person who bought his technique.¡±

    Oh, the creator? Interesting.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. In fact, I would love to chat with the creator.¡±

    The clerk moved out of the way as if saying, ¡°He¡¯s all yours.¡±

    Li Lang walked straight up to the shy young man and clasped his fist out in greeting.

    ¡°Hello there, I am Li Lang. They say you happen to be the creator of this Tracing Origin Art?¡±

    The man nodded slowly, giving Li Lang a glance over.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡ªI am Yun Ming.¡±

    Despite his nervousness, Li Lang could detect an unfathomably deep aura from the man. That was because Yun Ming was in the Foundation Establishment realm! He didn¡¯t seem too old, likely to be in his early or mid-twenties. He was quite the talent to have created his own technique that the auction houses deemed worthy at such an age.

    ¡°Yun Ming, I¡¯d love to speak more with you about your Qi art once I had a chance to look over it. Do you think you can spare the time to meet up with me tomorrow or the day after?¡±

    ¡°Umm, sure. I¡¯d like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking tomorrow afternoon for lunch. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll send a messenger if things change. I¡¯m staying at the Serene Retreat.¡±

    ¡°Umm, my inn is called Vigil¡¯s Rest, I think.¡±

    The two young men quickly hit it off, and Yun Ming got less and less nervous as they conversed. However, Li Lang knew his companions were waiting, so he didn¡¯t stick around after getting his contact info.

    Once he exited from the auction house, he found his companions standing around a nearby food stall. They each had a skewer in hand.

    ¡°You finally done?¡± Sima Xue asked with her mouth half full upon Li Lang¡¯s return.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks for waiting¡­I¡¯m glad you guys had a great time while you waited.¡±

    ¡°No problem!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll o-order some for you as well, b-boss,¡± Wei Ping added.

    The group enjoyed their quick snack in place of dinner and got on their way to their next destination. They arrived at another auction hall that looked similar to the previous one. They were just in time for it to start.

    The place was already packed, with the auditorium a size or two larger than the previous one. It was evident artifacts were a commodity that was a lot more popular amongst the cultivators. It couldn¡¯t be helped, as artifacts were uncommon among most Energy Gathering realm cultivators.

    Many of the participants in this auction had broken through in recent years and were eager to get their hands on their first artifact. In fact, many would even be satisfied with a Mortal-grade artifact. This was especially so for those who had yet to build up a sufficient war chest.

    Cultivation wasn¡¯t cheap. There were always things they could spend it on, whether it be pills, manuals, Skyrunners, or even rare, unique resources that could aid them in various ways.

    As people who showed up relatively late, they trekked into the halls under the scrutiny of all those who had arrived before them. They couldn¡¯t find four seats together and had to split up into two different rows.

    Unbeknownst to them, several pairs of eyes directed their attention to them. The question was whether the attention they were getting was good or bad.

 Chapter 149: Bidding Wars

    Li Lang¡¯s group got settled in their seats in the auditorium of the auction house. A moment later, the lights dimmed, and an old man took to the stage. He had white unkempt facial hair and would be mistaken for a homeless man if he wasn¡¯t wearing clean clothes.

    He gestured for the crowd to quiet down, then glanced over at one of the servant boys. They answered by carrying over a large wooden chest to the center of the stage.

    Everyone knew it contained the first lot for today¡¯s auction, but no one bothered to question why he decided to place it in a chest instead of in a space ring. The old man simply continued as it was. He pointed at the chest and the lid flew open at his gesture.

    Inside the container was a lone pair of sandals and nothing else. It was made from rose-colored wood and had an eye-catching sheen to it.

    ¡°New stuff, low-tier Earth-grade Skysandals. Allows you to fly with hard-to-predict movements, unlike Skyswords. Rating five and starting price of fifty red crystals.¡±

    The old man was curt, but the auction quickly went on without taking note of it.

    ¡°Eighty!¡± one of the Young Masters from the floors above yelled.

    ¡°Ninety!¡±

    ¡°One-fifty!¡± a voice from the opposite side of the venue angrily shouted out.

    It was apparent that the two factions of orthodox and demonic were in contention with each other. While they couldn¡¯t fight in Polarity City, they could at least unleash their frustrations in a bidding war. No one stopped them as it played to the city¡¯s advantage to allow it to happen.

    The price grew quickly as various cultivators salivated at the chance to own the new model of flying artifacts. It allowed one to conserve their energy while moving faster than those without one. However, there were some hesitant people in the crowd simply due to preferring Skyswords.

    ¡°Hmph, these new Skysandals are only marginally more manageable but a lot slower than Skyswords.¡±

    ¡°Oh, quiet, you old fossil. Skyswords may synergize well with your sect¡¯s techniques, but for most, the less predictable movements more than make up for the speed.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, until you find your enemy able to run or chase you down as they please.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha,¡± a third man bellowed. ¡°In that case, why not just have both? One for controlling the engagement, while the other for fighting!¡±

    No one replied to the last man who spoke as they didn¡¯t want to come off as a miser. They knew their money was only ever useful if it could improve their strength, but not everyone had the means. As much as they wanted to, they couldn¡¯t justify overspending only then to come up short on other resources.

    These types of discussions were going on everywhere in the auction house while just as many people continued to bid.

    ¡°Li Lang, are you going to bid this time, too?¡± Sima Xue asked over the bustle of the audience.

    The man in question tilted his head.

    ¡°Maybe, if the price is right. It¡¯s not really worth it, as we can¡¯t make use of it right now.¡±

    ¡°Well, I recommend it. I¡¯ve been using mine for only a short while, but they¡¯re so comfortable. It makes it easy to walk around, especially when I¡¯m getting a little lazy.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re using Skysandals as a crutch for walking around?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? It¡¯s mine, so I can use it however I like, right?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°If I had those, I would be able to fight against those aerial beasts by myself!¡± Long Yi exclaimed from the side. ¡°We should consider them, Li Lang. If we¡¯re to travel by air often, it¡¯s a worthwhile investment. Otherwise, we¡¯d be sitting ducks up there.¡±

    If the artifact in question was in the Mortal-grade, Li Lang would¡¯ve bid on it without hesitation. As it was an Earth-grade item, it would only sit around as extra baggage until one of them broke through.

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    Seeing how passionate Long Yi had become for the Skysandal, along with all the other cultivators in the room, Li Lang decided to place one bid to satisfy his friend.

    ¡°One hundred and seventy!¡± Li Lang cried out.

    The old man simply stared at his way until someone else shouted out a larger number. It passed by quickly, as the competition for the item was still fierce.

    ¡°I tried my best. Looking at how so many people are dead set on it, it¡¯s not worth pursuing.¡±

    Despite knowing Li Lang was only putting up a show, it still soothed Long Yi¡¯s heart somewhat. The group watched on as the price slowly but surely rose to new heights. It gave them a new appreciation for the earning ability of these experts.

    The money Li Lang currently got was from a one-time windfall. It wasn¡¯t from a stable income of any source, so while it appeared to be a lot, it was a hard to replenish resource. For those other Foundation Establishment experts, that wasn¡¯t the case. The services they could provide with their superior cultivation or even simply hunting down higher-tier Qi beast could allow them to consistently earn it all back.

    At the end of the day, a strong economy solves a lot of problems. It can get us valuable materials we otherwise would be hard pressed to encounter. I need to redouble my efforts in producing a cash cow.

    After some time, the auction for the first item finally ended at an impressive three hundred red crystals. As expected, one of the Young Masters, with a strong background, won it from the second floor.

    The trend of fierce bidding continued onto the second item.

    ¡°Next, Clear Jade Treasure Sword. Mid-tier Earth-grade, with a rating of four. It can unleash tremendous power at once. One hundred red crystals.¡±

    The prices that were being thrown around were nothing to sneeze at. It was almost enough for one to cultivate for a good while, but everyone understood it wasn¡¯t practical to just cultivate the entire time. One needed stimulation and training to break through their bottlenecks. Only a fool would neglect their combat power.

    A weapon artifact was the simplest and most direct way to increase one¡¯s combat potential. It had a multiplying effect on one¡¯s strength. During high-intensity fighting, the ability to squeeze out just one percent more strength at a critical moment could decide life and death.

    This time, the sword sold for an even higher price than the previous lot, at four hundred and thirty crystals. Several other weapons came after it, including bows, spears, and more swords. The prices all hovered between the three hundred to five hundred range.

    During the last few items, the crowd visibly became less passionate about the artifact weapons. The most zealous among them had gotten when they wanted, while the other had gotten used to laying eyes on these rare artifacts.

    As if the organizer knew this would happen, the next item was something entirely different!

    ¡°Next, rank three space ring. That means it can hold one thousand shi! Starting at one hundred red crystals,¡± the old man casually proclaimed.

    The new item reset the fervor in the room, as the bidding got more intense all at once.

    ¡°Two hundred!¡±

    ¡°Three hundred!¡±

    It caused even Li Lang to have second thoughts about remaining a spectator. Obtaining a space ring had been one of his goals during his stay at Polarity City. It was just too useful to have, especially when they were traveling. They could stow away a large emergency supply, their Skyrunner, and various items like talismans.

    With it, Li Lang would no longer have to carry a large unwieldy cauldron on his back or take up valuable space in their Skyrunner during trips. Then there were all the materials he could stock up on.

    Sima Xue had told him all about the wonders of the space ring. The higher quality it was, the better its capabilities to keep its content in the same condition as when it had been stored. Foods lasted several times longer in the ring. If one had a high enough level space ring, it could virtually store food there indefinitely without going bad.

    This was another property Li Lang wanted to get his hands on. Without refrigerators, carrying and transporting various materials became especially arduous. Just the cyanide he employs needed to be kept at a low temperature lest it turned into gas. Even with the stabilizing agents he mixed it with, he still needed to be careful at all times.

    With all those advantages of a space ring running through his mind, Li Lang didn¡¯t need any urging from his companions to join in the bidding war for the space ring.

    ¡°Five hundred!¡± he shouted out.

    It managed to silence the venue for a moment as the participants took a moment to reassess while wearing hard-to-read expressions. It was apparent to the auctioneer that they were thoughtfully deliberating their next move, so he didn¡¯t say a word either.

    The old man kept his gaze locked on Li Lang until another voice finally resounded within the auditorium.

    ¡°Six hundred!¡±

    Everyone looked up at the voice of one of the balconies. The one in question didn¡¯t have any blinds blocking the view, allowing all to see the young man in green robes sitting with a haughty expression. Two others were beside him, and they all glared over at Li Lang. They didn¡¯t bother to hide their hostility.

    ¡°That¡¯s someone from Spirit Grove!¡± Long Yi alerted the group.

    Upon recognizing them, Sima Xue looked disgusted. It was because they had a history. The three young masters sitting up top were Lu Hong, Zhang Bai, and Pei Fong. The three who had competed for her hand during her time undercover in Spirit Grove.

    Of course, if Sima Xue could recognize them, they could recognize her as well. They looked down at the former Ling Xue and Li Lang with frosty expressions.

 Chapter 150: Wait

    ¡°Current bid, six hundred. Anyone else?¡± the old man casually asked the crowd.

    He didn¡¯t exactly get a response as they were all too busy staring up at the Spirit Grove booth, gossiping about the high price people were willing to pay for a space ring. A rank three space ring was definitely a treasure, but it would normally be at most four to five hundred red crystals. It was rare for it to be more expensive than offensive artifacts.

    ¡°Umm, Li Lang,¡± Sima Xue whispered. ¡°They might be targeting you, so I advise you to give up for now.¡±

    ¡°Y-yea, boss. We s-should back off here,¡± Wei Ping added.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t need his friends to tell him the obvious. The three musketeers from Spirit Grove stared at them with so much animosity, that one had to be blind to have not noticed it. It wasn¡¯t surprising considering Li Lang could think of two reasons on the spot.

    One, the three had greatly admired Ling Xue back in the sect, so seeing him with her now could be mistaken as eloping with their idol. Even now, as Sima Xue leaned in to whisper her warning, he could see the animosity behind their eyes intensify.

    Two, they both had departed Spirit Grove on bad terms. Sima Xue especially, was outright a traitor to the sect, while Li Lang had come under great suspicion. It was confirmed that Ling Xue was a demonic cultivator in disguise, so seeing her with Li Lang led to the conclusion that they were in cahoots all along.

    Combined with the fact the two of them were freely living their lives without suffering any repercussions despite the alleged wrongdoings, the Spirit Grove disciple was understandably hostile against them.

    Despite realizing they were out for him, Li Lang surprised his companions and raised his hands to declare another bid.

    ¡°Seven hundred!¡±

    Gasps could be heard from all over the venue. Even some Young Masters up on the floors above peeked out from behind their curtains to take a look at the fun.

    Seven hundred red Qi crystals were not a small amount whatsoever. It was equivalent to seven orange crystals. An amount that could only be easily earned by those in the Violet Core realm or above.

    ¡°Li Lang, did you not hear me? You should give up. A rank three space ring isn¡¯t worth this much. While they aren¡¯t common, it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to come across another one. In fact, you could even settle for¡ª¡±

    Li Lang held up a hand to ease his friend¡¯s worry.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    Before he had a chance to elaborate, the Spirit Grove disciples took action once more.

    ¡°We bid Eight hundred red crystals!¡±

    The crowd was prepared for it this time. They simply didn¡¯t make a noise as they watched the apparent drama unfold.

    They could recognize the robes of Spirit Grove with ease, and Sima Xue wasn¡¯t someone who could escape the observant eyes of experts. She was famous throughout both factions, so many saw this as Spirit Grove challenging Nightmoon Valley.

    A majority of the spectators didn¡¯t know the history between these two parties and simply thought it was another classic righteous sect versus demonic sect squabble. This caused each respective faction to chant out in support of their representatives.

    ¡°Don¡¯t falter, Nightmoon Valley! Teach these so-called righteous hypocrites a lesson!¡±

    ¡°Hmph, these pathetic groups of rabble only live at our mercy, yet they dare bark so loud? Have no fear friends from Spirit Grove. No matter how powerful Nightmoon Valley may be, they don¡¯t have the qualification to oppress members of the righteous path.¡±

    Even in the background, both parties received secret communications from people offering support. They came in the form of loans, but at the end of the day, they were only vague verbal promises. Both parties were smart enough to politely decline them.

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    Li Lang took a few moments to survey the venue. He could feel the excitement in the air as they became the spectacle for all to enjoy. Breathing in deeply, he raised his hand once more.

    ¡°Nine hundred red crystals!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve sure done it this time, Li Lang,¡± Long Yi cried while holding his hand with both hands. ¡°Nine hundred? That¡¯s enough for materials to make many attempts at creating our own artifact.¡±

    The bids were like fuel to a fire. Each one fired up the crowd. Some spectators could be seen with a transmission jade in hand, spreading the news of what was taking place.

    The event engulfed everyone within the halls, and could no longer be said to be a simple bidding war between two parties. The spectators created a momentum that pressured the war to continue.

    Under all this pressure, the trio from Spirit Grove moved closer in a huddle to discuss their strategy.

    ¡°Lu Hong, we¡¯re reaching our limit. My family won¡¯t be happy if I spend all my money on a space ring that we will have to split ownership of.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Zhang Bai isn¡¯t the only one. My family handed four hundred crystals to me in hopes of attaining pills or artifacts. I think we¡¯ve raised the price enough for that rascal. We should be satisfied at getting him to fork over nine hundred crystals.¡±

    Lu Hong himself frowned upon hearing his partners¡¯ words.

    ¡°You guys¡­He¡¯s obviously dead set on attaining a space ring. That rat must¡¯ve gotten into Nightmoon Valley¡¯s good grace in exchange for selling our sect out. Nightmoon Valley must be buying the ring for him. There¡¯s no way he has that much money himself. We should at least make them pay a heavy price. Trust me, we can keep going. Bumpkins like him are easily bewitched by space rings.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    Zhang Bai and Pei Fong exchanged looks. They both didn¡¯t know what to say to dissuade their friend from continuing their vendetta. Their expressions betrayed them, and Lu Hong could see their hesitation.

    ¡°Fine! If you cowards are too afraid to continue, then any extra crystals I commit from hereon will be paid by me.¡±

    ¡°But we still need our three¡ª¡±

    Before Lu Hong could be reasoned with, he shouted out another astronomical number and got the crowd so riled up that they could no longer speak over it.

    ¡°One thousand red crystals!¡±

    Throughout the chaos, Sima Xue took the opportunity to grab onto Li Lang¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Enough is enough! Don¡¯t do it!¡±

    ¡°I said not to worry. Why are you grabbing onto me now? Do you really think I¡¯d be that stupid?¡±

    Li Lang wanted to say how it would be preposterous to think he would fail in reading the minds of a bunch of teenagers who were still wet behind the ears. The three Spirit Grove cultivators may have been slightly older than them, but Li Lang knew the life experiences cultivators had in this world were much more limited.

    Not only did they spend large chunks of time in solitude, cultivating, but the little social time they did get was often trapped in a small echo chamber. Transportation in this world wasn¡¯t the most convenient. The information didn¡¯t flow freely without the internet. Every day, the cultivators would be around their own circle of acquaintances, causing their emotional intelligence to develop at a slower rate.

    This was doubly so for arrogant young masters. Their demeanor was a sign they often got what they wanted, adding to their childishness. This all made them poor actors and lacked control over their emotions. Li Lang could read them as if they were beginner poker players.

    Which was exactly why he chose to stop bidding here.

    ¡°Anyone else more than one thousand crystals?¡± the old auctioneer finally took rein of the venue once more.

    His voice reached everyone¡¯s ear no matter how loud the auditorium was. It instantly silenced the place. He glanced around for a few more moments before continuing.

    ¡°One thousand going once.¡±

    His words made Zhang Bai and Pei Fong lean over their balcony, looking down in search of Li Lang.

    ¡°One thousand going twice.¡±

    Now even Lu Hong¡¯s face paled, as he had a sudden revelation. He began to suspect Li Lang hadn¡¯t been so simple-minded after all.

    ¡°And so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± the young man in green robes abruptly shouted.

    It caused all attention to be drawn to him, but he didn¡¯t have a choice. Losing this much money at this point in time would cause severe repercussions. He didn¡¯t think it would come to this, but he had a fallback plan before he decided to target Li Lang in this manner.

    His family had been to numerous auctions throughout their history. From a young age, he would hear stories about some of them, and from these stories, he found a loophole he could use in case his plans failed. It was still a gamble, but it was now or never. The existence of Sima Xue beside Li Lang gave him confidence in his theory.

    Seeing how he hadn¡¯t said a word after calling out, the old auctioneer admonished him.

    ¡°What is it, young man? You better have good reason to ask me to wait. There are rules here.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­I am familiar with the rules. The reason why I stopped you is that I believe the other party has broken one of the ten rules of the auction!¡±

    At his declaration, the clamor of the crowd grew. They all sensed drama and were dying to see how it would unfold.

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 Chapter 151: Accused

    Chapter 151: used

    <span style="font-weight:400">The mor in the auction subsided as quickly as it rose. Everyone was eager to hear the next words Lu Hong had to justify pausing the proceedings. He had dered that someone had broken one of the ten rules of the auction.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Speak, child. Do not waste our time,¡± the old auctioneer coldly urged.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The intensity of his words made Lu Hong swallow hard. The old auctioneer had a serene aura about him, with no cultivation leaking whatsoever. It made it impossible to tell his cultivation, and it only made it more apparent he wasn¡¯t someone to be taken lightly. He was definitely an expert to have been selected as an auctioneer. The ability to hide his aura so perfectly made it all the more intimidating.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It took another brief moment for Lu Hong to recollect himself before he spoke out under the pressure of the old man¡¯s gaze.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ahem, I believe my opponent has engaged in malicious bidding. That is bidding with ill intent, with an amount of money he doesn¡¯t possess. I ask that you check his person to see if he has as much as he had imed.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Right as he finished his allegations, a heartyughter resounded within the room. It came from someone on the second floor, and judging from the timing, it was a safe bet they were from the demonic path.

    <span style="font-weight:400">A man soon emerged from behind a set of curtains surrounding his balcony. Li Lang¡¯s group all stared with wide eyes upon seeing them. That was because they had just met them not long ago. He was Gui Hong, the man they had rescued on the outskirts of the city.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing his entrance, whispers could be heard throughout the crowd.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Look at his robes. It¡¯s someone from Eroding March Pavilion.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°The organization that Gui Tianzi is from? I wonder if he¡¯s here today.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, they say he has yet to break through to Foundation Establishment yet. He may be in closed-door cultivation to remedy that right now.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Those insect users¡­¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hahaha,¡± Gui Hong continued tough. ¡°Friends from Spirit Grove, are you seriously using someone from the Nightmoon Valley¡¯s young princess circle to be malicious bidding? They are one of the most wealthy organizations in the Luminescent realm!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Gui Hong managed to say what every demonic cultivator in the room had wanted to say. The only reason they couldn¡¯t was because they were all in a higher realm than Lu Hong. It would be unbing of high and mighty cultivators to publicly admonish the juniors from other organizations in such a setting. It was akin to admonishing another person¡¯s child. As Gui Hong was also in thete stages of Energy Gathering, it was perfectly appropriate for him to openly rebuke his allegations.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°The two Hongs sure don¡¯t get along,¡± Long Yimented with a grin.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It earned him a re from hispanions, which he simply shrugged off.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯m not talking about Nightmoon Valley members. Even I know they are quite strict about who they ept. This is why I know this Li Lang who had bid against me isn¡¯t an actual member! He¡¯s just an insect leeching onto those far above his station. I don¡¯t question Lady Xue¡¯s financial capability, but this Li Lang¡¯s! Please search him and him alone.¡±

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">So this is what he was getting at.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang swiftly figured out what Lu Hong was aiming for. It was easy to figure out once he revealed his beliefs that Li Lang was sponging off of Nightmoon Valley. The Spirit Grove disciple believed Sima Xue was the one holding the wallet, and that there was no way Li Lang would be in possession of such arge amount of money himself. It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable deduction for someone to think at all.

    <span style="font-weight:400">After all, to Lu Hong, Li Lang was just a nobody. A nobody with low aptitude who followed the orders of Nightmoon Valley like a dog. It would be unthinkable for these low-level actors to possess such sums of wealth.

    <span style="font-weight:400">All these misunderstandings stemmed from the ambiguous rtionship between Li Lang¡¯s group and Nightmoon Valley. The audience was none the wiser, so Lu Hong¡¯s usation had actually shaken some people.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Look, he¡¯s right! That man is carrying a badge affiliated with The Orchid Covenant. He¡¯s not a member of Nightmoon Valley!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I have known all along since he doesn¡¯t wear their robes.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, don¡¯t be so quick to discount this young man. We don¡¯t know which faction within The Orchid Covenant he belongs to, and he is both a brushweaver and alchemist. It is hard to say if he has the money or not.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The only spectators unaffected by this new revtion were those who kept up to date with thetest news. Even then, those who were in the know were predominantly from the demonic faction. Gui Hong was one of them, as rumors about the pocket realm were especially relevant to him. After all, his cousin had be famous overnight because of it. Realizing that Lu Hong was missing this crucial piece of information, Gui Hong decided to back off so he could make a fool of himself.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ha, if that¡¯s what you believe, then I have nothing more to say.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Retreating from this squabble, are you?¡± Lu Hong instantly pounced on any weakness he detected. ¡°Wise of you. Keep it up. It¡¯s how you lowly barbarians survive, after all.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">All parties had said their piece. Their eyes now rest on the auctioneer who was the main arbitrator in the room. They not only facilitated the auctions but also enforced its rules.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I have heard yourint. These are serious allegations you bring forth, so I will ask one more time. Are you sure you want me to proceed? If you are wrong, you¡¯ll be subject to a fine.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Lu Hong brazenly nodded. He didn¡¯t forget to sneer at Li Lang when they made eye contact.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The auctioneer spared no more words after that. He silently reappeared beside Li Lang. Before Li Lang even realized he was there, the old man already had a hand on his left shoulder and right wrist. His instincts didn¡¯t even have time to kick in, as he couldn¡¯t resist at all.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Everyone watched on as the old man ran his hand over Li Lang¡¯s fingers. He had his eyes closed as he focused elsewhere. When the man was finally done, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Despite it only being an instant, he felt like he had lost control of his body.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I have inspected our guest here. The allegations against him are false. He indeed carries a sufficient amount of money, so all his bids were valid.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Hearing the news, a chill gripped both Lu Hong¡¯s body and soul. He stood still without making a sound, but hispanions weren¡¯t so stoic. Zhang Bai and Pei Fong cried out pitifully from behind him. They fell to their knees and threw a tantrum like children.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ahhh, this can¡¯t be! My lord father will have my skin! There must be some mistake!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Noooo! Lu Hong, you said everything would be okay! Tell me this is a lie!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">A part of the audience tactfully stayed silent withoutmenting, but the other half didn¡¯t let the chance to gloat slip away from them. As one would expect, they consisted of various demonic cultivators.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hahaha, this spoiled brat is crying like a baby. Did he seriously think someone affiliated with Nightmoon Valley would stoop to malicious bidding?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hahaha! His soul seemed to have left his body! Maybe we should try to harvest it and refine it into an artifact spirit!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The factional strife seemed to be out in full force. Just as the righteous faction was about toe to the Spirit Grove disciples¡¯ defense, the auctioneer once again took control of the room by clearing his throat.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Now then, the grade three space ring has been won by that brat for a thousand red crystals,¡± the old man said as he pointed at Lu Hong.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He didn¡¯t even bother to call out any numbers throughout the auction, so everyone was used to his antics.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You¡¯ll also have to pay a fine to the party you falsely used. The exact number is something I have some leeway to set. Seeing how all parties involved are so young, I¡¯ll only charge you twenty percent of their highest bid. So that¡¯s one hundred and eighty red crystals. Is that understood?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The words went into one ear and exited the other. Lu Hong was still too shaken to respond. It caused the old auctioneer to furrow his brows. Thankfully, Lu Hong hadn¡¯te to this event with only his two friends.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Enough with this farce. Pay your dues and leave. You¡¯re bothering me with your pathetic disy.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The new voice came from behind Lu Hong, further into their private booth. It was a young woman in green robes. She had long dark hair that went all the way down to her waist. She didn¡¯t bother hiding her aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator for all to see. It was also her words that managed to snap Lu Hong out of whatever daze he was in.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He turned to the new woman with fearful eyes as he dropped to his knees.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Shangguan Feixi, please forgive me. I didn¡¯t mean to sour your¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The new woman mercilessly kicked Lu Hong aside as if he were nothing. She waved a finger, and it lifted the young man into the air. Soon, a pouch from within his robes floated out to her. She counted its contents, withdrew some crystals, and threw the pouch over at the auctioneer.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Here, your fine. He can pay for the item in the backter, ording to your rules.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The auctioneer didn¡¯t flinch or show any emotions. He simply took a quick nce at the pouch and flew it over at Li Lang.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This caused the neer, Shangguan Feixi, to direct her gaze at Li Lang. She didn¡¯t say anything and snorted before retreating back into the cover of her curtains.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Li Lang could say anything, the auctioneer proceeded as usual.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°The next lot is¡­¡±

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Well, that ended a lot better than expected. I made myself some extra cash, too.</em>

 Chapter 152: End of a Long Day

    Chapter 152: End of a Long Day

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Next item, Swallowtail Tremor. Earth-grade de with a rating of five. However, don¡¯t let the rating fool you. It is capable of unleashing one of the highest levels of Qi in its grade. It has an affinity with the earth element.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Even the more stoic auctioneer had to break character and say a few more words about this weapon. Sword artifacts were the most popr for a reason. A sword obviously enabled its user to unleash more powerful attacks. Strength was king in the cultivator world. Without it, no one would respect you. It understandably became an object of pursuit for numerous cultivators around the world.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Cultivators managing to stay away from violence was rare. Violence was deemed necessary in the pursuit of immortality. Resources were just too limited, and violence was the main solution to decide how it was divided.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Starting from fifty red crystals!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Almost immediately, someone ced a bid right after the auctioneer shouted the starting bid.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°One hundred!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Two hundred!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The bidders wasted no time, and the price quickly climbed. It was no surprise that the majority of bidders were in one of the private booths upstairs. Only a few independent cultivators had the capabilities topete against these members of wealthy organizations.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Must be nice for whoever ultimately wins that sword,¡± Long Yi muttered. ¡°It would go really well with techniques like my Terra Moon sh.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah, no kidding,¡± Sima Xue grinned. ¡°You¡¯re using a mundane sword, which is basically the same as nothing at all!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I still need it to employ my techniques. It¡¯s ssified as a sword technique for a reason. Swords are mandatory.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang nodded silently in the background as he listened along. He was itching to begin studying the Tracing Origin Art he had won not long ago, but this was a rare chance to study powerful artifacts on disy. He would eventually be making the attempt at crafting his own, so he couldn¡¯t waste this opportunity.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">My Gliding Coil Spear Art works the same way. Outside the basic moves, it requires a spear to be able to use.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang had taken some notes down while he had practiced his Qi arts, but he hadn¡¯t had a chance to look at the specifics. He knew his spear art made use of the weapons as extra conduits to channel Qi in specific ways to produce the desired results. When he practiced the Qi art that did not require items, everything stayed internal.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He thought of it as simr to brushweaving. The human body was a canvas that could constantly draw new runes with their Qi to produce an effect, while a weapon expanded that canvas. However, unlike brushweaving, they weren¡¯t working on a two-dimensional, stable surface, so theplexity behind it convinced even Li Lang to postpone researching it until he was fully ready.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Very quickly, the bid rose to five hundred red crystals with no signs of it abating. That was until the next bid managed to silence the crowd.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Six hundred crystals!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The reason the audience balked at the scene wasn¡¯t due to the price but to the identity of the bidder. Everyone looked up at a young man who had taken hold of their attention not long ago. He was Gui Hong, a disciple from the Eroding March Pavilion, who was supposedly Gui Tianzi¡¯s cousin.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As their organization had be the center of attention within the Luminescent Domain, everyone was watching their every move. When he had spoken up earlier in Li Lang¡¯s defense, people could chalk it up to a personal matter. However, when he bid on such an expensive artifact rtive to his meager cultivation of the Energy Gathering realm, everyone believed he acted on behalf of his pavilion.

    <span style="font-weight:400">A half secondter, the crowd snapped out of it, and gossiping filled the auditorium.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Do you think they are buying this sword for the young genius, Gui Tianzi?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Very likely. From what I know, their pavilion doesn¡¯t have many capable artificers. They usually focus on other crafts like woodsmithing and formations.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, even if they did have artificers, then so what? It¡¯s not as if artificers produce such high-quality work on demand.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh Ji Yuan, no one was talking about you. Stop being so defensive and inserting yourself into my conversations. There is no need to speak and everyone here still knows that your organization can barely produce enough artifacts for your own use, despite having a dozen artificers!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The creation of artifacts had no set sess rates. Each artifact was unique and could not be produced twice. This was mainly due to the existence of an artifact spirit. They were unique. That was why artificers often had to make many attempts to have one sess. It also exined why a single Earth-grade artifact could go for hundreds or thousands of red crystals while an equivalent-grade pill started from one crystal.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The amount of materials used before one sessfully created one artifact was often astronomical inparison. On one side, it had a sess rate of approximately one in three or four tries. The other side varied wildly, ranging from one in ten to a thousand tries!

    <span style="font-weight:400">The gossiping continued, but no one ced any further bids.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Current bid, six hundred red crystals. Anyone else?¡± the auctioneer shouted.

    <span style="font-weight:400">His actions were in vain as the audience remained silent. The demonic cultivators didn¡¯t want to offend an up-anding organization, while the orthodox cultivators had their own calctions. Six hundred red crystals were already much higher than their limit.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Inside one of the private booths, a young, talented cultivator questioned hispanions.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Senior, are we really going to let this Eroding March Pavilion win the sword?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Peng Kai, this will be a good learning experience for you, especially if you n to get our sect¡¯s approval to travel the world. Demonic cultivators are our enemies, yes, but they aren¡¯t the only ones. There are other sects within our domain eyeing our resources. There is no reason to pick a fight when it does not benefit us.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°As if they could do anything to us! I heard they¡¯re few in numbers and are barely considered a middling power within demonic territory.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The senior smiled wryly and shook his head.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s not them specifically I¡¯m worried about. As they say, the tallest de of grass is the first to be cut. If we so openly antagonize an organization that all those despicable viins are paying so much attention to, they may redirect their sights on us if we act carelessly.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Like this, various parties each had their own reason to give up bidding. They would rather wait for the next item, as the auction was still in its beginning stages.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Amongst all the chatter, one of the previous bidders shot up from his seat on the second floor and sped his fist toward Gui Hong.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I am Hei Teng, and I hope your Eroding March Pavilion wins this treasured de. I believe it would fit Young Master Gui Tianzi very well. Please give him my regards.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">After his greeting, several others stood up and copied his actions, making no effort to hide their attempts at currying favor.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The auctioneer could read which way the wind blew and soon dered Gui Hong the winner of the sword, Swallowtail Tremor.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With the matter settled, the next few lots were much tamer inparison. Bidding was fierce.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s group enjoyed the show as artifacts came one after the other.

    <span style="font-weight:400">There was a spear that caught Li Lang¡¯s attention. It was his first timeying eyes on an artifact spear. Of course, he didn¡¯t have the chance to hold it, but he could tell it was in an entirely different leaguepared to his mundane spear. It didn¡¯t stir his greed though, as he wouldn¡¯t be able to add his poison injection mechanism to a finished artifact.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He hadn¡¯t tried yet, but from the little artificer knowledge he learned, he knew it wasn¡¯t easy to make any adjustments toplete artifacts. It was why he was so dead set on crafting his own.

    <span style="font-weight:400">There were other artifacts in the auction that he had desired more. They were mainly defensive ones, like a robe or suit of armor. Everyone valued their lives, so the prices were no cheaper than the weapons.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Still, armor isn¡¯t that high on my priority list. I don¡¯t n on getting into conflicts. I¡¯d rather run at first sight of trouble than be armed to the teeth at all times.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Their group of four returned to their inn shortly before midnight. Thest few items in the auction went for over a thousand crystals, and the event was a spectacle to behold. It made those of them who were still in Energy Gathering gain a new understanding of how well off some cultivators were.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It made Wei Ping and Long Yi understand why their friend had pushed to create their own organization so much despite everything going fine with The Orchid Covenant.

    <span style="font-weight:400">After confirming tomorrow¡¯s schedule for the next round of auctions, they retired for the night.

    <span style="font-weight:400">There were no morning auctions, so Li Lang wasted no time and dove into Ruby¡¯s artifact space once he was alone. He had already gotten Ruby to absorb the new manual he got, so he could read it morefortably on his tablet.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">It¡¯s time to see what this Tracing Origin Art has got.</em>

 Chapter 153: Lunch Meeting

    Chapter 153: Lunch Meeting

    <span style="font-weight:400">The Tracing Origin Art Li Lang won in the auction was much longer than he expected. From his experience, cultivation manuals were rarely lengthy unless it was aprehensive technique like his Gliding Coil Spear Art.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This was because the authors of this world liked to gloss over the details with broad terms. It was the reader¡¯s duty to interpret it and understand it. The new Qi art he had was more detailed, like a modern textbook to a lesser degree. It even had a table of contents and properly documented the technique.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, I guess that Yun Ming guy pays attention to details. That¡¯s a good trait to have. If he wasn¡¯t already a Foundation Establishment cultivator, I would¡¯ve loved to have him join us.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">With everything so clearly outlined, Li Lang didn¡¯t even have to reread it. He could directly go to the section for rification.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The Qi art had worked exactly as the auctioneer had described. One could tag something to have it tracked. The most crucial detail for Li Lang was what exactly it worked on. Was it only solids, or did it also work on liquids, gases, and more importantly, Qi?

    <span style="font-weight:400">He found his answer very soon. He was able to master the basics of the technique within an hour, and he began experimenting.

    <span style="font-weight:400">For a more urate test, he exited Ruby¡¯s artifact realm and picked up a nearby cup. He closed his eyes and concentrated for a few moments as he channeled his Qi into the cup. Uneventfully, he seeded.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, I do feel a clear connection. The manual says the connection should have no range limit, but I doubt he had tested it. And what about the parameters of what is targetable? Could I target something muchrger or smaller?</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang spent the majority of the night doing tests to satisfy his curiosity.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He knew he had gone a little overboard when he was done because of the light shining into his room, so he ced a notice on his door and slept untilte morning.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Skipping breakfast to sleep, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re pursuing the Dao of sloth?¡± Sima Xue immediately teased upon seeing Li Lang.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang shook his head and ignored her antics, but the teasing didn¡¯t end there.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Should¡¯ve expected that from him honestly,¡± Long Yi said with a grin. ¡°He just made a big purchase yesterday, so of course he¡¯s going to lose himself with it. Maybe he can tell us the reason why he bought it now?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, tough luck. I won¡¯t be doing that yet,¡± Li Lang retorted.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Tschh, typical.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°N-now, now. I believe that isn¡¯t something we should be discussing in public,¡± Wei Ping added.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang nodded to himself before he dramatically cleared his throat.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Anyway, it¡¯s about time we head out. As I saidst night, I have a meeting scheduled over lunch.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Last night? I don¡¯t remember you telling us about any meetingsst night?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Sima Xue¡¯s words made Li Lang question if he had gotten carried away with his purchase and the auctions that he had forgotten to inform them. Seeing Sima Xue¡¯s face of wanting to lecture him, he chose to shove the issue aside and hurry them along instead.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With those words, he stormed out of the inn, leaving hispanions on the chase.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Wait up, you bonehead! The Skyrunner is still in my space ring,¡± Sima cried out while on his tail.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s nearby, anyway. It won¡¯t be much faster with this crowd.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Tilting his chin toward all the pedestrians, the group was met with the usual congested road filled with people. They weren¡¯t on the main street, so carriages moved about the same speed as all the pedestrians.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Navigating through the crowd for a while, they soon arrive in front of a modest-looking entrance of an inn. Modest inparison to their luxurious lodging, but to most independent cultivators, it was just right.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They entered inside and found a middle-ageddy with a plump figure sitting at the front. Upon spotting them, she unleashed a motherly smile. The way she spoke matched her smile, speaking to them as if they were her own children.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Wee to Vigil¡¯s Rest. What are you darlings looking for today?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯m here to find a friend. His name is Yun Ming,¡± Li Lang asked without hesitation.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, let¡¯s me see,¡± the woman answered as she flipped the pages of her notes. ¡°Ah, here it is. Please wait a moment.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">She then rang the bell at her desk, and a young boy came running from somewhere. His mouth was stuffed full like a squirrel, so he couldn¡¯t even speak. He tried to chew as fast as he could.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Boy, slow down or you¡¯ll choke. Just listen. Go to room three-fifteen and tell the nice mister he has¡­¡± she turned over to Li Lang again. ¡°What was your name, dear?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s Li Lang.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Li Lang, tell the nice mister Li Lang is here to see him.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The young boy nodded while trying to swallow at the same time. It caused him to let out a few coughs as he tried to keep the food in his mouth contained. He thumped his chest as he walked away.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That boy, I don¡¯t even know what to do with him. He takes after his father, always in a rush.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s group only knew to smile and nod at the innkeeper sharing her woes. She didn¡¯t mind theck of response and continued talking.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So you kids seem pretty well-dressed. Are you here for the auctions as a buyer, seller, or both?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯re mainly just looking around,¡± Li Lang answered for the team.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He knew he had the most experience dealing with people among them. He¡¯d lived a long life, after all.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I see, well you be careful while you move about. Lots of people mean the unsavory bunch gets a chance to sneak in by blending in with the crowd, too. I saw the people from the righteous sects going around searching for some wanted people.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Really? Any idea who they were looking for?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No idea. They didn¡¯t have any specifics to share. I doubt they even know themselves. The people in their role usually just follow their orders blindly.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I see¡­¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯spanions silently whispered among each other in the back as they let him handle the innkeeper. They chatted for a few more minutes before the young man from the previous day arrived. It was only then that the chatty innkeeper retreated off to the side.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hi there,¡± the man nervously greeted. ¡°You, umm, brought more people than I thought.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, sorry. These are my travelingpanions. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No, no.¡±<span style="font-weight:400">

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you for your understanding. Everyone,¡± Li Lang called over his friends. ¡°This is Yun Ming, the creator of the Tracing Origin Art I bought yesterday.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Wei Ping, Long Yi, and Sima Xue took turns introducing themselves. Li Lang noticed that their numbers were overwhelming poor Yun Ming and that he wouldn¡¯t remember their names, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, you created your own technique that the auction epted?¡± Sima Xue muttered as she carefully scrutinized him. ¡°How old are you, if I may ask?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, I¡¯m twenty-three.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s a pretty impressive aplishment you got there for such a young age.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ahem,¡± Li Lang cleared his throat, putting a pause to the conversation. ¡°Let¡¯s save it for after we sit down. Come on, let¡¯s go find a ce.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">It was with this deration that Li Lang attracted the attention of the innkeeper again.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, if it¡¯s lunch you kids are looking for, we do lunch specials! And I hate to brag, but I¡¯d say it¡¯s pretty good too!¡± she winked at Yun Ming, who just sheepishly looked down.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing how the venue wasn¡¯t that important, the party epted her offer, and they were soon led toward the dining area part of the inn.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So lunch specials for everyone, right?¡± Everyone at the table nodded in response. ¡°What can I get you for drinks?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Being led along by the earnest innkeeper, the group of five soon ced their orders. It was only when the innkeeper went to address their order that they had the chance to speak among themselves again.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So, Yun Ming, where are you from?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°From Jade Lotus. I¡¯m, umm, an independent cultivator there and I roam around, so I don¡¯t really have a permanent ce of residence.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang immediately remembered Jade Lotus as the province northwest of Yellow Qilin. There wasn¡¯t much else he knew about it except it was a territory of the orthodox cultivators.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How about you guys?¡± Yun Ming asked.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯re from Yellow Qilin, but we¡¯re currently staying in the Luminescent Domain.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What? You¡¯re all demonic cultivators?!¡±

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">I can¡¯t say his surprise wasn¡¯t unexpected, but he should know the rtionship between the orthodox and the demonic by now, right? We¡¯re in Prity City. Isn¡¯t his reaction a bit exaggerated?</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, yes.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Yun Ming instantly fell into deep thought. Worries showed on his face, so Li Lang swiftly moved on to another topic.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Anyway, I went through your workst night. I must say, I really liked how detailed you outlined everything.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Huh? Right, yeah. My umm, mentor taught me a lot. I even got the idea for the technique from her.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Sounds like someone I would love to meet someday, but for now, I luckily have you. I had a lot of questions I wanted to ask you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Long Yi could be seen shaking his head on the other side of the table as Li Lang started to get inquisitive.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Here we go again. Off to talk in his ownnguage.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Hisints went unaddressed as the young staff member from before came carrying several tes. It was obvious from his movements that this wasn¡¯t his first day. When he set the food before Li Lang, it caused him to pause mid-sentence.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He nced down at the food, astonished.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This is¡­¡±

 Chapter 154: Preparing to Depart

    Chapter 154: Preparing to Depart

    <span style="font-weight:400">Inside the inn, Li Lang and his friends sat around a table in the dining hall with Yun Ming. He was the creator of the Tracing Origin Art that Li Lang bought, and they were having an exchange about the technique until the food arrived. It caused Li Lang to be taken aback, pausing mid-sentence.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, he was the only one who had such a strong reaction. Wei Ping simply gave it a curious look while Long Yi immediately dug into the food.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°There¡¯s rice inside! It is actually pretty good!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing Long Yi¡¯s positive response, Sima Xue quickly dug in too.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You¡¯re right! It is pretty good.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Everyone else began to sample the dish at their words, and Li Lang was no different. After taking one bite, he immediately put his utensil back down and nced around, looking to g down one of the staff. That was because he wanted to ask a few questions.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Is s-something wrong?¡± Wei Ping asked, noticing Li Lang¡¯s strange behavior.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, have you seen sauce like in this dish before?¡± Li Lang asked in return, pointing to the te.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No, but it t-tastes pretty good. It w-works up my appetite.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before their conversation could continue, the innkeeperdy walked back into the dining area.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How are you kids enjoying our lunch special? Pretty good, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah,¡± everyone but Li Lang replied cheerfully.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The proprietress smiled and then directed her gaze to Li Lang, asking him for his opinion with her eyes.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, it is good, but if I may, can I ask where you bought this red sauce?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">He took a spoon and scooped up some of the red rice for the innkeeper to see.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, ketchup. We made that ourselves for the first time today. Have you had it before?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°...No. If you didn¡¯t buy it, then where did you guys learn to make this?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Why, from the chef right beside you, of course.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">She grinned as she tilted her head toward Yun Ming, who just sheepishly smiled back.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s something I ate since I was little.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I can see why. It is delicious,¡± the innkeeper immediately approved. ¡°Our dear guest here asked to use our kitchen to prepare his own food yesterday, and the smell that came out made me salivate. He was nice enough to show me how to make it. I never knew you could use¡­¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As the woman exined the wonders of ketchup, Li Lang kept looking between Yun Ming and the te of omelet rice before him. It was basically ketchup-vored rice wrapped in an omelette, with some bits of vegetables and meat added into the mix. It wasn¡¯t exactly hard to make, but it still caught Li Lang off-guard.

    <span style="font-weight:400">That was because it was a dish that stuck out like a sore thumbpared to everything else he¡¯s seen. It was like nothing like the dishes of this world. Back in Yellow Qilin, the food was simr to Eastern cuisine of his world, with rice as the staple and focusing on steamed food and soy sauce for voring.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The food in the Luminescent Domain was mainly roasted protein that had simple spices rubbed on or stir-fried food.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It stood in contrast to the more Western-themed ketchup.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Well, there¡¯s no Western or Eastern in this world. So I can¡¯t think like that.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang directed his attention back to the innkeeper, who was still chatting about the new dish. He waited for an opportunity to interject.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I never heard of this tomato you used for the sauce. Is it something rare?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instead of the woman responding as Li Lang expected, Yun Ming answered in her stead.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s not thatmon around these parts, but it¡¯smon up north where I¡¯m from. I stocked up on it before I went on my travels. You¡¯re wee to have some if you want.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">A few familiar tomatoes appeared at the wave of his hand. It appeared identical to Li Lang¡¯s memories.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, even if it¡¯s native to the same Violet Isle we¡¯re on, I guess the logistics of goods aren¡¯t that developed here. Unless they have help from cultivators¡­ Space rings that can prevent perishables from rotting away within days.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you. I appreciate it. I guess we¡¯re lucky to be able to try this new dish out before you ran out,¡± Li Lang directed thest part to the middle-ageddy.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Indeed, but I¡¯m looking to see if some of therger merchant groups are interested in helping me procure them. Hmm, if I get them to transport the sauce itself, it might not take up that much space in their space rings. That is, if you¡¯re okay with this recipe spreading, of course,¡± she directed thetter part to Yun Ming.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh no, don¡¯t worry about me. I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s not exactly any secret back where I¡¯m from.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh geez, thank you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With the topic of food settled, the innkeeper went to tend to other matters while Li Lang and Yun Ming resumed their chat regarding Qi arts. With something to talk about, time flew by in the blink of an eye.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s group parted amiably with the entric creator, leaving the inn. They boarded Sima Xue¡¯s Skyrunner and slowly navigated through the sea of people.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So? Which auction do you want to check out today?¡± the young Nightmoon Valley disciple asked.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I don¡¯t have an opinion except for the one happening at the end of the night. You guys choose the ones for the afternoon, but I do want to get our shopping done first.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s words made the other three exchange looks, waiting for each other to make a decision.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He left matters in their hands. As long as he got to all his objectives, he didn¡¯t mind how they spent the remainder of the day. However, they needed to go shopping while the stores were still open, as he decided they would be leaving for the province of Vermillion Dragon the next day.

    <span style="font-weight:400">That meant leaving Sima Xue behind. It was too dangerous for her to venture out to the orthodox sect¡¯s territory.

    <span style="font-weight:400">In turn, this meant their main mode of transportation would be gone. They still had their cheap Skyrunner in her space ring, but it went too slow for their tastes. Li Lang considered it to be worthwhile to purchase a new one as a recement. After all, he hade into a great deal of money, and money was most useful when spent.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Is there a Skyrunner auction, then?¡± Long Yi muttered. ¡°Maybe we should go check it out?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°There are,¡± Sima Xue replied, ¡°but the ones found in auctions usually have other functions added to them or are luxuriously furnished, so I doubt it is what you guys are looking for.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Right. I prefer something practical for now. We don¡¯t need anything fancy,¡± Li Lang confirmed.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Skyrunners were vehicles created by woodsmiths. They were significantly moremon than artifacts, with their cost mainly being all the time it took to nurture them. That was why the gang¡¯s next stop was a shop that dealt with these convenient vehicles. As Prity City was a ce for cultivators, it wasn¡¯t particrly hard to find such a store.

    <span style="font-weight:400">To Li Lang, the ce looked more like a stable, meant for selling horses rather than the vehicle dealerships he was used to. Still, there were dozens and dozens of Skyrunners, each parked behind a small enclosed room, all with roofing to protect them from the elements.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They found several other guests browsing the vehicles, and each group was apanied by what appeared to be a staff member of the store. They wore the same beige robes with a red sash, and all were mortals with low cultivation.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang listened in on the conversations as he walked by, and none of them acted haughtily before the employees. It was evident from this that the store had quite the prestige to have gotten all the cultivators to behave.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Led by Sima Xue, the group entered into the store¡¯s main building, which was a stone structure that the stables surrounded. There were just as many people inside, browsing through an assortment of wooden materialsid on dozens of racks.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Is this where they can pick out the type of wood for their Skyrunners?¡± Li Lang muttered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having received training in the craft of woodsmithing, Wei Ping jumped to answer.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°S-should be. It should take q-quite some time for the order t-to be fulfilled, though.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What this guest says is generally correct,¡± a female employee stepped in and interjected. ¡°But we can expedite the order if our clients want to shorten the wait time.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang didn¡¯t need to hear from Wei Ping to remember how he mentioned there were heavenly resources that could speed up the process of woodsmithing. He also knew they were usually exorbitantly expensive, to the point it wasn¡¯t worth it in most situations.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing how none of the new guests said anything, the employee continued.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Please forgive me for intruding on your conversation, dear guests. I was too eager to assist you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No p-problem. We were looking for help to f-find us a Skyrunner, anyway.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The saleswoman beamed upon hearing that and swiftly stepped closer to Wei Ping.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Of course. Please tell me more about what you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing as Wei Ping was the expert among them, the group left it all to him. Sima Xue even stepped away from the group, browsing the store yfully.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯ll wait for you guys here. Master usually picks everything for me, so I want to check out what I¡¯ve been missing out on.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As the saledy brought the trio back outside where all the Skyrunners were, Li Lang prepared to record everything they would go over. He nned on learning all the crafts eventually, so it was never too early to learn about the topic.

 Chapter 155: Shopping Spree

    Chapter 155: Shopping Spree

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Dear guests, what is your approximate budget?¡± the saledy asked as they walked out to the stables-like warehouse, where dozens of Skyrunners were showcased.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The trio let their smallest member with the mask answer.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°A-about twenty red crystals f-for the Skyrunner with a consumption of n-no more than ten Qi stones per hour.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">So far, the Skyrunner Li Lang received from Elder Cao only expended one Qi stone per hour. It was the most basic model there was. In turn, it meant it was slow.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With some wealth under their belt, and Li Lang¡¯s ability to earn taken into consideration, they obviously chose something much better than their old one. Still, the group decided not to get ahead of themselves and set a modest budget of around twenty red crystals.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The main consideration behind their decision was the consumption. Ten Qi stones per hour were already quite a bit over their current earning ability, but they didn¡¯t travel every day.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, ten Qi stones, so we¡¯ll be taking a look at the most basic Earth-grade Skyrunners or the peak of the Mortal-grade. Personally, I would rmend thetter, because you¡¯ll be able to use both red crystals and Qi stones. In the event of an emergency, you¡¯d also be able to power it with your own Qi, unlike the Earth-grade ones.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Earth-grade items required Foundation Establishment level Qi to power. It was something Li Lang had investigated long ago, where he found Qi had a qualitative change once it reached a certain saturation point. Until one of them broke through, they would have to rely on red crystals to power the Earth-grade Skyrunner if they bought it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">No one objected to the salesperson¡¯s rmendation, as their safety was on the line, so they soon found themselves inside one of the Skyrunner warehouses. Dozens of small gates decorated both sides, presenting a clear view of the vehicles behind them. The scene still made Li Lang expect a horse¡¯s head toe poking out at any time, but that was evidently not going to happen.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So there are quite a few options that fit your criteria. Most Mortal-grade vehicles don¡¯t consume that many Qi stones. There are only about three we have on hand that have such a high consumption.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯ll t-take a look at those, t-then.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The employee did her job, guiding them to the vehicles, and went over the specifics of each of them. Li Lang was sure she went into such detail because she recognized Wei Ping as someone who knew his stuff. The conversation wasn¡¯t exactly hard to follow, except for the various names of materials they mentioned.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang could have either nevere into contact with these wooden resources or they were under unfamiliar names. There was no shortage of data entries within hisb that were ceholder names that consisted of numbers and letters in random sequences.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Either way, with only three candidates to go through, they finished looking over them within the hour.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So, what do you guys think? If none of them meet your needs, we can continue looking at the others as well.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Wei Ping nced over at Li Lang for his decision. After all, he was still the one with the purse.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With all three being in the same ballpark in price, their performances understandably didn¡¯t differ too much.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The first option was a dark brown vehicle with room for six in the back. It was the same size as the basic Skyrunner they had and cost nine red crystals. The salesdy introduced it as a basic model within the peak Mortal-grade.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The second option was simr, except it wasrger, which also meant it was slightly slower. It could carry ten people in the back with room to spare for luggage. It cost fourteen red crystals.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The third option was the most expensive of them all. It was a size between the first two options and made from golden brown material. It didn¡¯t have the luggage space like the second one, but could still fit ten people. Its price was justifiably higher because it could not only travel as fast as the first option, but it could also block out the Qi sense from prying eyes. The price tag was twenty-two crystals.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang didn¡¯t have to dwell on the matter for long before he answered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯ll take thest one we saw.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">His answer made the woman p her hands.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Good eye, dear guest. This Skyrunner was made by a talented woodsmith who only came short of nurturing it into Earth-grade due to a certain ident. Still, it should have no problem blocking prying sense from Foundation Establishment experts.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Where do we pay?¡± Li Lang asked, not amused by the ttery.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Taking the hint, they were swiftly guided back into the store.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The clerk quickly processed their sale inside the main building, where they fetched Sima Xue and rode back onto the streets of Prity City on their new vehicle.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Not bad. It¡¯s pretty spacious back here,¡± Sima Xue eximed.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang had opted to drive their new Skyrunner, as Sima Xue would no longer tag along starting tomorrow.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah, this one is definitely morefortable for me,¡± Long Yi added.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s because mine was only intended for a girl like me. You¡¯re just too big,¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Long Yi grinned and raised both hands in surrender. He didn¡¯t argue with her usations. The group of four slowly trekked across the city in silence for some time before Sima Xue got bored.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Where are we going next, anyway?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°To buy what you were telling me about yesterday,¡± Li Lang answered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yesterday?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah, at the auction.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmmm. I don¡¯t remember, just tell me.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Just be patient. We¡¯re almost there. You¡¯ll see soon.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Cheapskate!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As Li Lang had foretold, they soon arrived at a treasure pavilion. It was a five-story building, muchrger than the previous one they had visited. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence as they had asked around for thergest one around.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Treasure pavilion? That doesn¡¯t tell me anything," Sima Xue cried.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang didn¡¯t bother to exin as they made their way in. There was an entire crowd inside, all lined up behind a counter. Thankfully, there was a staff member holding a sign at the back of the line, informing them it was for pawning items only.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Seems like all these independent cultivators are doing their best to gather funds ahead of the auctions tonight,¡± Long Yimented.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Good. Hopefully, that means it¡¯s more likely for them to have what we want.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Leaving behind those words, Li Lang braved through the sea of people and made a beeline for the staircase. Items were ced on each floor by their respective value. He knew there was no way what he wanted was on the first floor.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The entire ce was set up like a mirrored P, with the products disyed behind the counters of the oval area while a straight hallway connected the entrance to the stairway.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Arriving on the second floor, they found the scene much more serene. There were only a few other guests around. The staff members outnumbered the customers.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Looking to save time, Li Lang walked straight to a clerk who appeared free.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Excuse me, do you know where I can find space rings here?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Space ring, sir?¡± the tall clerk parroted as if he thought he had misheard.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Give me one moment.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The man swiftly retreated into the back of the store for a few minutes before he returned with a much older-looking man who was cleanly shaven. He had an eye-catching scar that ran across his left cheek, all the way down to his chin.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Greetings dear guest. Wee to our Golden Beetle Pavilion. I am Tong Wei, one of the managers here. I heard you¡¯re looking for a space ring?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang nodded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Do you have any here?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Of course, of course. Our treasure pavilion has a stockpile of numerous valuables thanks to the prospering trade route due to our location. Please follow me up to the third floor.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The middle-aged man walked with an air of confidence. Despite not detecting any Qi from the man, everyone in the group knew he was an expert. He nodded amiably to Sima Xue as he passed her before moving along at a steady pace.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Up on the third floor, theyout appeared the same. It was a simple oval room, filled with various items on the shelves behind the clerks. Manager Tong Wei swiftly got behind the counter and retrieved several boxes from the disy.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He ced them on the counter just as Li Lang¡¯s group approached.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Here are the space rings we have on hand. As you would expect, while the auctions are going on, we only have rank one and two space rings on hand.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The manager opened up the boxes, revealing half a dozen silver rings within. Each of them was adorned with a whitish stone that resembled marble. They were so simr that it was impossible for Li Lang to tell which were the rank ones and which were the rank twos.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Finally. It¡¯s time for me to get my hands on a space ring. Not only will it help with our logistics, it¡¯ll also sate my curiosity as to how they work!</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang wasted no time and went straight to the question that mattered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How much are they?¡±

 Chapter 156: Buy Buy Buy!

    Chapter 156: Buy Buy Buy!

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How much are they?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">In response to the question, the middle-aged store manager gently took out one of the space rings by wrapping it around a piece of cloth andying it out before Li Lang¡¯s group.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This one is a rank one space ring. It can hold up to two hundred and fifty shi. This one is twenty red crystals.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang quickly did the mental math to convert the units of measurement to cubic meters. It came to be around thirty cubic meters. He nodded, as it was quite sizeable despite being the most basic rank. It wasparable to a twenty-foot shipping container.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The shopkeeper, Tong Wei, continued to present the next space ring.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°And this one is a rank two space ring. It can hold up to five hundred shi. It is fifty red crystals.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The group took a moment to appraise the two rings from a distance. They looked simr enough, but one of them had half the capacity of the other. Of course, it came with a heftier price tag.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Everyone stayed silent so that Li Lang could make the decision. As the person with the money, it was his decision to make. It didn¡¯t take long for Li Lang to choose, as both were well within his budget.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Rank one space rings were just enough for one Skyrunner and some misceneous supplies, so Li Lang thought to get a rank two ring right away. At the same time, rank one space rings were more cost-effective. Faced with this dilemma, he simply chose to go with the best of both worlds.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯ll take two rank ones and one rank two,¡± he dered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Only he needed to stow their Skyrunner away, so he decided he would purchase therger ring while he nned to entrust his twopanions with a rank one space ring each. It could help them carry around their weapons and craft materials, allowing them to travel light.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Of course. Would you like us to package them in gift boxes?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No need. We¡¯ll wear them directly.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Understood. If you could just provide me with ny red crystals, you can take them away.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The exchange of currency for products went through without a hitch. The group soon exited from the treasure pavilion with a new ring on each of the trio''s fingers.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The first thing Li Lang did upon exiting was to test out his recent acquisition. They had parked their new Skyrunner just outside, but he decided to test it on something smaller first.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So what should I do?¡± He asked the only woman and experienced space ring user among them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Simple. Just channel your Qi into the ring and it¡¯ll automatically register it. Then, it will automatically listen to your will. Your intended target has to be near you, though.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang did as instructed. The moment his Qi made contact with the ring, he felt as if something had grabbed onto his energy and violently pulled it in. While violent, it onlysted for a split second before everything returned to normal.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Good. It should be bound. No one below thete stages of Foundation Establishment should be able to overwrite your ownership of the ring,¡± Sima Xue assured.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing the scene, Wei Ping and Long Yi bound their rings too, and the trio began ying around with their new gadget.

    <span style="font-weight:400">One moment, Li Lang had his spear in his hand, the next it vanished. There was a short dy where he could feel the ring reach out to his intended target. When he tried to summon out the weapon, he experienced the same feeling, but this time, the ring reached out to find a ce to spit the item out instead.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Like a child, Li Lang kept stowing and retrieving his spear. Sometimes he would make it appear in his hand while other times, he made it appear a small distance away. He found out that he could control the orientation of the object, but the range was limited.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, this has a lot of potential.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before he could continue his tests, Sima Xue cleared her throat in an exaggerated manner.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ahem,e on, boys. It¡¯s time to move on.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Wei Ping and Long Yi, who had been doing the same thing, instantly stopped. While it was a novel thing for them, their thirst to unravel how it worked paled inparison to Li Lang¡¯s.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Forced to stop, Li Lang took a moment to test out his toy one final time, but with his Skyrunner. Therge carriage, which could easily hold ten full-grown men, disappeared just the same way his smaller articles did. It did, however, take slightly longer due to its size, but it was just as effortless.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, what have you guys decided for the afternoon?¡± Li Lang asked upon getting into the driver¡¯s seat.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Just go take a left there. Let¡¯s check out the Pill auction next,¡± Sima Xue answered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The venue they arrived at was the same one as yesterday¡¯s artifact auction. However, there were noticeably fewer people.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as they entered the lobby, they happened to run into a group they¡¯d rather avoid.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Tsch, it¡¯s them,¡± Sima Xue voiced in disgust. She didn¡¯t care about being overheard, so the other party quickly noticed them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, well. If it isn¡¯t the demonic vixen, Ling Xue,¡± a young man in green robes hastily said as he unfolded a fan. ¡°You¡¯re lucky our sect has decided to ignore small fries like you for now, but don¡¯t you dare step foot in our territory or I¡¯ll make sure you regret it!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Sima Xue didn¡¯t even spare a nce at Lu Hong, choosing to ignore his presence entirely. It made the man further enraged, but he directed it to Li Lang instead, as he was staring at him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°And you, traitor number two! Don¡¯t think I¡¯d forget about you,¡± he said with gritted teeth.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, we may have had a misunderstanding here,¡± Li Lang tried to cate. ¡°I n on exining myself to Elder Cao after the auctions are over, but I can exin myself to you now, too.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Lu Hong turned to the side and raised his open fan to block Li Lang from view.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No need. I won¡¯t give you the chance to deceive me with your insidious speech techniques.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Li Lang could try to defuse the situation further, two new people entered the scene. One was tall andnky, while the other was short and round. They were Pei Fong and Zhang Bai, Lu Hong¡¯s twopanions.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°There you are, Young Master Lu. Do you need assistance confronting these viins?¡± the taller of the two asked, while the other stepped forward protectively.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How dare you demonic cultivators gang up on our fellow disciple within Prity City. Are you disregarding the rules set forth by the City Master?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Zhang Bai, step back before they cast their illusion Qi arts on you. We¡¯re leaving.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Fluttering his sleeves, Lu Hong led the charge up the stairway to the second floor. During the entire time he walked away, he fanned toward Li Lang¡¯s group furiously, as if to keep their stench away.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well¡­That could¡¯ve gone worse,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He nced back and found Wei Ping tightly holding onto Long Yi¡¯s arm while Sima Xue continued to look in the opposite direction from where the three stooges had gone.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">These guys are almost full-fledged adults now. Why are they still so temperamental? Let¡¯s get into the venue quickly before their mood sours anymore.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">The day quickly went by after that. The Spirit Grove disciples no longer bothered them, but it wasn¡¯t like they had the chance. Li Lang¡¯s group wisely chose to remain as spectators when they knew they were attending the same auction.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The group of four went around various auctions, experiencing what they had to offer. Unlike yesterday, there were a few events for Mortal-grade items, but none of them bid for anything.

    <span style="font-weight:400">For Li Lang, it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t afford it. It was just that he chose to save his money. His ns required a lot of funding, so only a fool would splurge it all away now on materials that had questionable uses in his immediate future.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Despite not having any gains, they managed to broaden their horizons. They saw various artifacts, pills, talismans, Qi beasts, craft materials, techniques, and even properties.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Very soon, night approached, and the party went toward thest scheduled event for the day. It was the one Li Lang marked as a must-go because it sold an item that he needed for his ns. He had thought about buying this item ever since he made a discovery within the pocket realm, and now he finally had the chance.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Greetings everyone. For those who have never seen me before, I am Xia Gao Mei. For those who do know me, hello again. I will be your auctioneer for tonight¡¯s Mortal-grade artificer auction!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Unlike the artifact auctions, the artificer auction focused on the equipment and materials required in the profession instead of just artifacts.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As always, the auction started right away, and Xia Gao Mei brought out a short wooden hammer that was covered in moss.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This is the Lushfall Hammer, and as you can see, it is a peak Mortal-grade round hammer with great affinity to both the Earth and Wood elements. For those of you nning to work on artifacts with these elements, it will definitely be a huge boon to you! Starting bid, fifty Qi stones!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With Mortal-grade items, the auction dealt with Qi stones instead of red crystals. With items meant to be used by Energy Gatherers, it was too much to ask for red crystals from them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Seventy Qi stones!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Eighty!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">This auction was especially popr with independent cultivators. They didn¡¯t have the same ess to resources as those from sects and organizations. This was one of the few chances they had to procure treasures. Otherwise, they would have to luck out in treasure pavilions, make a deal with sects, or venture into ruins to uncover left-behind valuables of the past. Thest method was especially popr owing to the culture of leaving behind inheritances when a cultivator was close to the end of their life.

    <span style="font-weight:400">One item went after the next in a rtively short amount of time. Just as the auctioneer got started on its final leg, the item Li Lang had been waiting for appeared.

 Chapter 157: The Vital Component

    Chapter 157: The Vital Component

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the next lot that many have been anticipating. A set of peak Mortal-grade beast cores! Unlike the ones you can rarely even buy just one from your organization, we¡¯ve gathered an entire set of ten beast cores from the same species of Qi beasts! That means you can attempt to craft a treasured artifact ten times, increasing your familiarity with every try to maximize your chances!¡± The auctioneer, Xiao Gao Mei, cheerfully announced.

    <span style="font-weight:400">A te holding ten murky translucent cores was neatly stacked on the pedestal. They were oval with slight bumps across their surface, but for those experienced artificers in the audience, they were unmistakable beast cores.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The size of the core varied from the species it was from. In this case, each core was the size of a grapefruit.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°These cores were taken from Long Neck Turtles, and are rtively neutral in element. It¡¯s perfect to create an adaptive type of artifact, capable of invoking any element,¡± the auctioneer continued. ¡°The starting price is one thousand Qi stones!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Many of the younger people in the crowd were instantly excited. They had little experience handling beast cores, and they offered them an invaluable opportunity. However, the elders beside them quickly reined them in.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Be patient. This is likely not thest lot of beast cores. Also, they are neutral in elements, which makes them unsuitable if you n to make weapons. I thought you wanted your first sessful artifact to be a treasured de instead of armor, right?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Even Li Lang had learned enough from his artificer mentor, Tie Qian, to know the advantages and disadvantages of neutral element materials. They were adaptable, but that meant they were jack of all trades and masters of none.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Against a sword artifact with the fire affinity under the same conditions, it would likely lose even if it invoked an opposing element, such as water, because the effect produced was weaker. These neutral element materials were often reserved for defensive artifacts or other types of utility artifacts.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The young were often hot-headed, so it was understandable novice artificers often focused on weapon artifacts first. For the more experienced bunch, they wouldn¡¯t be handling Mortal-grade cores which were known to be defective cores. It was beneath them, which led to the scarce supply of Mortal-grade artifacts.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Three thousand Qi stones!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Three thousand five hundred!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ten thousand!¡± a voice shouted, silencing the venue.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Everyone turned to find a youth with a head slightlyrger than average, but otherwise a in-looking individual.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Whispering filled the venue, as everyone wondered who he was.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Where does that guy hail from? He¡¯s got the Nightmoon Valley princess beside him, but he¡¯s not wearing their robes.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This young man sure is bold. The equivalent of a hundred red crystals for just a bunch of Mortal-grade cores. He could purchase a genuine set of Earth-grade cores with that kind of money!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What¡¯s with that arrogant smile? He looks like he believes he¡¯s already won with that smug face.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Let him be, Junior. Us independent cultivators shouldn¡¯t go looking for trouble against something affiliated withrge factions.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With the suddenrge bid, many people gossiped, but no one tried to outbid it. The price range it was now at was no longer worth it. Young Energy Gatherers would normally take years to earn this amount of money, while their mentors refused to pay thisrge sum for them as well.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Alchemists like Li Lang earned one Qi stone per pill on average. There were difficult-to-refine pills with rare recipes that went for more, but the profits never went beyond a dozen or two Qi stones for Mortal-grade pills. Other professions were in a simr boat. One hundred red crystals were equivalent to one hundred basic Earth-grade pills!

    <span style="font-weight:400">While many cultivators carefully saved money over the years for these auctions, that didn¡¯t mean they would recklessly spend it all away.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Within all themotion, one person was unmistakably ecstatic about the turn of events. It was the auctioneer, Xiao Gao Mei. She nced around the second floor where various Young Masters were for a few more seconds before she began counting down.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ten thousand Qi stones from guest twenty-seven. Is anyone else willing to go higher? Going once, going twice, and sold to guest twenty-seven. Congrattions!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As the audience had suspected, the next few lots were a set of beast cores, too. From lot to lot, they differed in elements, and the bidding war for them heated up. That was unless Li Lang took an interest in them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Set of ten water element beast cores, sold to guest twenty-seven for ten thousand Qi stones!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Set of ten earth element beast cores, sold to guest twenty-seven for ten thousand Qi stones!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Set of ten wind element beast cores, sold to guest twenty-seven for ten thousand Qi stones!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">One after the other, Li Lang bought three additional sets of beast cores, bringing his total to four sets. No one challenged him, half owing to his high prices and half owing to the presence of Sima Xue.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As the auction finished, the group apanied Li Lang to pick up his trophies, as it was thest auction of the night.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While they waited in a private room for the transaction to be processed, Sima Xue couldn¡¯t help but ask about the purchase.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Are you guys really that eager to craft artifacts? I don¡¯t think your chances are too good, even with a set of ten simr cores. It can¡¯t make up for the fact you guys haven¡¯t practiced enough yet.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, yes and no,¡± Li Lang answered. ¡°We are looking forward to creating artifacts, and I¡¯m confident in our chances. However, we aren¡¯t nning to rush straight into crafting with them. We n to study them properly first.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well¡­I guess it¡¯s not a bad idea to buy them while you can, then. And I hate to say it, but I believe you when you say you¡¯re confident in your chances. After all, you did the same thing with the brushweaver ink, but I¡¯ve never heard of an alternative way of artificing before. Can you give me a hint about how you n to go about it? They say artificers have always used simr methods throughout the years, so it can¡¯t be an old technique, right?

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°If we seed, we¡¯ll show you our artifacts, but for now, there isn¡¯t much I can tell you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, fine. Secrets are secrets. I¡¯ll be looking forward to seeing the artifacts, then.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Sima Xue shrugged before directing her attention back to the paintings stered around the walls of their room.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While she did that, Li Lang conversed with his twopanions about their ideal artifacts. He wouldn¡¯t want to give out information about his uing talisman printer project, so he kept the conversation steered toward their future weapon artifacts.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As he waited in the room for his cores, his mind couldn¡¯t help but wander toward all his ns. He couldn¡¯t wait to have Ruby consume each of the cores, so he could use them infinitely within the artifact space.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He could fine-tune the artificing process before he made his attempt. While the challenge was said to be in how each set of materials differed, Li Lang was confident in making it work. Even when his research produced any results, he still nned to return to Emberglow City first, to obtain the guidance of his mentor before making a real attempt in reality. The wait normally would¡¯ve been painful, but thankfully, he had Ruby.

    <span style="font-weight:400">His ns to create a printer artifact could now resume in full force.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Previously, the missing vitalponent was something that acted as a battery but could evoke the Qi at the same time. Qi stones and crystals could only store energy, not manipte it, which led Li Lang a search for alternatives. Qi beast core was exactly what he needed, and ording to his mentor, Tie Qian, it was a crucialponent in creating an artifact.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">If I can get a working talisman printer, I can build up wealth quickly. It¡¯ll allow us to establish a nascent organization that can support more members, even without holding territory. It seems like we¡¯ll want to recruit as many disciples as we can during this trip into the orthodox sects¡¯ territory.</em>

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Then I can focus on creating our weapon artifacts. If Ruby can up my sess rate, I can use the extra cores to create more artifacts for our future organization as well. Everything seems to being together!</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s musing was interrupted when they heard knocking at the door to their waiting room. A woman entered, followed by four young teenagers behind her. Each of them held a tray that had Li Lang¡¯s beast cores on them. They walked in and ced them on the central table as if setting up a buffet.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Here are the lots you¡¯ve won. Please confirm them,¡± the woman said.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Long Yi swiftly stepped toward the table and picked up a core to examine up close, while Wei Ping watched on with a thoughtful expression.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°They look genuine. But are they?¡± Long Yi directed his question to the Nightmoon Valley disciple.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yep. Come on, let¡¯s finish up and have dinner.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Hearing those words, Li Lang sighed as settled the payment in red crystals. He didn¡¯t have tens of thousands of Qi stones in reserve, and the auction house took it just the same. In fact, they likely preferred it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With a wave of a hand, Li Lang stowed around all forty cores into his space ring.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Judging from Sima Xue¡¯s tone, she will probably be asking for Earth-grade tofu pudding again tonight. I¡¯ll have to say goodbye to more of these red crystals.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">While they exited the establishment, Li Lang sighed and fell into deep thought. Predictably, his thoughts quickly deviated to the beast cores now in his possession. Thankfully, he quickly caught himself before he got too deep.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He headed to Wei Ping and gave him several red crystals.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Now then. I¡¯ll be busy tomorrow up until when it¡¯s time to leave. I want you to stock up our supplies for us.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">His words caused the other two in their group to grin while Wei Ping dutifully nodded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°G-got it, boss. Don¡¯t s-stay up toote.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah, I¡¯d rather not have to carry you tomorrow morning,¡± Long Yi chimed in.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Sima Xue added fuel to the fire by letting out her unrestrainedughter.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°...Yeah, yeah. I get it guys.¡±

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Our journey to Vermillion Dragon hasn¡¯t even started, and I already want it to end. Let¡¯s hope we can get it over with quickly and uneventfully.</em>

 Chapter 158: Parting Ways

    Chapter 158: Parting Ways

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang woke up early in the morning and immediately started packing. During the previous night, he irresponsibly ignored everything and dove straight into Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    <span style="font-weight:400">That was because he had fed one of each type of beast core to his artifact, and he got straight to investigating it. As they were items with the main quality in their Qi properties, none of hisb equipment could provide him with satisfactory information. It only gave him the physicalposition of the cores. Instead, he yed around with the cores, using them as materials in all the crafts he knew about.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Unfortunately for him, his artifice teacher had yet to pass on everything regarding how to deal with beast cores. This wasn¡¯t because she was holding out on him, but it simply wasn¡¯t something she considered necessary so early on in his education. Beast cores allowed artificers a chance to create an artifact. The value of it meant it was usually afforded to the more experienced students who had studied for at least a year, if not years.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While Li Lang didn¡¯t make any startling discoveries, he was still content with knowing the cores in his possession were capable of fulfilling the role he needed toplete his talisman printer.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Setting the matter for when he returned to Emberglow, he swiftly got ready and exited to the first floor of the inn. He found hispanions already there in the tea area next to the lobby.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Wow, I expected someone to have to go get you. Can¡¯t believe you showed up on time by your power alone,¡± Sima Xue said mischievously.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Long Yi and Wei Ping simply sipped from their cup, choosing not toment.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯m always on time for important matters like these. I do as promised.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, I think I only got three servings of tofu pudding when I was promised more?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°...When we get back¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Sima Xue held up a hand to stop him from continuing while struggling to contain her giggling.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s fine. That matter is settled. I wasn¡¯t serious about making you buy me so much pudding. I¡¯d just get fat.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Can Foundation Establishment cultivators even get fat?¡± Li Lang seriously asked, examining Sima Xue¡¯s body carefully.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m not putting it to the test! Stop staring at me like that!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The high-energy morning soon came to an end as the trio wanted to make good distance in their travels before night fell. There weren¡¯t many settlements along the path from Prity City to the province of Vermillion Dragon.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instead, there were vast mountain ranges and forests filling the void between them. It was and belonging to Qi beasts, and also a buffer between the two opposing factions of orthodox and demonic.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The group of four boarded Li Lang¡¯s new golden brown Skyrunner as they departed from their inn. Even early in the morning, the streets were filled with pedestrians. All the people brought into the city to handle the menial tasks, in turn, birthed a market to address their needs. Food stalls flourished along with all the cultivator-centric stores.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Their speed only picked up when they got onto the main road that led directly to the gates. It didn¡¯t take them long to arrive at the edge of the city. However, before they could exit, they spotted two familiar faces standing beside a parked carriage.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They noticed Li Lang in the driver¡¯s seat and immediately waved him down.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Good morning! I¡¯m d we waited for you at the right gate,¡± the young man known as Gui Hong greeted.

    <span style="font-weight:400">His voice made the passengers inside the Skyrunner stick their heads out the window before exiting the vehicle to greet the two Eroding March Pavilion disciples.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What do you two want?¡± Sima Xue questioned, without mincing her words.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We just wanted to thank you again,¡± Gui Hong¡¯spanion, Ning Fei, exined. ¡°We didn¡¯t have a chancest time, but now that our business is done, we were able to get gifts for you guys.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The young girl brought her hands together and a red package materialized in her hands. She then presented it to the skeptical Sima Xue. Though she hesitated for a moment, in the end, she still received the gift.

    <span style="font-weight:400">After all, there were no bad feelings between them. She was only suspicious of them during their meeting, and unhappy that Li Lang had been so reckless.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I have something for the rest of you as well,¡± Gui Hong chimed in, bringing gifts of his own for the three young men.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Wow, thanks. The Eroding Pavillion disciples sure have money, even after spending so much on that sword artifact,¡± Long Yi muttered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°L-Long Yi, it¡¯s Eroding March Pavilion,¡± Wei Ping corrected. ¡°Sorry a-about him, he¡¯s n-not the best with words, but he m-means well.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Gui Hong responded while scratching his cheek. ¡°And our pavilion isn¡¯t as wealthy as you think. It¡¯s just that I received some funds from an elder to buy presents for my cousin.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°To congratte him for his results in the pocket realm?¡± Li Lang interjected.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s fine to say. It¡¯s for his inevitable breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.¡±

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Does that mean he hasn¡¯t broken through yet and they¡¯re getting gifts ready already? Man, that¡¯s a lot of pressure on Gui Tianzi¡¯s shoulders. And I¡¯m the one who started it. I¡¯m starting to feel a little sorry for him.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Is something the matter?¡± Gui Hong asked.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, no. I was just wondering what it¡¯s going to be like when it is our turn.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Gui Hong took a moment to examine Li Lang and hispanions and nodded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You three do have pretty good chances, seeing you¡¯re even younger than me and already nearing the next major realm. At the end of the day, if you¡¯re fated to achieve greatness, you will. Be confident¡­is what my elders always say.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you for your encouragement. Anyway, we have to get going and take advantage of the sun still being up. I hope to see you again.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I guess this is it,¡± Sima Xue sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll head back to Nightshade Valley, then. Do you two want to tag along?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Gui Hong and Ning Fei were both taken aback at the question, but they recovered quickly.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No, thank you. We have an elder nearby who has agreed to pick us up. After all, we¡¯re carrying items bought with the pavilion¡¯s wealth, so it¡¯s better we stay cautious around the border areas.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two Eroding March Pavilion members waved on as Li Lang¡¯s group left. Sima Xue had gotten onto her own Skyrunner and made their way out the gate side by side.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Once they cleared the gate, they stopped on the side of the road for onest farewell.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯ve got to go back to continue my training or my master will start nagging at me again, but I¡¯ll try to convince him to attend the final auction next month. If you guys don¡¯te, then you likely won¡¯t see me for at least a year.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We nned to broaden our horizons and attend that auction if we could anyway,¡± Li Lang replied.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ha, I¡¯m sorry, but attending the main auction isn¡¯t as easy as these auctions we¡¯ve been to. Still, you should be able to see the proceedings, though.¡± Sima Xue didn¡¯t borate before directing the boys to follow her. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re both heading east, so I¡¯ll guide you partway.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The province of Vermillion Dragon was located east of Yellow Qilin, where Li Lang was initially from. Prity City was south of Yellow Qilin, located just on the border of the orthodox and demonic territories. Both parties needed to head east, but to be precise, one going northeast while the other was going southeast.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Still, the group could head together in the same direction for some time before they needed to veer off to their own destinations, so they did just that. Having the guidance of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was better than not when cutting through Qi beast-infested forests.

    <span style="font-weight:400">A towering mountain range soon came into view, cutting off parts of the forests into sections and making it into a maze. It marked the point where the two groups finally had to separate.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Stay safe, guys. Bye!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Only Sima Xue¡¯s voice, empowered by her cultivation, could reach Li Lang¡¯s group over the high winds. Her ck Skyrunner quickly picked up pace and turned into a tiny dot before disappearing entirely.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This left the three young men to adjust their own heading, but not before taking out a talisman.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯m not one to question you guys, but are you sure that warding talisman is enough to deter all the threats on the way?¡± Long Yi asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say Foundation Establishment-level beasts weremon around the mountain ranges? They say there¡¯s even Violet Core-level ones.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°They are, but the direct route from Prity and Vermillion Dragon should be safe. Experts have already dealt with any threats, so their disciples and merchants can safelye and go. Isn¡¯t that right, Wei Ping?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The man in question nodded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯ve i-interviewed several merchants who a-all said the same thing. As long as w-we don¡¯t fly too high, n-none of the stronger beast s-should spot us.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah, but didn¡¯t Gui Hong and Ning Fei also get attacked despite being so close?¡± Long Yi continued to worry.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Those birds were at the peak of Energy Gathering at best. I¡¯m sure those mighty experts didn¡¯t bother eliminating everything on the path, or else they should¡¯ve just built roads.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°R-right. The warding talisman s-should be enough.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, I guess you guys did thoroughly investigate. Don¡¯t mind me for asking.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, I would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d want a challenge to stimte your breakthrough.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, but I also want to live, too!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The three soon got on their way while remaining vignt. They didn¡¯t fly too high and kept themselves between mountain ranges. They could hear a lot of activity from the Qi beasts down below, but otherwise kept moving unhindered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">That was until they suddenly heard a loud thump from above. It was followed by vibrations that told them something had hit their roof. Then, their Skyrunner abruptly came to a halt, throwing the three young men off their bnce.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So you guys finally decided to leave the city, huh?¡±

 Chapter 159: Stalked

    Chapter 159: Stalked

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So you guys finally decided to leave the city, huh?¡± an unfamiliar man¡¯s voice resounded clearly from above the trio. It sent shivers down their spines as the neer unleashed their aura at the same time.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Under this pressure, it became a herculean task for Li Lang to just turn around and look up at the intruder standing on their vehicle.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">A Foundation Establishment expert, and not a weak one either! Could it be a rogue demonic cultivator?</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Senior, I¡¯m not sure if you have the right people. We are simple members of The Orchid Covenant,¡± Li Lang proimed while unpinning his badge from his belt for the man to see.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He wanted to ensure he knew they were demonic cultivators, so they wouldn¡¯t be sustenance for some demonic cultivation technique.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t really care where you¡¯re from. Even if you¡¯re from Nightmoon Valley, we would¡¯ve stille. In fact, my brother is dealing with whoever is driving that pitch-ck Skyrunner right now.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">His words made the trio to grimace. It meant whoever their assants were, this attack was targeted, and they had been monitoring them, too. It made the possibility of talking their way out of this way more unlikely.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang had been hoping their assant was a simple demonic cultivator as they usually were in a weak mental state if sumbed to their inner demons. He was confident of getting away, if that was all they encountered. If the perpetrators were acting with a purpose, it meant they were sound in mind and able to resist what he had prepared.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He exchanged a quick look with his twopanions through the window before ncing up at the man on their roof. His mind raced as he thought up a n. While his means weren¡¯t enough to allow them to escape entirely, it was still enough to give them a chance at survival.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As if the assant could read his mind, he wasted no time and swiftly appeared right beside Li Lang. He stood straight as a rod, standing on the edge of the driver¡¯s seat. He then poked his head through the window to inspect its interior, leaving his side open to Li Lang without a care.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, I guess they¡¯re not here. Oh well, you don¡¯t always get what you want. Maybe you three can help me have a good time instead.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">It was at this moment the three young men decided to act. They all tapped into their space ring at the same time, materializing several talismans in their hand. They quickly activated them all at once.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, the Foundation Establishment cultivator had a reaction time that couldn¡¯t be underestimated. Just as Li Lang got his talismans off, he felt a sharp pain in his left hand. Before he could realize what happened, the effects of the talisman came into effect. Smoke engulfed them while the three boys disappeared from their assant¡¯s sight. At the same time, Li Lang deactivated the effects of the warding talisman, making the attacker lose track of them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The man didn¡¯t seem to mind as he nonchntly remained on the Skyrunner.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, concealing talisman? I wonder what other goodies are in here? I guess I¡¯ll have to find out once this game of hide-and-seek is over. I¡¯d like to gamble that you have enough in here to reimburse me for the fee to crack it open.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">He wore a wide smile as he held up a space ring to the sun before looking down at all the greenery below him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Meanwhile, Li Lang was free falling down into the forest below. Thankfully, they hadn¡¯t been flying too high. Combined with the physique of someone in thete stages of Energy Gathering, dedicating their energy to defense, he was able tond without serious injuries. The fall had still knocked the wind out of him, but it strangely produced no sound thanks to the talisman.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Shit, shit, shit. I have to act fast. First, I have to regroup with Long Yi and Wei Ping! And¡ªouch! Is my finger broken?</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">He nced down when he felt a sharp pain upon trying to move his left hand. His index finger was unresponsive, limping down listlessly. It made his heart skip a beat. Not because of the injury, but because it was the finger where he wore his space ring on.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">This¡­ is pretty bad, isn¡¯t it?</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Thanks to the convenience of a space ring, Li Lang ced most of his belongings in it. That included the Recovery Pills he needed to heal from his injury, talismans to keep up the concealment, and all his other items.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Forget finding Wei Ping and Long Yi. At this rate, that guy will find me!</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">The sense of urgency within Li Lang began climbing up rapidly. He nced around at all the trees and bushes surrounding him and began running toward the thickest part of it. He only ran for a dozen seconds before he abruptly came to a halt.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">No, I can¡¯t outrun a Foundation Establishment cultivator in just the few minutes the concealing talisman gives me. I need help. Whether it be from Wei Ping, Long Yi, or a passerby.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang quickly ced a hand on a tree and began invoking his heavenly fire. The Primordial Star Fire within him responded to his calls and immediately began enveloping the tree. Under his control, the bluish-white light red up, engulfing arge section of the trunk before fading as quickly as it appeared, leaving a normal orange-red fire to burn in its ce.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Repeating the same thing on other trees, Li Lang sessfully set fire to a small part of the forest. Smoke began rising up, acting as a signal to everyone nearby.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Li Lang could rx, the ground beneath him quaked and the earth around him flew up up into the sky. It was followed by a loud sound, like an explosion. He was knocked forward but managed to keep running by using his hands for support.

    <span style="font-weight:400">ncing back, he made it just in time to see arge boulder floating up toward the lone cultivator hovering in the air. It then suddenly elerated, catapulting it toward the burning trees.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Well, of course, this is also giving away my position.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having done everything he could, he kept running further into the forest. It was too predictable to go toward Prity City, and it was too far in the first ce for him to reach on foot.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While on the run, he continued to try his hardest to think up a n.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The only other items on him were a few red crystals he tucked into his shoe for emergencies. Everything else had been lost in the space ring.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Like that, he soon became helpless as the effects of the concealment talisman faded. He was exposed alone in a forest filled with vicious Qi beasts. While he still had the foliage to hide under, it didn¡¯t help if he came within range of his assant¡¯s Qi sense.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The only thing he could do was wait and hope. Hope that someone had seen his smoke signal or he could at least rendezvous with hispanions so he could use another concealment talisman to gain more distance.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, Wei Ping and Long Yi may not know I lost my space ring, though. They may be doing as we had agreed upon, lying low and meeting up back in thest city we were inter.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">With a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator searching around, Li Lang¡¯s time was quickly dwindling. It would be foolish of him to try to reach out with his Qi sense, so he didn¡¯t even know how close his hunter was.

    <span style="font-weight:400">For better or worse, the suspense didn¡¯tst long. The sound of heartyughter soon reached Li Lang¡¯s ears.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hahaha. It seems I already found you! Is it because you¡¯re missing this?¡± the man said, hovering in the air, looking down on his newfound prey.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He provocatively held out a space ring and wore it on his middle finger. However, Li Lang didn¡¯t give him the reaction he wanted because that was thest thing he cared about right now. He was more worried about how to get out safely from this situation.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The more he thought about it, the less likely he believed his chances of getting away alone were, so he unleashed his Primordial Star Fire without any restraint. The area around him quickly caught on fire, but it wasn¡¯t particrly hot in Li Lang¡¯s vicinity.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The point was to simply create a spectacle so even those in the distance could see.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, a heavenly fire? Interesting. We can y a nice and long game, then. Let¡¯s see if your pet fire is willing to submit to me instead?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as the attacker was about to act, smoke suddenly gushed out from Li Lang, swiftly obscuring the area even further. Gases from the burning trees and from his Qi art were enough to force mortals to run lest they breathe in too much smoke.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, the attacker wasn¡¯t a mortal. He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and his body simply shone within the smoke. A thin coating of Qi protected his clothes from contacting any of the gases, and he could breathe just fine. In fact, he could even keep track of Li Lang as he ran. The smoke was entirely useless against him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">A sword instantly materialized in his hand, and he shed upward. Instead of sending out any Qi attacks, the ground beneath trembled before sharp pirs of earth burst out, reaching so high in the air it almost reached its user. In the aftermath of the chaotic scene, Li Lang could be seen lying on the ground, coughing up all the dust he breathed in.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Any other tricks? Or shall we proceed to y with your fire now?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The man slowly descended and Li Lang could only helplessly look up at him. That was until he caught sight of something in the corner of his eye. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t hide his surprise well enough. The assant instantly caught on and turned around to check out what he had seen.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instead of saying anything, he ascended back into the air at a rapid pace, with his sword tightly gripped in one hand. Both he and Li Lang had the same question going through their minds.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Who is it?</em>

 Chapter 160: The Giant Cicada

    Chapter 160: The Giant Cicada

    <span style="font-weight:400">Off in the distance, a small dot rapidly grewrger as it encroached on the area where Li Lang and his attacker were.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They both stared on, awaiting the new arrival for different reasons. For Li Lang, he hoped an expert had seen his signal fire and would rescue him. For the assant, he was being cautious toward the new party, not wanting to give them any opening. Li Lang was nothing but an ant in his eyes, and he only bothered with him for fun. He didn¡¯t mind handling himter.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The neer only took a few seconds before they reached them. It was so fast that Li Lang could only make it out to be a blur until it came to a full stop.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">That¡¯s¡­not a Skyrunner. Is that a tamed Qi beast?</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Memories flooded his mind regarding the fateful day when the Abductress had attacked. The Clear Heart elder back then also had a tamed Qi beast as a means of travel, but until now, he had rarely seen others in possession of a tamed beast.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Qi beasts were wild animals that were naturally aggressive. Their body was also filled with valuable materials to be used in crafting, so it was understandable that they were normally killed.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Only very rarely did one find an infant Qi beast to tame. To find one capable of flight was even rarer and exponentially more valuable due to its usefulness as a mount.

    <span style="font-weight:400">And now, the new arrival to the scene was riding on one of these exceptional specimens. Li Lang didn¡¯t need an expert to be here to tell him that the colossal cicada Qi beast was one of the rarest among rare mounts a cultivator could have.

    <span style="font-weight:400">What was even more surprising was the rider, who was now alternating between looking at Li Lang and his ambusher with a confused expression on his face.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Li Lang? What¡¯s going on here?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before the man could get an answer, his figure suddenly blurred as he locked swords with the only other Foundation Establishment cultivator at the scene.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The sound of their metal swords striking each other loudly resounded throughout the area as they exchanged blows after blows. The scene grew more chaotic with every second that passed.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Their exchange of sword strikes swiftly came to an end when the assant found himself being pushed back. He faltered after receiving each counterblow, and it quickly added up as they exchanged dozens of strikes within a second.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, the neer didn¡¯t push his advantage aggressively enough. He was still confused at the sudden conflict, which allowed his foe to create some distance and invoke his Qi arts.

    <span style="font-weight:400">In one smooth motion, pirs of earth rose from the ground and formed into spears and shot off at the neer. Instead of relying on his sword to defend himself, the man jumped back on his Qi beast and summoned forth dozens of naked des around him. The des shot out explosively to intercept the spears, nullifying the attack, but not without creating a dust cloud covering the entire area.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Taking advantage of the dust cloud, the neer sent his des through the smog, hunting down the enemy to prevent him from pulling any more tricks. At the same time, hended his mount right next to Li Lang.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but it seems to be nothing good. Get on and hold on to me!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">It was only then that Li Lang got a closer look at the neer and confirmed his identity. He had his suspicions, but the fast-paced action prevented him from getting a good look. Having recognized the other party, he didn¡¯t hesitate to take his hand and got on top of the giant cicada that was easily as tall as two grown men.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Once he got seated behind the rider, they didn¡¯t wait a second before taking to the skies again.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you, Yun Ming. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re the one who showed up. You really saved me there.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Can¡¯t say that was my intention, haha. No need to thank me. I was just helping Glimmer here, get some exercise,¡± Yun Mind replied while lovingly caressing the cicada. ¡°Anyway, we have to get back fast. Whoever that guy is, he is a lot stronger than he looks¡­wait, you¡¯re injured?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">While ncing back, Yun Ming didn¡¯t fail to spot his new passenger¡¯s awkward grip on his shoulder. The index finger on his left hand was listless while the other four fingers held on tightly.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah, he caught us off-guard and took my space ring, too.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Here,¡± Yun Ming quickly handed him a pill bottle.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Li Lang could open it, he felt his vision shift drastically as they abruptly lurched to the side.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Just hold on tight for a second. He¡¯s trying to hit us down!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">ncing back, Li Lang spotted the skies behind them filled with hundreds of shadows. It didn¡¯t take long for him to realize it was a rain of stone spearsunched directly at them. It made them swerve left and up, up and down. The scene made his heart skip a beat, but thankfully, they sessfully escaped the volley.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Their sess had earned them a moment of respite, but only a short one.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I think he¡¯s stilling!¡± Li Lang eximed as he continued to keep watch of their rear.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It caused Yun Ming to lean forward to hug his mount as he muttered something. Glimmer, the Qi beast responded to its rider¡¯s whispers by suddenly picking up speed.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°He¡¯s still gaining on us!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">This caused Yun Ming to nce back himself, and he grimaced upon verifying Li Lang¡¯s words.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s not good. He¡¯ll be able to catch up before we reach the vicinity of Prity City.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°But you can fight him off, right?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That guy is likely in the middle stages of Foundation Establishment. While that is only a step above me, it¡¯s not a gap that can be easily surmounted. I only put up a fight earlier because he underestimated me due to my cultivation and let me get close despite him being more proficient at range.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The relief Li Lang had been feeling from being rescued quickly dwindled as he realized the implications of their situation. Yun Ming was only in the early stages of the same realm. It would be foolish to believe he could fight off their attacker if he was now taking it seriously.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You should still be able to hold him off long enough for us to get near the mainnes of traffic, right? Or if you have some way of contacting anyone, it¡¯s now or never.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, I don¡¯t exactly have anything like that.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">This made Li Lang do a double take on the encroaching enemy. He could now make out a pale purple Skyrunner close on their tail.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Bring us closer to the ground!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯ll attract every Qi beast we fly over, then!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s even better. We need something to keep him upied while I¡ª.¡± Li Lang suddenly fell silent.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm? While you what?¡± Yun Ming nced back to check on his passenger, only to find him deep in thought. He decided against interrupting him and took out another pill bottle instead.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He then fed his mount some stimnt pills in hopes it could buy them more time. Unlike Skyrunners, Glimmer was a living, breathing creature. It suffered from fatigue, so the pills were critical in keeping up their pace.

    <span style="font-weight:400">When Yun Ming had fed a third pill to his beast, Li Lang finally broke his silence.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Do you think you have a better chance if we can keep his attention divided?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, if you¡¯re thinking of taking advantage of the wild Qi beasts down there, it¡¯s not so easy. They¡¯re hard to predict, and I would have to be on guard against them, too.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That may be so, but your partner here is another story, right? Do you think Qi beasts would fight against each other when humans are intruding on their territory?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Let¡¯s give it a shot.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Staring into Li Lang¡¯s confident eyes, Yun Ming slowly nodded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While Li Lang appeared to be confident, he was also unsure inside. Qi beasts weren¡¯t something he had the chance and resources to study yet. They weremonly traded among the demonic cultivatormunity, but the Foundation Establishment level ones found nearby were something he had rarely seen. That was because he was still an Energy Gathering cultivator.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The only reason he believed the nearby Qi beast would prioritize targeting humans was because of the history of demonic cultivators hunting them down. Many animals were both observant and intelligent. Matriarch elephants could memorize routes to guide their herd around so they could have ready ess to food sources.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang had learned that as Qi beasts became more powerful, so too did their intelligence. That made him suspect the nearby Foundation Establishment-level beasts would be able to identify the dangers of humans throughout their long years of hunting. He believed it was reasonable for them to target humans over other beasts and decided to gamble on it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°If this works, can you prioritize retrieving my space ring? I may be able to actually help if I get it back.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You? Help?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Despite the skeptical looks Yun Ming cast onto him, Li Lang still nodded with confidence again.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I may not be able to do much, but slowing him down shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Yun Ming remained silent for a while, so Li Lang continued.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Look, I know it¡¯s a lot to ask, but my life is on the line too. It¡¯s in my interest to increase our odds too, so I just ask that you ce some trust in me.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having said all he could, Li Lang could only nervously await his reply.

 Chapter 161: Stalking the Cicada While Aware of the Oriole

    Chapter 161: Stalking the Cicada While Aware of the Oriole

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Please tell me what you consider help can be done from range?¡± Yun Ming finally asked, upon thinking through the proposal from the Energy Gatherer he had saved. His im of being able to assist him against someone in the middle stages of Foundation Establishment was perplexing, but he could not spot any traces of deceit in his words. He could see that the young man truly believed in what he said.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I intend to do,¡± Li Lang replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not suicidal. I am fully aware of how dumb it would be for me to get close. I just need my space ring back first, though.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, do you know which ring it is? I saw him wearing two.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It should be the one on his middle finger.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two quickly settled on a course of action and moved to carry it out. The cicada they were riding quickly dipped down to the treeline. As they suspected, their pursuers followed hot on their tail.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Their altitude went lower and lower until, finally, the canopy of the trees stretched above them. Their speed barely slowed down, and the roars of various beasts could be heard off in the distance upon detecting these new intruders.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The rustling of leaves was the only thing that could be heard as they continued zipping through the forest. Their persistence in staying at such a low altitude made their pursuers frown. He sucked in a deep breath and channeled a Qi art to project his voice across the distance.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You two! You should know that these little tricks you¡¯reing up with won¡¯t save you. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, right? Do you really want to continue with your n if I already know about them?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">No answer came as the giant cicada continued its flight. He couldn¡¯t even catch sight of anyone on its back, which caused him to momentarily suspect they may have gotten off with the use of a concealment talisman or something simr.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While the boy he was chasing wasn¡¯t his target, he preferred to eliminate those who had witnessed his attacks. He was fully confident in his ability to chase down his prey, even with the new Foundation Establishment cultivator added to the mix. The only problem was the time limit. Prity City was near, and while he had items to counter their use of stealth implements, they were too costly to be used lightly.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as he was weighing the benefits of employing his trump cards, he sensed movement to his side. He turned just in time to see a badger-like Qi beast lunge out at him from some tree branch.

    <span style="font-weight:400">If he hadn¡¯t noticed the Qi beast, he might have been in trouble, but now that he did, he simply waved his sword and a wall of stone blocked its path. After dealing with the badger, he made sure to keep his guard up against any follow-up sneak attacks too, which further added to the dy.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The momentarypse in the chase caused the distance between him and his prey to grow.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°These stupid brats!¡± he spat out aggressively.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He then retrieved some red Qi crystals and shoved them into apartment just under his seat. His pale purple Skyrunner almost shone in response before it suddenly sped up.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The distance once again shortened with each passing second at his newfound speed. That was until he was jumped by yet another Qi beast. This time, it was a colossal alligator that leaped at him from below. Its jaw was wide enough to easily fit his entire Skyrunner into it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having been on guard against these attacks by now, the man driving the purple Skyrunner immediately sent out a palm strike at the iing foe. Nothing came out of his hand, but instead, the earth around the alligator started moving. It twisted together, twining around the Qi beast¡¯s tail before it hardened into stone. Itpletely killed the momentum of the jump, pulling therge beast back down on the ground.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Distracted once more, the pursuer cursed out and forced even more red crystals into his Skyrunner. He had already gone well past the rmended consumption amount. While it was a viable way to force more power into his vehicle, there was a limit. There were real risks of his entire vehicle exploding right now if it failed to contain all the energy.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, he didn¡¯t care. He continued to abuse his vehicle, allowing him to catch up once again. This time, no Qi beast came to interrupt as he got closer and closer.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He could see his targets start to panic now, seeing them veering left and right, trying to use trickery to gain some distance. They even circled around arge tree back the way they came. In fact, they were heading straight back at the alligator.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With the surprise factorpletely out of the window, the attacker was fully prepared to swat away the Qi beast. He channeled energy into his sword, preparing to maim the beast who dared to attack him. Before the alligator could even jump, arge spike erupted from the ground, impaling the beast and causing it to let out an agonizing wail.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Still, a Qi beast wasn¡¯t so easy to deal with. It managed to spin around, breaking off the entire pir of stone while it still impaled it. The man in the purple Skyrunner shook his head at the resilient beast before beginning to channel yet another move.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The moment he started it, he sensed multiple objects rapidly heading for him from all directions! He had been on the lookout for this type of sneak attack the entire time, so he instantly noticed.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Dozens and dozens of des flew toward him, but even then, he knew he couldn¡¯t dodge in time. He canceled his move so he could employ another one to counter the iing attack. His skin began to turn brown, and ayer of earth started coating his entire body.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With his new defense deployed, the des that made contact with his skin all shattered upon impact. However, the attacks didn¡¯t stop there. A figure once again leaped out from the trees, closing the distance while he was preupied with his defensive Qi art.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He barely made it in time to intercept Yun Ming¡¯s downward swing with his own sword.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Is that all you got? You may be pretty strong among those in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, but you¡¯re powerless against me! You better use everything you have soon because that alligator behind you may turn on you at any moment. These childish distractions won¡¯t do you any good.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instead of replying, Yun Ming simply smiled.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It caused the man to knit his brows as he sensed something strange. It took him a second to realize what that strange sensation was as he watched Yun Ming retreat into the distance.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The attack he blocked just now had been too weak. He could see that Yun Ming had only held onto his sword with one hand. That was because, in his other hand, Yun Ming was currently holding onto a shiny object.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The assant quickly checked his own hand to find one of the rings missing. He stared at his hand for a full second before he erupted into hystericalughter.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Haha haha, truly amusing. The ants I was hunting had the gall to take from me during the hunt. You sure are something else! I do have topliment you foring up with futile ways to resist until the end. It worked even though I knew it wasing, but I¡¯ll have you know that it was thest clever trick you¡¯ll ever be able to pull. Getting so close to me by your own initiative will be yourst mistake!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Ignoring his words, Yun Ming continued to dash back to his mount. The cicada was also headed for him, but before they could reunite, arge wall suddenly extended out from the ground. It separated Yun Ming from his mount.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang, who was still on the cicada, could only stare with wide eyes at the wall. It was so wide and tall that Yun Ming could only try to break through it, or else he would have to kill his momentum.

    <span style="font-weight:400">A loud crashing noise resounded as he impacted the thick walls. A crack appeared before some small pieces of debris scattered on both sides of the wall, revealing a small hole. However, it wasn¡¯trge enough for Yun Ming to fit through.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Shit! Take it, Li Lang! Things are going to have to go faster than we thought!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Something shiny came sailing through the hole, straight toward the giant cicada. As if able to read its master¡¯s intentions, the cicada positioned itself so Li Lang could catch the item.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The moment he caught it, the intense sound of fighting could be heard from the other side of the wall. He spotted Yun Ming¡¯s figure trying to fly over the walls, only for it to extend upward, closing off the path. It was apparent their assant didn¡¯t n to let him go.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Taking a quick survey of his surroundings, Li Lang only spotted the colossal alligator in the distance, but it was just standing there.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Shit, we¡¯ll have to adjust the n on the fly.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">The original n was to retrieve the space ring before performing their hit-and-run tactic again. They would flee until another Qi beast kept their attacker upied, so the two of them could thenunch another ambush.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With Yun Ming locked into a fight now, they had to make do with what they had.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang stared down at his space ring and began retrieving his belongings. It was time for him to get involved. He didn¡¯t know exactly how useful he would be, but every bit helped. He just had to tip the scale in their favor.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 162: Keep it Up

    Chapter 162: Keep it Up

    <span style="font-weight:400">The fight between Yun Ming and the mysterious assant continued to rage on. Li Lang was still separated from the chaos by the colossal earthen wall the enemy had conjured. Time was ticking. Every second that passed by was priceless as Yun Ming struggled to keep his foe at bay.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The difference in power between an early-stage and middle-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator could not be understated. The only reason Yun Ming was still holding his own was because he specialized in close-rangebat, while his opponent didn¡¯t. However, he had to stick close to Yun Ming in order to keep him confined. Otherwise, it allowed for too many opportunities to escape.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, if only I could get this cicada Qi beast to listen to mymands. It¡¯s just sitting there right now.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Determined to help, Li Lang quickly retrieved several items from his space ring.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He knew his first objective was to rendezvous with Yun Ming, and the main obstacle to that wasn¡¯t the wall before him, but the attacker himself. He was fighting while shutting down any of Yun Ming¡¯s attempts at approaching Li Lang and his mount.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">The only offensive talismans I have are explosive ones, but they are only Mortal-grade. And I¡¯ll need to get in range for them to even serve as a distraction¡­</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Another loud impact sound rang out from the other side of the barrier as if to urge Li Lang to make his move quickly.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Fine, let¡¯s do this. It does more harm than good if I just sit around indecisively here.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Taking a deep breath, Li Lang activated another concealment talisman and began to scale his way up the wall. He took out the tworge needles he used for his Gossamer Knife Dance technique and used them as ice picks. Empowered by his Qi, it had no problem digging deep into the wall despite Li Lang¡¯s strength. After all, the only reason Yun Ming had trouble getting through it was due to the active intervention of his opponent.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Very soon, he made it to the top, where he got a clear view of the fighting below. They moved at speeds that were hard for him to keep track of, but Li Lang could at least read the general direction of the fight.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having realized he wouldn¡¯t be able to get away, Yun Ming had been working to close the distance, while his foe kited him around. Numerous rock spears were constantly being conjured and shot toward Yun Ming before they would be sliced apart. It resulted in a constant barrage of debris all over the area.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Without any other choice, Li Lang started scaling his way down into that chaos.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Unbeknownst to both Foundation Establishment cultivators, the young man got closer and closer. Li Lang got down in a prone position to avoid the debris and inched closer.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Finally, he grabbed a handful of talismans and threw them out.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Despite it having appeared from nowhere, they only traveled as fast as he could throw it, allowing the target to react. Their assant instantly turned to the new objects entering the fray and only needed to spend a split second to recognize them as Mortal-grade talismans.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ha, so you couldn¡¯t wait to join in on the fun? Come on now, do you really think these low-level talismans will even serve as a distraction?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The man easily swatted away the talisman at the wave of his hand. The earth rose to form a small wall, intercepting its trajectory and causing explosions to rock the scene. However, he only formed a wall to intercept the talisman that was headed toward him. Several of them flew in a different direction, heading to Yun Ming instead.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It caused the assant to sneer at the horrible aim Li Lang disyed. A momentter, another round of explosions rang out around Yun Ming as the talisman made contact.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ha, Energy Gatherers shouldn¡¯t interfere in our fights. It¡¯s way beyond you. Look, your attacks are even hitting your allies.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The mysterious man¡¯s delight onlysted for a moment when he suddenly realized his Qi senses had lost track of Yun Ming. He quickly scanned his surroundings, being on the lookout for any sudden attacks.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He then retrieved a talisman of his own from his space ring and threw it into the air while pointing two fingers at it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Break!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">At his beckoning, the talisman exploded into countless tiny motes of light, raining down as far as the eye could see. It quickly reached the ground level, where it then disappeared. The only exception was at a small area in front of the towering wall. The lights hovered in ce before it exploded violently. It didn¡¯t cause the wind to blow or any physical damage to that area, but it revealed the figure of two people in its ce.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Did a mighty Foundation Establishment expert as young as you really have to resort to running with your tails between your legs using the help of an Energy Gatherer? I was thinking of letting you go if you just ran away quietly, but now that you made me use a revealing talisman, that¡¯s not going to happen. You better hope you have enough on you topensate me, or I¡¯ll make your death a painful one!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instead of replying, the two young cultivators quickly darted in two different directions. One went up the wall while the other headed straight for their attacker.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The assant didn¡¯t even bother with Li Lang scaling the wall and resumed his cat-and-mouse dance with Yun Ming. He mmed a palm at the ground beneath him, causing the earth to soften to a mud-like state where Yun Ming was.

    <span style="font-weight:400">In response, he leaped high into the air and prepared to bring his sword down onto his foe.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The unknown man performed another swatting motion with his sword hand, making dozens of stone spears to pelt Yun Ming from his right side. Despite parrying the attacks, it pushed him off course.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I was taking it easy on you so I could capture you alive, but I think I¡¯ve changed my¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before the attacker could continue, he suddenly dove to the ground. However, it was toote. Two long needles had embedded their way into his shoulder. They were each as thick as a finger, causing the man to grunt out in pain.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You and your slippery tricks! Be proud that you were able to draw my blood at¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Once again, the man stopped mid-speech as he stumbled forward. Yun Ming didn¡¯t let this chance go and closed the distance in an instant. He shed out with his sword, right at the man¡¯s neck. Just as the de made contact with his skin, ayer of rock appeared out of nowhere. Thankfully, Yun Ming was able to overpower the makeshift defense, scattering blood over the scene.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The assant¡¯s expression finally soured. He swiftly jumped back while pressing against his wound. While Yun Ming tried to press the attack, abination of earthen walls and stone spears blocked his path.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing this scene, both Li Lang and Yun Ming couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">It worked!</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">He had handed off his poison needles to Yun Ming. They had discussed the n in haste, but Yun Ming decided to put his trust in him. He happened to practice a Qi art that was simr to Li Lang¡¯s Gossamer Knife Dance, allowing him to control dozens of des remotely. As Li Lang had suspected, it was Qi art with an affinity with metal, which meant it worked with his needles as well.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It allowed them to deliver cyanide into the assant¡¯s system. As expected, it only worked for a split second due to the disparity in cultivation, but that was all they needed to create an opening. Having proven it worked once, the duo strove to repeat it again.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The cat-and-mouse chase between Yun Ming and the mysterious attacker resumed, but this time, it was in Yun Ming¡¯s favor. That was because the other party was injured and was attempting to eat a pill while dodging the attacks.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having reached the top of the wall, Li Lang decided to join the fray as well. He sent his own needles at theirmon enemy, despite knowing he wasn¡¯t powerful enough to prate the defenses of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. He did so anyway, just to pressure their assant even more.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He would have to pay more attention to what had once caught him off guard. At any moment in time, Yun Ming could take control of the needles Li Lang controlled, allowing them to have enough power to be a threat. That possibility forced him to defend against all needles headed his way.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Being pressed by numerous projectiles, the assant was soon hit by another needle.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Yun Ming grinned as he moved in to do some damage, but his expression quickly changed to that of rm. That was because his opponent reacted to his charge, even though he had been hit with another dosage of cyanide. The poison should¡¯ve at least hindered his movements.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having been caught off guard, Yun Ming was forced away, allowing the man to create adequate distance to consume a recovery pill. The duo was forced to watch on and reassess the situation.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So it isn¡¯t as effective against a cultivator, after all,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He knew, unlike Qi beast, intelligent cultivators must have had their own methods to deal with poisons. Still, seeing his creation turn useless so quickly made him frustrated.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Li Lang!¡± Yun Ming cried out, ¡°Keep it up!¡±

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">What? Keep going, even if he has found a way to neutralize it?</em>

 Chapter 163: Retreat

    Chapter 163: Retreat

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having heard Yun Ming shouting to Li Lang for him to continue with theirbination attack, the mysterious assant couldn¡¯t help but erupt intoughter.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hahaha, you two seriously want to continue with a n that doesn¡¯t work? Even pigs have more brains than you two!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">In response, Yun Ming charged in once more. He would get sent flying around by earthen pirs erupting from the ground, while he tried to close the distance. His remote des and needles soared through the air in retaliation, but none of them could do much damage. The stoneyer of skin had proven too powerful for the early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator to cut deep enough to inflict meaningful damage.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Many would say this was only a desperate resistance by Yun Ming. However, Li Lang, who had been standing atop the colossal wall, noticed something.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While Yun Ming continued to close the distance again and again, only to be pushed back, he was actually getting closer after each attempt.

    <span style="font-weight:400">On his fifth charge, he had actually forced his opponent to block with his sword. As they locked swords, he grinned while the assant frowned.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Don¡¯t think you can fool me with your provocations,¡± Yun Ming said. ¡°That poison-warding technique must be keeping you too upied to fight normally, right?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Hearing this, Li Lang finally realized why Yun Ming had told him to continue their n despite his poison no longer working. Their enemy must¡¯ve employed some Qi art to actively defend against poisons.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Even a beginner at cultivation techniques like Li Lang could immediately think up a simple way to do so. One simply had to constantly course a wave of Qi throughout their body to immediately destroy any foreign elements entering the body. While there may be moreplicated techniques to do it more efficiently, it undoubtedly took some concentration and energy to maintain.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This distracted their attacker enough to allow Yun Ming to gain an edge. As a close-range expert against a preupied opponent, it evened the ying fields brought on by their gap in cultivation.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Still, that wasn¡¯t enough for them to win the fight. As their assant was in the middle stages of Foundation Establishment, his only advantage wasn¡¯t in pure strength. He also had a vaster pool of Qi to rely on. In a battle of attrition, he would definitely win.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Thankfully, Yun Ming wasn¡¯t alone.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As their fight became a drawn stalemate, Li Lang kept manipting his needles to assist in the fight. However, his role was to simply force the other party to keep up their poison-warding technique. Other than that, he was mostly ignored. Not even Yun Ming bothered to take control of his needles anymore as he focused on his own fight.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This made every needle Li Lang controlled only bounce uselessly off their attacker¡¯s defenses.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">I just need to tip the scale however I can.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">While the other two cultivators were preupied with their fight, Li Lang sneakily recalled his projectiles before sending them back out. The other two thought he simply needed to reapply his Qi art or needed to rest, so they didn¡¯t pay it any mind. That was why they were both caught off guard when those needles once again made contact assant¡¯s back.

    <span style="font-weight:400">A tiny mote of silverish-blue light rapidly expanded in size. Within a split second, it enveloped the entire needle. With the size of the me increasing, so too did the heat.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It caused the mysterious attacker¡¯s stoneyer of defense to crack and fracture before it crumbled into tiny pieces. As it peeled off, it left only a thickyer of Qi protecting his back.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The Primordial Star Fire had proven to be effective even despite the cultivation gap!

    <span style="font-weight:400">As a heavenly fire, it naturally was a deadly force that could threaten cultivators. However, a Foundation Establishment cultivator¡¯s defenses should be able to fend off the amount of heat that someone in the Energy Gathering realm could maintain.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The reason why it had managed to work against the stoneyer of armor was because Li Lang didn¡¯t obsess over pure firepower. Instead, he yed into the unique properties of his Primordial Star Fire.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The Primordial Star Fire could burn at different temperature levels within its mes. It could even defy thews of physics, allowing the object being burned to be perfectly fine despite there being arge discrepancy in temperature. Normally, when such arge difference in temperature was present, it would result in thermal shock,

    <span style="font-weight:400">That was when the parts that were rapidly heated, expanded while the colder parts did not. It results in internal stresses within the material from the uneven expansion.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While the objects being burned by the Primordial Star Fire could avoid this fate somehow, it didn¡¯t apply to the things it didn¡¯t directly burn.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Through Li Lang¡¯s tests with the fire, he discovered a few properties about it. First, the user had to be within close proximity to burn something. He could send the mes flying as a projectile itself, but it moved slowly, and would only burn if the target wasn¡¯t protected by Qi.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Second, once ignited, it could continue to burn as long as he still had a Qi connection with it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">And third, the physic-defying nature of his mes didn¡¯t apply to objects in the surroundings.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Some of these properties made it unsuitable to be used as a range weapon by itself, but whenbined with other objects, it still had its uses.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It resulted in Li Lang sessfully peeling away theyer of protection from his attacker. While the heat was kept at bay by the Qiyer, it undoubtedly weakened its victim¡¯s defenses.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The abruptness of this new variable on the battlefield had caused the mysterious man to overreact. He split his attention to remove the burning needles, only to give Yun Ming an opening tond a sword strike.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He didn¡¯t forget to target the now exposed back of his opponent, causing another stream of blood to stain the battlefield. Nevertheless, the gap in cultivation meant he didn¡¯t have the power to deal a decisive blow in only one attack.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The injured cultivator in the middle stages of the Foundation Establishment managed to create some space. His breathing wasbored and a rush of des and needles flew to catch up to him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing the situation, he frowned. Then, for the first time in the conflict, he decided to use apletely defensive technique. He erected a dome of stone around him as his figure disappeared into view.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The earth then trembled, putting Yun Ming on full alert. However, after some time, nothing happened. Still, fearing any follow-up attacks, Yun Ming quickly brought his thumb and index finger next to his mouth and unleashed a high-pitched whistle. It caused Glimmer, the giant cicada on the other side of the wall, to fly over to him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Quickly, get on!¡± he shouted out to Li Lang.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Even throughout the time it took Li Lang to scale down the wall, nothing happened in the vicinity. It was eerily quiet, as the sound of their intense sh had deterred wild Qi beasts from drawing near.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Soon, the two young men boarded the cicada and took to the skies as they surveyed the area.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Neither of them talked as they cautiously observed their surroundings. Both of them knew there was a possibility of their enemy having retreated, but an equal possibility of himying in ambush existed. Neither of them dared to lower their guard.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Should we fly at full speed to Prity?¡± Li Lang suggested. ¡°If he¡¯s really lurking around, he would definitely try to stop us.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Yun Ming could answer, they both snapped their attention to the stone dome their assant had formed. Parts of it crumbled before the entire thing fell apart. Nothing rose from the debris, with no signs of anyone trapped underneath.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s get going,¡± Yun Ming stated.

    <span style="font-weight:400">At themand of its master, the giant cicada soon picked up speed. The tension remained all the way until they could finally see Prity City.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Phew, I can¡¯t believe we escaped,¡± Yun Ming muttered. ¡°I was almost certain I had to use my trump card to survive.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°A trump card? Is the drawback so great that you would choose to go with a n that relied on an Energy Gatherer like me instead of using it?¡°

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Let¡¯s just say if I used it, you would¡¯ve certainly died.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°...Still, if my poison didn¡¯t work at all, you could¡¯ve been seriously injured.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ha, we didn¡¯t have that much time back then, but a quick inspection with my Qi sense told me how devious your needles were. If it was only smeared with poison, I don¡¯t think I would agree. Though I was surprised at how fast it took effect.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As the duo recounted their experience, they soon arrived at the gates of the city.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What will you do now?¡± Yun Ming asked.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We may have gotten away, but my friends are still missing,¡± Li Lang said with a sigh. ¡°That guy mentioned attacking the ck Skyrunner our friend was in, too. I think I¡¯ll have to contact someone from Nightmoon Valley for assistance. Anyway, thank you so much for your help. Is there anything I can do to thank you?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just traveling around the world to gain experience. Exciting encounters like those are all part of that.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Their mountnded beside the gates and the two disembarked. With another whistle, the giant cicada flew off into the distance by itself.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You don¡¯t bring it with you into the city?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No, there¡¯s a stable outside the city that will take care of mounts. Glimmer is smart enough to head there herself.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I see. Well, it seems like it has its advantagespared to Skyrunners. Speaking of, I¡¯ll need to go buy a new one. I left behind the one I just bought back in the forest somewhere.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing Li Lang shake his head, Yun Ming patted his shoulder.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°At least you got your space ring back.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Li Lang could respond, a jubnt voice called out to them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Li Lang! You¡¯re okay!¡±

 Chapter 164: The Real Targets

    Chapter 164: The Real Targets

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Li Lang! You¡¯re okay!¡± a female voice called out.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang turned to find Sima Xue, dashing out from a group of people headed their way. Before he could make out who they were, Sima Xue was already close enough to obscure his line of sight.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes. I assume you met with attackers too if you returned here so quickly?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah, but they were no match for me. I even found out their objective,¡± Sima Xue proudly proimed, only for her voice to mellow out the more she spoke. ¡°But I knew it wasn¡¯t likely they would be working alone, so I thought you guys were in danger, too. I was just about to request people to help me. Speaking of, they¡¯re right behind me.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">She stepped aside as to wee the neers, but Li Lang¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t leave her. He carefully examined the Nightmoon Valley disciple with a frown. That was because he suspected the fight hadn¡¯t gone as smoothly as she described. Her entire attire was different from the ones earlier in the morning. The reasonable exnation was that her clothes got dirtied, or worse, damaged during the fight.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It wasn¡¯t so easy to tell if his suspicions were true or not, though. With a recovery pill and some time, most flesh wounds would heal without a mark. In fact, his own fingers had already fully healed up. While it still ached a bit, externally, there were no signs of any injuries.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As much as he wanted to ask about the details of Sima Xue¡¯s encounter, the other group quickly approached.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Forced to direct his attention to them, Li Lang finally recognized the people he had parted with not long ago. They were Gui Hong and Ning Fei, but also an older man behind them. He had sunken cheeks and was bony to the point that he appeared sick. However, hisplexion was flush, telling another story.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You¡¯re back, too?¡± Gui Hong asked with a wondrous expression. ¡°Did you get attacked as well?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes. Wei Ping and Long Yi are still out there, but the assant should have retreated.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Retreated?¡± Nine Fei yelled out in rm. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the attacker have been at least around the same strength as Sima Xue¡¯s assant? How did you get them to retreat?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Li Lang could answer, the old man in the back cleared his throat.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Gui Hong, Ning Fei, do not forget yourselves. Keep calm and analyze as much as you can. If you did that, the answer to your question should¡¯ve been obvious to you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, Elder An.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Gui Hong and Ning Fei tipped their head toward their elder before following his gaze. It naturally led to the man behind Li Lang, the man known as Yun Ming. Having calmed down somewhat, the connection was quickly made.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Please excuse them for their overeagerness. They couldn¡¯t control their emotions after having heard what happened.¡± The old man nodded amiably to Li Lang before directing his gaze to Yun Ming. ¡°As for you. Who might you be, friend?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me,¡± the man in question quickly waved both hands and backed away. ¡°I just happened to pass by and inadvertently got involved. I couldn¡¯t exactly let my first-ever customer die just like that, after all.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Regardless, this matter was due to us. You have my thanks,¡± the elder continued.

    <span style="font-weight:400">His words got Li Lang directing a confused look at Sima Xue, who was only too happy to rify.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, from what I learned from my assant, they were looking for Gui Hong and Ning Fei. It just happens they were spotted with us before we left, so they wanted to make sure they didn¡¯t sneakily get away.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang nced down and fell into thought as he heard the exnation.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">So that¡¯s why Sima Xue went to ask for help from the Eroding March Pavilion.</em>

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Wait, so they only ambushed us to check if they were in our Skyrunners? That means they only attacked us because they couldn¡¯t detect who was inside, thanks to that Qi sense-blocking feature. </em>

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">This could¡¯ve all been avoided if I picked one of the other vehicles! And now, I don¡¯t even know if Wei Ping and Long Yi are all right. They may have survived the attack, but being stranded in a forest filled with Foundation Establishment-level beasts isn¡¯t exactly safe.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We have to get back out there to search for Wei Ping and Long Yi before they run out of warding and concealing talismans!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s words got the elder to cut his conversation with Yun Ming short.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, I should start heading out. You kids wait back in the city. It won¡¯t take me too long.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang reined in his urge to tag along and nodded slowly. He knew he was likely just a burden, especially if the attackers were still lurking around. Despite not being able to sense his power, the elder before him was evidently someone who wielded great power if he got into his position.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Summoning forth his own Skyrunner, the figure of the elder swiftly disappeared into the horizon.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, good luck to you all. Since you¡¯re fine now, I¡¯ll be taking my leave,¡± Yun Ming said.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Very soon, only Li Lang, Sima Xue, and the two disciples from the Eroding March Pavilion were left.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They made their way back into the city with some awkwardness between them. Some of them felt responsible for the incident, while some were worried. At the same time, it couldn¡¯t be denied that Li Lang having survived was good news as well. Mixed with these emotions, the group soon sat down inside a restaurant where they could overlook the city gates.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So, how exactly did you manage to get such timely assistance from that creator guy?¡± Sima Xue asked. ¡°Are you sure he wasn¡¯t lurking around the entire time?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Everyone at the table nced over at Li Lang for an exnation now that they settled down.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You mean he was following me? I don¡¯t think so. I managed to buy some time and set off some smoke to draw the attention of anyone nearby, and he happened to show up. I don¡¯t really see a reason for him to be stalking me, either.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, it¡¯s better to be more suspicious of others.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Both Gui Hong and Ning Fei nodded at her words.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Please allow us to formally apologize to you again!¡± Gui Hong said as he stood up and bowed to the two.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Ning Fei quickly mimicked his actions.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You guys not only saved us a few days ago, but we also got you into this mess. Please allow us topensate you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, our elder has arrived as well. We can definitelypensate you. Just tell us what you want.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">This caused Li Lang and Sima Xue to share looks with each other as they puzzled over how to deal with them. Eventually, Li Lang shrugged and passed the ball to the Nightmoon Valley disciple to handle it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You guys, sit back down first,¡± Sima Xue advised. ¡°In the first ce, our safety is our own concern. We decided to help you before due to our own initiative, so you owe us nothing. And there¡¯s no need topensate a disciple of Nightmoon Valley for helping or those under their care.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°But¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This matter is over. Let¡¯s talk about more pleasant things. Sit down.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two Eroding March Pavilion disciples finally calmed down and returned to their seats. Sima Xue quickly poured them some tea as she drove the conversation elsewhere.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So, do you guys have any idea why some powerful organization is after you?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, it may be because of the wealth we¡¯re carrying?¡± Gui Hong spected.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ha, that amounts to nothing for organizations at the size we¡¯re talking about.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Wait,¡± Li Lang interrupted. ¡°Why are you so sure they are from arge organization? Did they confess where they¡¯re from to you?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">His question got Sima Xue to grimace.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I tried interrogating them using our secret soul technique, but someone else had ced a safeguard on them. Their souls shattered when I asked about their origin. They only told me who they were targeting, and that they didn¡¯t know the reason why. These safeguards they had in ce can¡¯t be ced by just anyone.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I see¡­¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As Li Lang contemted how unlucky they had gotten, getting involved in what seemed to be a moreplicated matter than he first thought, the others continued their spections.

    <span style="font-weight:400">An hour after they sat down, they finally got hungry and began ordering some food to the relieved looks of the staff. Noon was just around the corner, so the ce wasn¡¯t that busy yet, but they weed the business.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as the food was ced down, streams of people began entering the restaurant for lunch. The group ignored them as they stoically ate. They didn¡¯t let the jolly atmosphere infect them, as they weren¡¯t in the mood. The elder was still out searching for Li Lang¡¯spanions, so everyone made sure to keep a respectful demeanor while all the other tables joyously ate lunch.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It was only when they had their fill that someone approached them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What¡¯s wrong with you youngsses? When you look so gloomy, you¡¯ll affect the mood of others as well. If something is troubling you all, why don¡¯t you consult with this uncle here? Maybe I can help you, maybe not. It¡¯ll at least make you feel better to talk about it.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The middle-aged man took a seat at their table without an invitation. From the way he behaved, he was likely a demonic cultivator who had recognized them or the organization they hailed from. It wasn¡¯t rare for people to try their luck at making a connection with members of these prestigious organizations.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Sima Xue sighed as she prepared to tell the man off when they sensed new people approaching.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The neers went right up to the middle-aged man and ced a hand each on his shoulders.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Sir, can you surrender that seat to us?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah, we¡¯d a-appreciate it if you did. S-sorry for beingte, friends.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang instantly turned to the neers and found his twopanions standing there,pletely unharmed. They had a wide grin on their faces as they pressured the man to relinquish his spot.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Wei Ping? Long Yi? You¡¯re both okay?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before they could answer, Gui Hong interjected.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Where¡¯s our Elder An?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Elder An?¡± the two parroted in unison, exchanging a brief nce. ¡°W-we didn¡¯t cross p-paths with any elder. We asked some g-gatekeepers regarding the whereabouts of Nightmoon Valley¡¯s Lady Xue, b-but we didn¡¯t ask any elder.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, sorry to interject,¡± Li Lang said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that just mean he¡¯s still out there searching? Do you have some way to contact him from here?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two Eroding March disciplined nced down awkwardly.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°...No.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">That day, Elder An searched for a full twelve hours before he returned after the sun had set.

 Chapter 165: Departing Once More

    Chapter 165: Departing Once More

    <span style="font-weight:400">The next morning, Li Lang¡¯s group, along with Sima Xue and the bunch from Eroding March Pavilion, all assembled outside the gates of Prity City once more.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They had discussed many thingsst night, and one of them was how Elder An would be escorting them today.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Despite the ambush they suffered from the previous day, both the trio and Sima Xue decided to leave again the next morning. There were many reasons they had taken into consideration before making such a decision. Sima Xue had sessfully defeated her enemy, while Li Lang¡¯s ambusher had retreated. This could result in the escaped assant calling for backup, so it was wise to keep moving.

    <span style="font-weight:400">At the same time, the crew from Eroding March Pavilion nned to leave quickly as well. The ambushes were targeted at them, so the less time the enemy had to prepare, the better. They had even already contacted their organizations by means of transmission jade, so they had additional escortsing, too. By closing the distance from their end, it would just make their rendezvous that much faster.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Again, are you sure just escorting you guys across the mountain range is enough?¡± the elder asked. ¡°I could even bring you just to the edge of the Luminescent Domain if you want.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Elder An, just like his junior members, had also offered topensate Li Lang¡¯s party for getting them involved. With Sima Xue already declining in their stead, Li Lang didn¡¯t push for a reward either at her advice. In the worst case, epting could just somehow drag them deeper into their mire.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instead, they settled on escorting them part of the way to Vermillion Dragon.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No thank you, Elder. I don¡¯t want to dy you guys too much, only to allow your enemies to set up an ambush. Just while we¡¯re heading in the same direction is fine.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Elder An,¡± Sima Xue called out. ¡°Just let it be. If you still feel unsatisfied, consider it a favor to be repaid in the future. I¡¯m sure these three will not be seeing the end of trouble anytime soon.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°...Why would you jinx us like that?¡± Li Lang muttered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Your penchant for investigating everything and getting involved based on emotions will inevitablynd you in hot water again and again.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Both Wei Ping and Long Yi let a chuckle escape from them, causing Li Lang to shake his head before ignoring them and bringing out his golden brown Skyrunner.

    <span style="font-weight:400">During the debriefing the night before, he had found out that Long Yi and Wei Ping had been watching him ever since he had signaled for help with the smoke. They hadn¡¯t realized he had lost his space ring at first and kept their distance, allowing them to watch everything that had unfolded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Once Li Lang had hopped onto Yun Ming¡¯s mount and sped off, they even retrieved his Skyrunner before giving chase. As expected, they were slower than the two Foundation Establishment cultivators. By the time they caught up, Li Lang had already flown off into the distance again, as the matter was resolved.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They then drove the Skyrunner back and arrived a few hourster, owing to their slower mode of transport.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having reunited with his Skyrunner due to a stroke of luck, three vehicles took to the skies under the early morning light. All of them flew east.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They reached the area where they had split off from Sima Xue previously and parted ways with her there again.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With Elder An tailing behind them, they ventured further into the mountain ranges for a full day before camping out in the wilderness.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They quickly set up camp once the sun was down at the behest of the elder.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You kids better remember not to travel during nighttime around these ranges. There are some powerful nocturnal Qi beasts that have better detection abilities than anything that moves around in the day. They¡¯ll easily spot you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You don¡¯t have to tell us twice. When is traveling during the night a good idea?¡± Long Yi said with a smile.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It made the Elder shake his head.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Anyway, traveling has be so much easier with a space ring,¡± Li Langmented. ¡°We can take out warmed food that was already prepared and carry several times more.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That is something to worry about too, youngling. You should hide your space rings, especially when you enter those righteous bunches¡¯ territory. They steal as easily as they lie, so with your cultivation, you¡¯re only alluring targets to them.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°T-they can¡¯t be all b-bad, right?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">This time, Wei Ping¡¯sments made the elder scoff. He didn¡¯t even bother to reply, but gave Wei Ping a meaningful look.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Elder An, please,¡± Gui Hong reminded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">After that, they moved on to more mundane topics before turning in early. The elder himself told them they didn¡¯t need to take shifts to keep watch with him around, so they slept soundly despite being out in the woods.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Like that, they traveled for another two days.

    <span style="font-weight:400">During one early afternoon, the two parties finally parted ways. They had gone as far east as they could together. Now Elder An¡¯s party only needed to head directly south, while Li Lang¡¯s group had to continue northeast.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They had veered off themonly trodden path a little, but with the advice of the elder, and generous use of talismans, the trio made it back to the safe routes and then out of the mountain ranges after another two days.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Finally, it¡¯s not all trees and mountains anymore. I almost went crazy, thinking we were trapped in some illusion or something,¡± Long Yi blurted out as he stretched his back.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, it shouldn¡¯t be long until we make it to some semnce of civilization. Right, Wei Ping?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The shorter man with the mask replied without looking up from the rough map they had in hand.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°There s-should be some viges a-around, but the map didn¡¯t m-mark them properly. The nearby city is a f-full day away. Then o-our destination should be another t-two days away from there.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Is this really worth it to just deliver some letter for that creepy brat?¡± Long Yi asked without any filter whatsoever.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I hadn¡¯t said anything yet in case some expert overheard us back in Prity, but this trip isn¡¯t about delivering the letter. It¡¯s just an excuse for us toe back into righteous sect territory without drawing suspicions.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Suspicions? Aren¡¯t we plenty suspicious enough just by being here?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°N-no, boss is referring t-to being suspicious to the demonic cultivators.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s right. We still have to keep up our facade of being demonic cultivators. Luckily, we¡¯re not part of any close group, so no one is really around us most of the time to see us cultivating.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°L-Lady Xue probably knows o-or suspects something.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I doubt she would care. She¡¯s from Nightmoon Valley, and they have no reason to turn against us, even if they knew. It¡¯s only the rogue demonic cultivators that we¡¯re trying to fool, so they don¡¯t attack us. The rest is just so they don¡¯t start gossiping and leaking the news to the orthodox sects.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°R-right. The demonic organizations m-may not be interested, but t-the orthodox people will d-definitely be interested in something that allows p-people with our aptitude to cultivate s-so fast.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So we¡¯re going to be whisking away some kids in this first vige we find?¡± Long Yi asked with a frown.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No you idiot, we¡¯re just going to recruit them normally!¡± Li Lang instantly countered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, I doubt they¡¯d want toe with us to demonic territory, though.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s why we had to pick our targets carefully. We¡¯ll be telling them most of our secrets. While we have some binding contracts, that¡¯ll tell us if they breach our terms, we can¡¯t really do much if they go and tattled on us to an expert. That¡¯s why everyone we ask must stay with us until we leave the province.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No problem, leave it to me. I¡¯m pretty good at reading people¡¯s hearts.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Neither Li Lang nor Wei Ping reacted to the ims produced by the tallest among them. His input was weed, but they didn¡¯t n on skipping their thorough investigation into the background of candidates as they had nned.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As they discussed the various things they¡¯ll need to support their recruiting, they soon spotted some smoke in the distance. It marked where several dozens of homesy, and they headed straight for it without hesitation.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The skies were clear, and the trio made no efforts to hide their approach. Soon, theynded just outside a vige, where a man wielding a spear quickly stepped forth and got on one knee.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Esteemed Experts, wee to Mu Xia Vige. I am Tong Jia, a humble guard here. Our mayor happened to hurt his back a few days ago, so if you would, I can lead you to him.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The trio could tell the man was in the fifth stage of Energy Gathering. It was quite good for the averagemoners, as they usually gave up when they reached their first bottleneck in the third stage. Only those with more wealth and ambitions continued to strive toward immortality.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Understood, please lead the way,¡± Li Lang dered in a firm tone.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They had to y the part of the expert now. In fact, they were experts in this vige¡¯s eyes. Owning a Skyrunner wasn¡¯t something even Li Lang¡¯s adoptive father could do, and he was a wealthy merchant. Not only that, he was also at the peak of Energy Gathering. It demonstrated how important connections were.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Practicing crafts wasn¡¯t something easy to do without being in an organization and a few years of practice. It naturally led to the guard mistaking the trio as people hailing from a sect, where they could easily purchase Skyrunners.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As he led the way through the vige, it was inevitable that people poked their heads out wherever they went. They were curious about the visitors to their vige. The children, in particr, were especially brave. They ran out of their houses and even tailed them from a short distance.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It was a scene that waspletely normal for the trio. Li Lang himself had some vague memories of growing up in such viges. All the kids yearned to join a powerful sect, bing a hero, and bringing glory to their hometown. They would pretend to be cultivators while they yed, and dreamed of being whisked away to one of the great sects.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While the children watched the trio¡¯s every movement with sparkly eyes, Li Lang also closely examined them.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, will we find anyone suitable in this vige already? Preferably, I want them to have a good character and strong willpower. They should be brave and obedient enough to do what I ask of them and pave the way forward for us.</em>

 Chapter 166: Assembling the Villagers

    Chapter 166: Assembling the Vigers

    <span style="font-weight:400">Tong Jia, the guard of a humble vige, guided Li Lang¡¯s group toward a decently sized house. From the outside, it looked like there was room for at least arge family to live in it. However, it paled inparison to the Zi estate where Li Lang had once lived.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The Zi residence was within arge walled-off piece ofnd with several buildings on it. To Li Lang, it could be described as a mansion, while the one currently before them was a singlerge house.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This is the mayor¡¯s ce. Please wait here while I go see if he is in condition to talk,¡± the guard cautiously chose his words.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate and nodded, watching the town guard off while he surveyed all the other houses in the area. He was told the mayor was injured, so he didn¡¯t mind the dy. Still, the guard was careful with his words lest he offended the powerful cultivators.

    <span style="font-weight:400">There wasn¡¯t much to look at while they waited, as the vige didn¡¯t have much to offer. They couldn¡¯t even spot any inns or stores, with there only being small houses strewn around here and there with no order to them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">There may have been few things to see, but Li Lang¡¯s group didn¡¯t have to wait long before the door to the mayor¡¯s house opened. The guard returned while supporting an old man out with him. There were also several faces peeking out from within the residence.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you foring all this way just to find an old man like me,¡± the old man greeted with a bow. ¡°I am Hui Pengfong, the representative of Mu Xia Vige.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No need to be so polite,¡± Li Lang replied. ¡°We¡¯re the ones who have intruded into your vige without any notice.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">His words caused the old man to be taken aback for a second as he lifted his head to get a better look at the people before him. He then brought his hand up and coughed into it a few times before it settled.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°May I ask what purpose you have to visit our humble vige? Is there anything we can assist you with?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">This time, it was Li Lang¡¯s turn to pause as he gathered his words.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯re mainly traveling through here, so you don¡¯t have to mind us. Just maybe point us to an inn if you have one here. If not, somece where we can camp out would work as well. Oh, and your permission to interview any promising child who seeks to cultivate.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Our vige is too remote to support an inn, but you can stay here if you would like. As for this interview¡­I presume you seek to recruit them?¡± the mayor asked with a pointed look.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Then, if I may, can I ask which sect you hail from? Forgive me, but you three don¡¯t seem to be from the Rigid Squall Sect.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The trio had discussed how they would conduct themselves once in righteous sect territory. It would be foolish to im to be from the demonic cultivator territory or impersonate members of other sects. Admitting to be independent cultivators gave them a flimsy background at best, which also wasn¡¯t ideal. They quickly settled on trying to give away as little information as possible to let the other party draw their own conclusion. They would allude to others that they were traveling incognito from a certain sect.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯re not. In fact, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m from any particr sect. We¡¯ve just been traveling, but our mentors instructed us to take on disciples if we happen toe across someone worth training. The act of teaching helps one learn, our mentor would say.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s words caused the mayor to frown as he put on a thoughtful look while Wei Ping and Long Yi nced around nervously at the scene.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Is something the matter?¡± Li Lang asked.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure how to politely convey this, so I¡¯ll just preface this by telling you there are some rules set by the sect that oversees this area. One of those rules includes needing their permission to recruit anyone from this vige.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Then¡­we can go speak to them, but can we see if there is anyone we actually n to take on first? There¡¯s no point going through everything only for us not to recruit anyone.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯m not exactly well-informed regarding the details and interpretation of these rules. Though if I had to guess, it should be fine.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you, and we¡¯ll take you up on your offer to stay here. We¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow, so no need to prepare anything for us.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With the difficult conversation out of the way, the mayor visibly rxed as they continued to chat.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing their host scrambling to get rooms ready for them, Li Lang tactfully excused his group with the excuse of taking a look around. It wasn¡¯t exactly an excuse, as he did intend to start searching for any prospective talents to recruit.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They only had one day to finish up before they resumed their travels to the nearby city, where it was much more populous. They had to make each second count.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Thankfully, there was arge gathering already around the mayor¡¯s house. They had been here in curiosity, observing the visitors to their vige. Only those who were busy with work were absent.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing the perfect opportunity, Li Lang channeled some Qi into his vocal cords to project his voice to everyone present.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°People of Mu Xia Vige! I thank your vige¡¯s hospitality for allowing us to stay for the night.¡± Li Lang paused and saw the people in the crowd nod at him with a smile. ¡°While we¡¯re only passing by, we wanted to see if any of the children in this vige would like to train under us.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Immediately, the silence was broken as a rush of whispers sounded throughout the za. The kids were even shouting in excitement.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Awesome! Does this mean I have another chance to be recruited?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hey! What sect are you guys from?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As a high-level Energy Gatherer, it wasn¡¯t hard for Li Lang to pick up the words through all the background noises.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Before we proceed, I wanted to rify that we¡¯re not from Vermillion Dragon. If you would like to go with us, you¡¯ll be taken to somewhere far away. Anyone between the ages of eight to twelve is weed.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">This caused the adults¡¯ gazes to be more skeptical while the kids became more excited instead.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The adults questioned why there was such a wide age rangepared to usual, while the children were mesmerized by the possibility of exploring the world and finding treasures. That was especially so for the children who had previously failed at being recruited already.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang didn¡¯t care to borate.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So, if you¡¯re still interested, pleasee with us to the clearing outside the vige. We¡¯ll be doing our tests there!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Without missing a beat, Li Lang summoned his Skyrunner from within his space ring and the trio instantly hopped on, flying away. They nced down at the crowd that watched on in tion, all the way until they were out of sight.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Okay, so what¡¯s the n?¡± Long Yi asked as he surveyed the grassy in.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to be part of the recruiting process?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t want to learn about it.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang shared a look with Wei Ping before they both rolled their eyes.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Fine, keep it your little secret.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">While the trio waited for people to arrive, they each spent their time catching up on their own things. Traveling in a Skyrunner was great and all, but it didn¡¯t give them much room to work with. There were many techniques they couldn¡¯t train while on the road, even discounting the very physical ones, like those needing total focus. The five crafts were in this category.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing how there wasn¡¯t much time, Li Lang summoned his pill furnace and the relevant materials before getting to work. He had been working on a small project on the side within Ruby¡¯sb to rx and refresh his mind.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As a side project, the research goal wasn¡¯t to produce the most efficient or viable way to do something. Instead, it focused on something a little more fun, taste.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Throughout the years spent in the pocket realm, the trio had sampled more than enough Nourishment Pills. While they kept your stomach full, it didn¡¯t change the fact they tasted disgusting, and Li Lang wanted to change that.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He half thought of this project as a way to improve their conditions the next time they were in a simr situation and half as a viablemercial opportunity.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">All those cultivators retreating into closed-door cultivation can¡¯t possibly be satisfied with the taste, right?</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Aiming to address this issue, Li Lang had spent his free time experimenting with the herbbinations while keeping the Nourishment Pill¡¯s effects the same. He also wanted to deepen his understanding of alchemy while ying around, but he soon found it moreplicated than he had suspected.

    <span style="font-weight:400">That led him to focus on the easier method. To allow the Nourishment Pill itself to remain the same while encapsting it within something tastier. While Li Lang would¡¯ve preferred to use an enteric coating, it wasn¡¯t something easy to produce without synthetics like polymers. This had turned his tests into somewhat of a cooking experiment.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While he had eventually found something that was able to cover up the harsh and pungent taste, he was still experimenting with different vors.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Still, he produced this first prototype version regrly to build up a stock of it. Even if he made improvementster, he could just market it as the basic vor.

    <span style="font-weight:400">His pill refining inadvertently created a fume of smoke, spreading a sweet scent across the entire vige. It attracted the vigers to follow them to the outskirts of the settlement. It wasn¡¯t long before they caught up, though there were visibly fewer of them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They watched on in awe at the blue mes from Li Lang¡¯s furnace, the shy moves Long Yi and Wei Ping were practicing. They knew not to disturb them as they waited for these mysterious cultivators to turn their attention to them.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 167: Testing the Candidates

    Chapter 167: Testing the Candidates

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just outside Mu Xia Vige, on the grassy ins at the settlement¡¯s footsteps, a small crowd gathered around three young men. A majority of them consisted of women and young children, but they were still somehow eerily quiet as they stood there, staring at the three men.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Thergest of the three young men was currently swinging a sword around. Even if that was all there was to it, the children would still be entertained, but sword swings weren¡¯t all that was happening. After every sh, a crescent-shaped stone was sent flying out of the de. It traveled with such force that it made the onlookers break out into a cold sweat. They instinctively knew it would be trouble for them to be anywhere near the powerful attack.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Beside this tall man was a man of much shorter stature. He wore a strange wooden mask while he swiftly darted all over the ce, performing one incredible acrobatic movement after the other.

    <span style="font-weight:400">And if the shy flips and somersaults still weren¡¯t enough, there was also a bluish-silver fire burning before thest remaining man. It was not only a visual spectacle, but the fumes also managed to reach the vigers. A sweet and exotic scent could be detected around the area. It was the result of the candy-like exterior of the pill being caramelized during the final steps of refining.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It didn¡¯t fail to stir the appetite for sweets from the children, but they were too overwhelmed by everything happening before their eyes to do anything more than stare.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before the crowd had to wait too long, the three cultivators quickly finished their respective matters and called out to them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you to those who havee. I won¡¯t waste any more of your time than needed, so we¡¯ll begin with our tests right away. Can all the children who will be participating please step forth?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instantly, the children who had parents nced up at them for permission, while those who didn¡¯t, sprinted out toward the three cultivators. They varied widely in height due to the age range Li Lang had set. They epted anyone between the ages of eight and twelve.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This was because Li Lang had always been skeptical of the practice of only recruiting when a child reached the age of ten. He didn¡¯t believe the spiritual roots and meridians magically appeared when they turned ten years old.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instead, he believed it was just an arbitrary age people set that made it convenient for management. It was just like the age of adulthood that kept changing over history. There likely wasn¡¯t anyplex thought put into deciding this number, picking an age where it seemed likely for the children to be capable enough to listen to instructions and endure the vigors of cultivation.

    <span style="font-weight:400">In order to put this to the test, Li Lang didn¡¯t hesitate to widen the age range of those he wished to ept. Combined with the fact they weren¡¯t looking for those who had high aptitude, their pool of candidates theoretically encapsted everyone willing to participate.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Once the trio counted a total of twenty people assembled before them, it became apparent no one else would be joining. Wei Ping then gave out the next instructions.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Our f-first test is to simply runps a-around the vige. Everyone, f-follow me!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before any kids could ask questions, Wei Ping turned and began jogging away. Long Yi followed after a split-second dy and then came the sharp-witted among the candidates.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Of course, the two cultivators ran at a pace that the children could follow. The point of the tests was to examine their prospects, and for that, they had to be able to observe them. That was why Li Lang waited so he could bring up the rear.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This simple exercise was thought up by him, so it fell to him to be in the best position to monitor the test.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The kids soon managed to finish an entirep without anyone dropping out. It was both thanks to the lenient pace Wei Ping set and the ample exercise the children had every day. Without the many toys to y with, it was normal for kids their age to be ying outside all the time. Plus, many of them dreamed of bing a powerful cultivator from an early age, so they would condition themselves over the years.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, no matter how much they had prepared, they were still kids at the end of the day. Only a few of the older children were even in the first stage of Energy Gathering. They likely set foot on the path of cultivating haphazardly without proper guidance, after failing to be recruited by any sect. It was all toomon for those who passed the age of ten.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Even when some kids started to fall behind, Li refused to overtake them until they gave up. He continued to watch their struggles without batting an eye.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Thissted for an entire tenps before they stopped.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As soon as thest kidpleted the task, Li Lang immediately dered the start of the next test.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Good work. Next, we will be doing a written test. Those who don¡¯t know how to read and write, please raise your hands.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">After a moment, he found only two hands raised among the dozen children before him. It wasn¡¯t surprising that the two were the ones who were poorly dressedpared to the others.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You two,e to me. The rest of you go to my friend with the mask over there. He will hand you the papers and writing instruments.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As the two kids approached Li Lang, he carefully examined them. The two boys with short hair timidly approached. Every time they made eye contact with each other, they would gain some courage and quicken their steps, but it quickly faded as they instinctively avoided taking the lead.

    <span style="font-weight:400">If Li Lang hadn¡¯t watched them desperately running around despite their fatigue earlier, he may have eliminated them from the test already based on their demeanor. He didn¡¯t need disciples who were too timid to speak their minds. Research required urate information gathering not only from his observations, but reports from his subjects as well. People who were too timid usually kept to themselves too much to be suitable for this position.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, Li Lang did see their determination when they struggled to keep up near the end of the first test.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">They may have been slowerpared to most other children, but that¡¯s probably due to malnutrition and theck of exercising because of it. The hardship they¡¯ve faced should have polished their character. They have potential with some guidance.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">The written test quickly got started while Li Lang quizzed the two who couldn¡¯t read and write verbally. Of course, he administered the test separately, which meant they took longer than the others. Still, the test ended within half an hour.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The test consisted of a bunch of short-answer questions, posing scenarios to the examinees, while the time they were allotted was purposefully limited. It was to put their quick-wittedness to the test, while the contents itself tested their creativity and decision-making skills.

    <span style="font-weight:400">If epted, these kids would be cultivating with the Cleansing Drug along with different techniques that change periodically. While Li Lang nned to make their curriculum as well-rounded as possible, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he nned to use them as test subjects at the same time. They needed to be adaptable.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Once the test finished, it only took Wei Ping and Li Lang a moment to go over them. They immediately failed those who had answered less than five questions out of the ten. It showed they failed to analyze that they would need to get at least five correct answers to pass the test. While it may not indicate they weren¡¯t suitable at all, they had arge enough pool of candidates to choose from that they could be picky.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Out of the dozen children who took the test, eight of them passed.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Next, we¡¯ll be testing your pain tolerance,¡± Li Lang dered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Cultivation was no stranger to pain. It was vital for his prospective students to be able to act calmly even when enduring immense pain. Otherwise, it would be impossible to train in a safe manner and retain their experiences afterward.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They soon got the kids to line up before Li Lang, and one by one, they began injecting the kids with a thin needle. Obviously, Li Lang wasn¡¯t injecting deadly poisons into such young children. His Vengeful Leaf Compendium was filled with various types of poisons found in this world. Many of them paralyzed the target, but they all varied in how they worked and how painful they were.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With three cultivators administering this test, they could send their Qi into their bodies at any time to cleanse away the toxins. Once the first kid was injected with the mildest of the poisons, Li Lang immediately ced a hand over their abdomen.

    <span style="font-weight:400">His Vein Flow Calction Method could only perceive the surfaceyer of the boy, so he used his new Tracing Origin Art to keep track of how far the poison reached. At the same time, he preemptively channeled some Qi into the child¡¯s body as well.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This wasn¡¯t only to protect him, but for Li Lang to examine his aptitude as well. One didn¡¯t need a fancy orb to gauge the aptitude of someone. They simply needed to examine their meridians and count the number of spiritual roots. It was what he had seen elders do after their deacons reported candidates of interest.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, I have to steer clear of his shoulder until the end, but it¡¯s still going to be a few minutes for me to analyze their aptitude with my level of control.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Like this, Li Lang inspected each and every single one of the final eight candidates while they were trying their best to resist the pain.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Every time they endured for over two minutes, Li Lang would cleanse away the poison and administer a stronger alternative. Of course, Wei Ping wasn¡¯t doing nothing while this happened. He carefully monitored their emotions and gauged how they were doing on the mental side of things. From it, one could gauge their willpower, which was an important element of the test that was never explicitly stated.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Once the test finished, the trio went into a huddle to discuss the results. Wei Ping naturally went first, reporting what he thought of each candidate. When he was done, he found Li Lang still wearing a thoughtful expression, with no signs of snapping out of it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°B-boss, is something the matter?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang did not respond.

 Chapter 168: Recruiting Students

    Chapter 168: Recruiting Students

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°B-boss, is something the matter?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Several seconds went by without any response, so Wei Ping began shaking Li Lang¡¯s shoulders to bring him back to reality. As someone who had been by his side for years, he knew exactly how to handle him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm? Oh, sorry about that. Just thinking about how this will be tricky,¡± Li Lang finally replied.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Y-You¡¯re right. They probably won¡¯t l-let us take anyone with good aptitude.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two young men then directed their gaze at the group of young children awaiting their decision. Most of them had either grade one or two aptitude, but there happened to be one child with grade three aptitude. It was one of the top performers, which got Li Lang deliberating if it was worth trying to take him under their wing.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We likely won¡¯t be able to afford the price this Rigid Squall Sect asks for.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Should w-we just give up on him, then?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t think we have any other choice.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Then t-that leaves us with only t-two who passed.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s fine for now. We still have other ces to visit, and we can only bring back so many. We also ought to ask if they¡¯re willing toe with us to demonic territory first.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With the matter settled, the two young men walked back over toward the group of children that had undisguised anticipation in their eyes.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We won¡¯t waste any more of your time,¡± Li Lang shouted. ¡°There are two who have passed our tests. Xiao Dong, and Wu San, step forward.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Those who weren¡¯t chosen were visibly upset while the adults, off the side, were no different. One of the parents even voiced their outrage.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How can this be? Our little Hai should¡¯ve performed in the top two in every test!¡± She then directed a look at Xiao Dong, ring daggers at him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It wasn¡¯t hard for the trio to see the animosity toward the young orphaned child, as the parent was upset that he managed to pass, but not their son.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°The criteria of the test aren¡¯t something we will be discussing. We¡¯ve already made a decision, but that doesn¡¯t mean those who weren¡¯t chosen were any worse. In fact, I can tell you that there is even someone who hadn¡¯t been selected, possessing great talent that your local sect will be dying to recruit. There¡¯s no need to be concerned.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Then the reason you esteemed cultivators aren¡¯t picking them is¡­¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°ording to your mayor, this is still the territory of the Rigid Squall Sect. We likely won¡¯t receive permission to take them with us. On that note, Xiao Dong, Wu San,¡± Li Lang called out as he nced over at the two young kids in question. ¡°Are you two willing to leave the Vermillion Dragon province with us?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Without missing a beat, the more scrawny of the two, Xiao Dong, immediately nodded. Wu San looked over at his parents, waiting for their answer before he, too, epted the offer.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang then took out his Skyrunner and ushered the two kids onboard before taking to the skies. The small crowd who had watched the spectacle began to disband, with some families consoling their children.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang purposefully slowed down their vehicle as he saw Xiao Dong looking wistfully down at the crowd.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°There are still a few things I¡¯ll have to speak to you guys about before you finalize your decision toe with us, so there¡¯s no need for the long face.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, no need. I won¡¯t be changing my decision no matter what you say. I have a feeling I¡¯d regret it if I missed this opportunity.¡±

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">His intuition isn¡¯t too bad, or is it a lucky guess? Either way, the local sect may or may not recruit him. He¡¯s got grade two aptitude, but is otherwise ordinary. Even if they did ept him, he wouldn¡¯t be valued. Wu San, on the other hand, will never get epted by any sect.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°If you¡¯re so determined about your decision, does that mean you¡¯re reluctant to part with someone?¡± Li Lang continued to inquire. ¡°Maybe that other kid who was with you just now?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">That got Xiao Dong¡¯s attention. He sighed and slowly nodded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We only have each other in this vige. I worry about what will happen to him once he¡¯s alone, but we made a promise. If one of us has what it takes to be a cultivator, we will try our best, no matter the cost. Only then will we be able to save ourselves, and each other.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang shared a quick look with Wei Ping, who nodded back at him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°In that case, we don¡¯t mind bringing him along, too. But first, we¡¯re going to have you sign this contract here.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">At the wave of his hand, Li Lang brought out two sheets of paper from his space ring. It caused the two kids to stare up at him, dumbfounded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What is that? And how did you make it just appear, like that?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯ll go over those things eventually. You just have to know this is a binding contract. When signed, you must follow the terms on it, or you¡¯ll be subject to punishment. In this case, it¡¯ll just notify the other party if you breach the terms.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Wu San nodded in understanding while Xiao Dong squinted his eyes at the pieces of paper with a scrutinizing gaze.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. You can¡¯t read, so I¡¯ll read it to you. In the future, you¡¯ll have to make sure you learn to read yourself, so you don¡¯t get tricked into signing something you regret.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">shing a wry smile at the innocent kid, Li Lang began exining the terms of the contract to the two of them. It was a binding contract of the lowest grade, something Li Lang managed to figure out during his time in the pocket realm. That meant it didn¡¯t have the power to do anything more than notify the other party when the terms were breached.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As for the content itself, it was a simple nondisclosure agreement Li Lang drafted up.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The young children signed without much fuss, and the paper went into mes. Li Lang could sense some Qi drifting toward his head as the effect settled.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Now, then. We¡¯ll be going over our final destination. You can still choose to decline our offer, but then we¡¯ll have youe along with us until we leave.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, but why?¡± Wu San, who had been quietly sitting in the corner until now, softly muttered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s because our home base is in the Demonic Cultivator Territory.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two kids blinked nkly at Li Lang¡¯s words. They didn¡¯t reallyprehend it right away. It took them an entire minute before their eyes suddenly widened.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What?! You¡¯re demonic cultivators?!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Not exactly. We don¡¯t practice demonic techniques. It¡¯s just that we stay there. It¡¯s quite a bit to exin, so save your questions until the end. What you know about demonic cultivators are actually¡­¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Wei Ping purposefully circled around the vige while Li Lang exined the basics as to why they¡¯re based in the Luminescent Domain. It took quite some time to go over everything, and then even more time to answer their questions.

    <span style="font-weight:400">By the time they were done, it was alreadyte afternoon. The trio sent the kids back to their ce to gather their things so they could set off with them the next morning.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Nothing unexpected happened, and the day passed by in the blink of an eye. The next morning, under the watchful gaze of the entire vige, the golden-brown Skyrunner flew up toward the horizon.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So, umm, Master. When do we start learning how to cultivate?¡± Xiao Dong poked his head out of thepartment and asked.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Immediately after his questions, Long Yi¡¯s guffawing could be heard in the back. It made Li Lang shake his head.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You can call us teacher. We¡¯re too young to be called masters, and your education will start once we get back to Emberglow City. For now, your main task is to learn how to read and write.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What about me?¡± Wu San¡¯s voice sounded out from behind.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You¡¯ll have to be patient as well. Help Xiao Dong learn his words or do the same exercises you¡¯ve been doing until now.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang wouldn¡¯t be starting any lessons until he gathered all their students together. It was just more efficient than starting over again once someone new joins. At the same time, he wanted to properly observe each of his students, to record urate data for his experiments. It was too hectic to be doing that while on a journey.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With two new members in their vehicle, time passed by a lot faster than before. Perhaps it was due to the ever-so-curious children asking a barrage of questions, but no one minded, as they didn¡¯t have anything better to do. In fact, Long Yi finally showed his usefulness during this time. He was surprisingly good with children, and he also had the energy to deal with them throughout their trip.

    <span style="font-weight:400">After an entire day of traveling, arge town came into view. It was the next stop in their journey and the first major city they came across within Vermillion Dragon.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So this is the city of Qinglong,¡± Long Yi muttered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">At his words, the two kids quickly poked their heads out to get a better view of the city. It was an exciting sight for them, as they had never stepped foot outside of the vige before.

    <span style="font-weight:400">For the regr folks, traveling was not an easy task. They moved about much slower, taking at least days to get anywhere. The trip from Mu Xia Vige to Qinglong City would¡¯ve taken them at least an entire week.

    <span style="font-weight:400">For Li Lang and the gang, it wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary. The view was simr to Xiang Yang. Arge city indeed, but theck of Skyrunners in the area told them it was just another mortal city.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As theynded near the gates, they could already spot arge crowd of guards standing at the ready to wee them.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 169: Citywide Event

    Chapter 169: Citywide Event

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This ce doesn¡¯t seem to be any different from Xiang Yang,¡± Long Yimented.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, nothing is wrong with that. It may be one of thergest cities, but the sects like to hang around their own ces. Still, there should be plenty to see with a city this big. With the extra day we¡¯ll be spending here, you should be able to squeeze out some time to go sightseeing.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, extra day? Why? I thought we weren¡¯t going to stop until we reached Changjiao City?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°W-were you not listening a-at allst night?¡± Wei Ping interjected.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Haha, I may have been too preupied with the food,¡± Long Yi shamelessly admitted as he scratched the back of his head.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang chuckled and held up a hand to tell Wei Ping not to worry about it.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯ve decided to stay after our discussion with the mayor. We¡¯ll be going to several viges around here today to gather up any potential candidates, and then do one big test here tomorrow. Then we¡¯ll leave the day after that.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Isn¡¯t there already a huge amount of people living here? You really want to go to the trouble of gathering more kids from some remote viges?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hey, there could be some buried talent hiding in them. While we¡¯re here, might as well do a thorough job.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, up to you two. It¡¯s not me who has to put in the work.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°A-Actually, we¡¯ll need you t-to round up the children in the city for us.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What?!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What did you expect?¡± Li Lang quipped. ¡°You¡¯d get to justze around forever? We happen to have two Skyrunners, so unless you want to go around to various viges, it¡¯s your job to spread the word around here.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, I don¡¯t really know how to go about it. You want me to just go around the markets, screaming about it?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You¡¯re g-good at dealing w-with kids, right? Just have them s-spread the news and set up a p-ce for them to gather.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With the matter decided, the trio quickly split off toplete their own tasks. The two kids, Wu San and Xiao Dong, also split up, with one tagging along with each Skyrunner. Having a kid tag along allowed them to disarm the viger¡¯s suspicions faster, so they could save some time.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Even so, by the time they returned to Qinglong City, the sun had turned fully orange.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Both Li Lang and Wei Ping¡¯s teams came back with their vehicle full of prospective candidates. They even had to cut down on the numbers by administering the first test of running at the vige, so they could fit them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">When they arrived, they quickly spotted arge tform just outside the city gates. It looked hastily assembled by just pping ayer of stone above the dirt, but it was noticeable enough.

    <span style="font-weight:400">When the three finally reunited, they were immediately faced with a new problem. They stared nkly at all the kids in the distance, who were chatting away with each other on their newly erected tform.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You two all together bought back twenty kids. Are you nning on having them camp out here or getting a room for them?¡± Long Yi asked.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to oversee them if they get split up into several rooms. We may have to settle on camping out here,¡± Li Lang responded with a frown.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°E-either should work. We h-have enough funds to rent a-a house or get enough camping equipment.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s just for one night. We¡¯ll just stay here so we can stand guard over this <em><span style="font-weight:400">tform</em><span style="font-weight:400"> as well.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hey!¡± Long Yi yelled. ¡°I worked hard on this. Do you have any idea how tiring it is to fire off so many Terra Moon shes consecutively to make this?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°If y-you do another round after dinner and t-tomorrow¡¯s breakfast, it should shape up decently.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No need to wait that long,¡± Li Lang grinned as a pill bottle appeared in his hand. ¡°Just take a few Qi Replenishment Pills and you¡¯ll be able to get it done before dinner.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You guys¡­are you trying to get back at me for not helping out before this? Because I¡¯m helping out now, aren¡¯t I? Can¡¯t you cut me some ck?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instead of answering him, Li Lang turned to Wu San and Xiao Dong, who were listening quietly behind him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Listen up, you two. Don¡¯t grow up to be someone like him. You won¡¯t get anywhere if you only know how to whine andin.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two nced over at Long Yi for a brief moment and nodded in unison.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hey! I¡¯m not that bad. Instead, don¡¯t learn to bad-mouth people like him!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">While they exchanged some yful banter, Wei Ping soon went and bought some tents and bedding for theirrge group. He even got a huge pot and several sacks full of ingredients, and carefully instructed the kids on how to cook.

    <span style="font-weight:400">All of them worked seriously, thinking it was part of the test. It was also because their enthusiasm was at its highest, having been exposed to so many new things in such a short time. It even drew the attention of the guards on the wall, but they knew better than to interfere with powerful cultivators.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Like that, the night ended uneventfully and the next day came.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before the group even finished eating breakfast, a ruckus could be heard by the gates. When the morning bell rang and the gates opened, they found arge crowd rushing out in a disorderly fashion, to the helplessness of the guards.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, what did you do yesterday?¡± Li Lang asked the tallest member of his group.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯m not sure. I think I just said I was looking for hard workers and the other things you told me to say. Like how anyone between the age of eight to twelve is weed.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°And you caused that stampede over there¡­?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Long Yi simply shrugged in response.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing the scene slowly getting more and more out of control, Li Lang quickly boarded his Skyrunner and flew above the crowd. He then projected his voice across the entire area.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Everyone, please do not rush. The tests aren¡¯t going to begin until noon. Those who can¡¯t even properly behave until then are not weed!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Instantly, Li Lang¡¯s speech produced an effect. The rumbling heard from behind the walls subsided in an instant, but the flow of traffic didn¡¯t. Curious about what had worked them up so much, Li Lang then brought his vehicle lower so he could eavesdrop.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Look at that Skyrunner up there! It looks expensive. I told you that menacing cultivator must be from a great sect.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s yet to be seen. He seemed to be only a teenager, and he didn¡¯t seem to be from any sect around here. I say he¡¯s quite suspicious, with how he kept repeating any children between the ages of eight and twelve are wee. Everyone knows the sects around this area recruit ten-year-olds. Why in the world would he want those who had been passed up by other sects toe?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yeah, he got my dumb kid all fired up about being a cultivator again. He wasn¡¯t paying any attention during my lesson yesterday. Malicious or not, they¡¯re bad news.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Shh, are you crazy? Stop badmouthing them. Experts are known to have an unimaginable hearing.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The crowd went unabated for an entire hour before they finally passed through the gate. Thousands upon thousands had gathered, but the majority of them were adults looking for a good show.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Entertainment was sparse in this world. They made a spectacle out of the sect recruitments every year, but having another one was a weed change for them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The spectators tactfully knew not to get too close, staying a distance away from the makeshift stone tform that Long Yi had painstakingly created.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The number of candidates swiftly grew from the two dozen to the hundreds. It was even approaching the thousand mark, thanks to their lenient age range. It was especially easy to tell who the older kids were, as they were the most excited at having received a second chance.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The ten-year-olds and below were skeptical, as they already had a preferred sect in mind. Their dream had yet to be crushed, so they all arrogantly thought they had good chances of getting into their first choice. They only treated this recruitment as a test run. Some even only nned to participate in the aptitude test and leave after obtaining their results.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Meanwhile, Li Lang and hispanions were whispering quietly within their Skyrunner.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, d-do we even have enough paper tests to administer to s-so many people?

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯re just going to have to eliminate more people in the first round, and then have the pain resistance rounde second, so we can save the written test for the end,¡± Li Lang answered with a sigh.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Why don¡¯t you guys just add another round to it? Like duels or some group activity,¡± Long Yi suggested. ¡°You can test out their teamwork and how adaptable they are.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Good idea. I might have a few team games they could y.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The turnout had been much greater than anything Li Lang and Wei Ping had expected. It made the trio scramble to adjust their tests to suit the number of contestants. Li Lang was even deliberating whether to bring out some sports for these kids to try out. None of them would have heard about what he had in store. It would even test their ability to learn and adjust to new things.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as Li Lang was preparing to address the crowd. The mor from the audience suddenly grew in volume. It didn¡¯t take Li Lang long to realize they were all looking at something behind him. He turned around and found a Skyrunner approaching, flying with a banner of some sort.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Straining his ears, he quickly found out the neers¡¯ identity.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Look, it¡¯s people from the Rigid Squall Sect!¡±

 Chapter 170: Rigid Squall Sect

    Chapter 170: Rigid Squall Sect

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just outside the gates of Qinglong City, a huge crowd had gathered for the sudden test administered by Li Lang¡¯s group. However, what they were currently moring about wasn¡¯t anything rted to the test, but the new Skyrunner that had arrived at the scene.

    <span style="font-weight:400">As Qinglong City was often visited by half a dozen nearby sects every year, the residents naturally recognized the light blue banners of the Rigid Squall Sect.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Senior Zhen, there really are foreign cultivators here! They¡¯ve even gathered up such arge crowd too!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°There¡¯s no need to say anything. I can see for myself. Those cultivators are just young kids. Land the Skyrunner.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Right!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Everyone at the scene could sense drama about to unfold. The townspeople knew the nearby sects usually came together to hold a grand event. Li Lang¡¯s group naturally knew trouble had arrived.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Under the anticipating gazes of the crowd looking forward to things ring up, the people from the Rigid Squall Sectnded directly on the tform where all the children gathered. The more sharp-witted among the kids even began to slip back into the crowd.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang and his twopanions quickly regrouped to greet the new arrivals.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Quickly, keep your space rings out of sight,¡± Li Lang whispered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two parties then walked toward each other briskly, meeting at the center of the stage. Both parties could gauge each other¡¯s strength by now. They knew both sides had someone at the peak of Energy Gathering.

    <span style="font-weight:400">That was why the people from the Rigid Squall Sect were surprised when they saw the representative from the other side was someone else. Still, they didn¡¯t dare topletely disregard someone in the eighth stage of Energy Gathering.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Wee, I am Li Lang from the Yellow Qilin province. May I ask who has graced us with their presence?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, people from Yellow Qilin. Perhaps you have forgotten about manners? I don¡¯t remember hearing about anyone from our Vermillion Dragon province going into your territory to recruit disciples without first greeting the local sects.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing the young man, who seemed to be in charge of their group of four, cut straight to the chase, Li Lang chuckled.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Apologies, this is pretty embarrassing if you word it that way, but we have our reasons for doing this.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh? Do tell, then.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Unfortunately, that isn¡¯t something we can do. I can tell you that we don¡¯t n on disregarding your rules. We will pay adequatepensation if we do n on taking away any talents.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Oh? Compensation is quite a pleasant word, but do know we¡¯re not easy to please.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Of course. We can discuss it in more detail if we do decide to recruit anyone today.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as Li Lang turned around to get things started, the other party didn¡¯t let him go so easily.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmph, not so fast. You want to just run your test around here like you own the ce, just like that?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang could see the three other disciples behind him staring at him menacingly, and he inwardly sighed.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">They got here just after a day? Do they have someone posted in this city? Or perhaps the mayor of Mu Xia Vige sent word to them after we began recruiting people from their vige? Hmm, it seems thetter is more likely if only people from the Rigid Squall Sect are here.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, you¡¯re right,¡± Li Lang managed to squeeze out after donning his facade. ¡°We should bepensating you for hosting such an event in your territory, but I heard this city isn¡¯t just the Rigid Squall Sect¡¯s territory, is that correct?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That is none of your business. You¡¯re currently dealing with us. Your arrangements with the other sects do not matter to us.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I see, well in that case, umm¡­¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s Zhen Xing.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, Zhen Xing, how about a hundred Qi stones to rent out this space for the day?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°One hundred per hour.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Hearing the immediate counteroffer, Li Lang didn¡¯t show any emotions. To any of the onlookers watching, they may praise his ability to hold back his anger, but he was actually trying his hardest to prevent a grin from forming.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He knew these types of young masters would always try to up the price from the initial offer. That was why he quoted his price as Qi stones instead of red crystals.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Even if one red crystal had the same value as a hundred Qi stones, if he had only said one red crystal, it would have left a lot more room for Zhen Xing to raise the price. He could easily ask for a hundred red crystals instead. By quoting in Qi stones, it set an expectation of what currency they would be dealing in. It wouldn¡¯t be likely for him to quote tens of thousands of Qi stones either, as there was arge crowd around.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Righteous cultivators wanted to look good, so they would instinctively avoid doing anything too outrageous.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The price of one hundred Qi stones per hour was perfectly eptable to Li Lang. He quickly reached into his robes and pretended to retrieve the money from there before flicking over a red crystal.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Very well. Here is the payment for the first hour. We¡¯ll pay you at the end if we need more time.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Zhen Xing said nothing but appraised his new wealth against the sun as he signaled to Li Lang to go away with his other hand.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Senior Zhen, that¡¯s a red crystal! Shouldn¡¯t you¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Not right now, Junior Lei.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing the scene, Li Lang swiftly made his way away from them. His heart lurched when he saw the intelligent glint in the junior¡¯s eyes upon noticing the red crystal. He had likely noticed the discrepancy in the currency they received. Energy Gatherers rarely dealt with red crystals. Luckily, he was a junior.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Not wanting to give the Rigid Squall Sect disciples any time to converse, Li Lang quickly signaled to his peers to get the test started. He channeled Qi and projected his voice across the area.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Sorry for the dy. The kind gentlemen from the Rigid Squall Sect have decided to spectate, so we¡¯ll begin the test without further ado! The first test is to keep up with my assistant there in the mask!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Wei Ping didn¡¯t look back and started to run in a circle around the tform Long Yi had erected. He made ample use of the space the crowd left between them and the tform. It allowed the townsfolk to watch them without moving from their spot.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°They¡¯re making them run as a test? What is this? The recruitment for some mortal guards?¡± Zhen Xing muttered upon noticing the spectacle.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That is¡­strange,¡± Junior Lei muttered. ¡°Maybe they don¡¯t have any assessment tools with them and they¡¯re toozy to personally check through all these kids?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">He found his words justified the more he watched.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The first test almoststed almost two hours before it ended. By then, half the contestants had been eliminated. It made both Zhen Xing and his junior grin, but for different reasons. One was happy about receiving more money, while the other felt his prediction was spot on.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, their grins quickly became frowns upon seeing the next test. The strange trio made the kids get into teams of five. They then erected two thin pirs on two ends of the tform and began exining a strange game to the children that not even a cultivator like Zhen Xing had ever heard of before.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The game involved kicking a simple ball of leather to the opponent¡¯s side. They couldn¡¯t use their hands or make physical contact with each other. These strange rulespletely dumbfounded the four Rigid Squall cultivators.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Why in the world would they disallow physical contact?¡± Junior Lei shouted. ¡°There¡¯s no good reason for prospective cultivators to avoid it whenbat will be something they must learn.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Junior, I¡¯ve given up making sense of what they¡¯re doing by now. They obviously have their own agenda, seeing they¡¯re recruiting so far away from home. As long as they pay us <em><span style="font-weight:400">adequately, </em><span style="font-weight:400">then I¡¯m fine with it. The sect shouldn¡¯t care too as long as they don¡¯t try to take someone they shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing Zhen Xing¡¯s meaningful look, Junior Lei nodded softly.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The strange game proceeded for another two hours before the nearly hundred teams managed toplete the games on the dozens of fields Long Yi had set up. When it ended, only a hundred kids remained.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This wasn¡¯t because the tests had eliminated all of them, but many of them had quit on their own initiative. They had gotten skeptical about these strange tests that seemed to have nothing to do with cultivation. They were also the same kids who had set their sights on other sects, so they never took the tests seriously.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The remaining kids were then told to form a line.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Junior Lei, I¡¯m going to go practice my new Qi art. Let me know if anything happens.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as Zhen Xing wandered off toward the forest, a sudden gasp from his junior drew his attention back to the scene.

    <span style="font-weight:400">What he saw made him knit his brows tightly. That was because he witnessed Li Lang stabbing a young child with a needle. To the righteous cultivators, a needle only represented two things. Acupuncture to heal or poison to kill. Seeing how it wasn¡¯t likely they would suddenly treat the young kids, he narrowed his eyes at the other possibility.

 Chapter 171: Test after Test

    Chapter 171: Test after Test

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having witnessed one strange behavior after the other from the supposed visitors from Yellow Qilin, Zhen Xing and his group could no longer take it. He abandoned his n to practice his Qi art and strode straight to where Li Lang was.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You there. Li whatever. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang turned his head and found all four Rigid Squall Disciples standing over his shoulder.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s just another test of ours. Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re not in any danger.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As soon as his words ended, the child before him began crying out in pain.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡­I can¡¯t! I give up! Make it stop!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Right away, the Qi Li Lang had sent inside his body made its rounds around, cleansing away the toxins. While the child was instantly relieved, Zhen Xing¡¯s concerns weren¡¯t.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Not in any danger, you say? What exactly are you injecting them with?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Realizing the young master before him wouldn¡¯t give up easily, Li Lang threw him a bottle of the poison they were using. It was the weakest of his collection and only caused difort, with no potential of being lethal.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This¡­ is weak, but it¡¯s still poison! Are you seriously injecting this into these kids? You¡¯ll stain your sect¡¯s name by doing something like this¡­Which sect are you from again?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, sorry, we can¡¯t disclose that right now.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You! I¡¯ve had enough of you. I¡¯ve been putting up with all these strange antics of yours, but you won¡¯t dare disclose where you¡¯re from? You could be an agent from the Demonic Cultivator Territory for all I know!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As Zhen Xing moved to grab Li Lang by the arm, Long Yi suddenly appeared and intervened. He intercepted the outreached arm and red down at its owner.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before either party could take further action, Li Lang quickly got in between the two.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Let¡¯s all calm down here. There¡¯s no need for this right now.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Then you guys better stop with this strange test of yours! If it¡¯s aptitude measuring tools you¡¯recking, then I can lend you one. Otherwise, stop with your tests!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you for your kind offer, but we don¡¯t need it.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What in the world are you guys thinking? What could possibility be more important than measuring their aptitude?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, how about this? If this test upsets you so much, we can skip it and proceed to the next round.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Zhen Xing took a few moments to gauge his surroundings, sizing Long Yi up before he finally nodded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That, and you pay up what you owe first.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, yes. Of course.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing how it would cause issues if they continued with the poison test, Li Lang quickly changed things up and skipped to the next round.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Of course, theycked that many written tests to hand out, so they had toe up with another test on the fly.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They considered dividing the groups into one where they would take the written test, while the others got interviewed instead. In fact, interviews were preferred, as they gave Li Lang and Wei Ping a chance to personally gauge the candidate. However, it did take a lot more time and effort. With a hundred people remaining, it wasn¡¯t exactly doable in a timely manner.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°All of you,¡± Li Lang shouted out to the remaining participants. ¡°Lay down with your stomach touching the ground! Good! Now get back to your feet. Keep repeating this until I tell you to stop.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Without any preparation, Li Lang decided to have them do something simple. He wouldn¡¯t make the children stop until half of them were eliminated. In a way, it was simr to the running test, but he didn¡¯t mind. The point was to test both their willpower and their ability to endure.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Uneventfully, many of the children who were already fatigued from the previous test quickly dropped out. There were soon only fifty of them remaining. With the numbers finally down, Wei Ping wasted no time and started handing out the written tests.

    <span style="font-weight:400">All the questions were short answers, and many stumped the young cultivators in the making. For the few who couldn¡¯t read, Li Lang or Wei Ping would read and write out the questions and answers for them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°If you needed to figure out how hot the mes a fire Qi art could produce, how would you go about it?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What do you think is the most important quality of a cultivator?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°If you practiced a technique for many months, to no avail, what would you do?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">After some time, when they were finally done, the trio reconvened to debate the results. This test was the most subjective of all the tests. It required them to make a judgment on who would be a good fit for them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While they busied themselves with their discussion, Zhen Xing and his group also conversed about the strange trio as well. They made sure to have gotten far enough away that there was no chance of being overheard, even by other cultivators.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So, what do you guys think I should set the prices to?¡± Zhen Xing asked his peers.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, it¡¯s just some peasants, right?¡± one of hispanions said. ¡°As long as they aren¡¯t someone our sect will take an interest in, just charge him ten Qi stones each.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, what do you think, Junior Lei?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having been called out, Lei Ying breathed out a sigh of relief.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I wanted to say this earlier, but those three seem to be more wealthy than they appear. They¡¯ve been paying you in red crystals, so I think you should ask for as much as you can get away with.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Red crystals,¡± Zhen Xing thoughtfully muttered. ¡°I see. You¡¯re right about that. They must¡¯ve been given a handsome sum from their master or an elder. In that case, how about one red crystal each?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, they likely won¡¯t be able to take away from than a dozen judging from what the townspeople say. They only came in one Skyrunner.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Junior, they just won¡¯t pick anyone if we get too greedy, though.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How about you price them ording to their aptitude? We have to check for it anyway since there¡¯s no way our sect will allow for any talents with grade three aptitude or above to be taken from us. We can price grade three aptitude really high, so the price for grade two talents is more ptable inparison.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Okay, there¡¯s no need to oveplicate it, then. We¡¯ll go with that.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">What the Rigid Squall Sect disciples discussed was true. Li Lang¡¯s party really did have limited space in their Skyrunner. It made their decision on who to pick especially difficult. That was why they began speaking to candidates who were neck and neck in contention, telling them about their conditions.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They told them there was some critical information that they would only learn upon signing a binding contract. However, once they did sign it, whether they epted or not, they had to stay with their group until they left the province.

    <span style="font-weight:400">This naturally encouraged a few more candidates to retire until they finally just had to make a decision.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you, everyone, for your time today,¡± Li Lang announced to the crowd. ¡°We have made a decision on who to ept. When I call out your name, please step forth.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As evening approached, the spectators began to thin out. Those who stayed were browsing through the makeshift food stalls that had been set up at some point during the day. Once they heard Li Lang¡¯s voice booming throughout the za, they quickly quieted down to listen to the conclusion of this event.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ouyang Jie, Ho¡­¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As those being called out assembled, Zhen Xing quickly approached with an aptitude orb in hand.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Li whatever, as we discussed, if you n on recruiting any of them, you¡¯ll need our approval. Have those you¡¯re interested ine take an aptitude test¡­though judging from their age, they may have taken one before,¡± Zhen Xing muttered as he watched the children who had been selected.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Most of them were on the older side, likely either eleven or twelve. A vast majority of those who were younger than ten had quit when they saw the entric tests. They still held hope for the other sects native to their hometown. This meant the ones Li Lang picked had a high chance of having once been rejected in their annual selection before.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Understood. How about ten Qi stones per person?¡± Li Lang said with an innocent smile.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Zhen Xing immediately shook his head.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯re thinking more along the lines of five red crystals!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You must be kidding. There¡¯s no way Energy Gatherers like us can afford that.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°There¡¯s no need to put on a show anymore. You may not have the money, but your master or whoever sent you sure does. There¡¯s no need to worry about what¡¯s not yours.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Li Lang could continue, Zhen Xing threw his hand up.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No need for that. Here, I¡¯m not unreasonable. Seeing you had paid for renting this venue already, I cane down to two crystals for those with grade one aptitude, four crystals for those with grade two, and an orange crystal for those with grade three aptitude. And of course, there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll let you take anyone with grade four aptitude or above.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Sure,¡± Li Lang quickly replied.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°If you still think that is too expensive, we can¡ªwait what?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Zhen Xing almost jumped back in surprise at the casual affirmation by the strange cultivator before him. It made him regret not setting the prices higher to begin with.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing how silent his senior had gotten, Lei Ying ced a hand on his shoulder.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Senior Zhen¡­¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I know,¡± Zhen Xing said as he knocked his hand away. ¡°Very well, we have a deal, then. Let¡¯s start assessing their aptitude.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With an aptitude orb in hand, the tests went by very fast. Li Lang had only selected twelve among the final fifty owing to their limited transportation capabilities. They were also reaching the limit of what they could safely handle as well.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They not only needed to guide these young disciples but also take care of them. They didn¡¯t even have a permanent location to host them yet, so they couldn¡¯t get too ahead of themselves.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Zhen Xing quickly had the selected children ce their hands on the orb. A dull red light quickly shone out across the za.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Grade one aptitude. Next! Grade one as well, next!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As he assessed one after the other, Zhen Xing¡¯s brows quickly knitted into a deep frown.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 172: Sowing Seeds for the Future

    Chapter 172: Sowing Seeds for the Future

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This¡­What is the meaning of this?¡± Zhen Xing yelled. ¡°They all have grade-one aptitudes!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Faced with Zhen Xing¡¯s aggressive questioning about the children the trio nned to recruit, Li Lang simply shrugged.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I told you at the beginning. Our criteria are a little different from the norm. I can¡¯t borate much more than that.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Senior Zhen!¡± the younger Rigid Squall disciple, Lei Ying, said. ¡°Please.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Taking a deep breath, Zhen Xing rxed a bit despite his frown not budging. It made Li Lang appreciate the younger diciples for calming down his senior.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So, as per our agreement, twelve candidates with grade one aptitude at two red crystals each sums up to twenty-four. Here, take it.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Throwing the money at them, Li Lang and hispanions quickly ignored the Rigid Squall disciples and went on to address the selected twelve. They began inviting them onboard Li Lang¡¯s Skyrunner so they could chat in a more private setting. Despite his brand new vehicle only being able tofortably hold ten people, for a short period of time, there was no problem being overcapacity at the sacrifice of somefort.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing their actions, one of Zhen Xing¡¯spanions leaned in and whispered.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Should we take them in? They were obviously negotiating with us in bad faith.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No¡­I don¡¯t think the elders will be happy if we do something so reckless without knowing their background. It would make us look bad in front of such arge crowd as well. Report back for now.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With one final grunt of frustration, Zhen Xing summoned forth his own Skyrunner and brought his group away.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Now in the air, Wei Ping began exining the nondisclosure binding contract to the children. The main point was that they would have to follow them once they signed it until they left Vermillion Dragon. Thankfully, as their willingness to relocate was a question they had posed on the written exam, the children had had mental preparation for their requests. None of them declined to sign the contract, and the trio gave them a summary of their origins.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You want us to pretend to be demonic cultivators¡­?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes. You will have to lie, and sometimes it will be ufortable doing it, but it¡¯s for your own safety,¡± Li Lang exined. ¡°In exchange, we promise we¡¯re your best option if you really want to step foot onto the path of cultivation. All of you should¡¯ve seen the result of your aptitude test earlier.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes¡­¡± one of the girls muttered with a crestfallen expression. ¡°I¡¯ve been told it¡¯s not possible to join a sect before because I only have grade one aptitude.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°And we¡¯re telling you we¡¯ll be able to help you cultivate despite that. However, it isn¡¯t without risks. I¡¯ll need you all to listen to our words and persist through a lot of trial and error. If that is eptable to you, we¡¯d wee you with open arms. Otherwise, we can arrange for you to be brought home once we leave. In the meantime, you¡¯ll have to stay with us for the next few days.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, if it¡¯ll give me a chance to cultivate, I¡¯m willing to give it a try.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">One after the other, the children all agreed. They were all quite mature for their age, having faced setbacks and hardships before. They recognized how little chance they had at bing the powerful cultivators they dreamed of, so they were willing to take a chance.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Very well. We¡¯ll drop by your ces in order so you can pack. Though you¡¯ll have to excuse us. We¡¯ll have to tag along so you don¡¯t identally break the contract you just signed.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Like this, a very exciting day in Qinglong City came to a close. For some families, their fortune had been drastically impacted, while others simply enjoyed the show.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Early in the morning the next day, Li Lang¡¯s group departed. It meant all the cultivators who had suddenly shown up were gone. Peace had returned to their city.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, the chaos was only just beginning for the trio. With the twelve new passengers, they now had a total of seventeen people in their group. They had to bring out their old Skyrunner in order to have room to hold everyone. It meant their speed had drastically reduced as the old vehicle couldn¡¯t keep up with the new.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The only upside to this was that they now had more time to go over the basics with the new students.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I will start teaching you various basic things you¡¯ll need to know as a person before we begin exploring anything to do with cultivation.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, aren¡¯t we already startingte as cultivators?¡± Xiao Dong asked. ¡°Can we afford to learn about other things on top of that?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang nodded.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°A lot of the things I want to teach you won¡¯t be easy if you don¡¯t have some basic knowledge first. As I said, what I¡¯ll be teaching you is something that will benefit you as a person, not just a cultivator. Things like math, words, etiquette, and science.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Science?¡± the children parroted.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s basically the study of how things work and the steps of how to discover, observe, and verify them. Hmm, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t start with anything tooplicated. Be sure to ask questions if you don¡¯t understand.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang had been thinking up a curriculum for his prospective students. He knew his most basic technique, the ck hole cultivation method, wasn¡¯t replicable to the locals due to theirck of understanding about it. Then, there were all the other future experiments he wanted to do, where ack of knowledge would greatly hinder his progress. That¡¯s why he was determined to teach the basics to a batch of students, so they could spread the knowledge even further for him.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While the ck hole cultivation technique he practiced didn¡¯t help that much early on in cultivation thanks to the low amount of cultivation he could endure before Qi poisoning, he still believed it would be greatly beneficial in the future.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Energy was at the core of what enabled cultivators to do a plethora of things. Even if they were Violet Core cultivators, that logic stayed true. Learning how to gather power quickly would no doubt have its uses.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The lessons were also an opportunity to get Wei Ping up to speed. So far, he only vaguely exined the purposes of his experiments whenever he helped. It was limiting when his assistants had no idea how his experiments worked. While it wasn¡¯t likely any one of them would be able to learn everything within the next few years, Li Lang knew he still needed to start somewhere.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With something to do while they were traveling, the journey suddenly felt like it went by a lot faster. Even Long Yi paid attention asionally, as there wasn¡¯t anything else to do while they sailed through the well-traveled routes.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Without incident, they arrived at their destination, Changjiao City, the next day. This city truly lived up to its reputation as one of the major settlements in the province. One particr thing immediately stood out to everyone in the grouppared to Qinglong City.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The backdrop of the new scenery was filled with Skyrunners as numerous people entered and exited the city.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This ce is a lot like Emberglow, but above ground,¡± Long Yimented.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It¡¯s n-not that surprising,¡± Wei Ping answered. ¡°I¡¯m s-sure even the righteous sects n-need a ce to gather and t-trade.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Right, which makes this ce a gathering of cultivators from all the sects throughout the province and beyond. Make sure you don¡¯t cause any trouble,¡± Li Lang said.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Thetter part of his words were more meant for the children and himself. There was already enough waiting for him to do that he couldn¡¯t afford to get into any conflict while on this trip. His goal was to quickly deliver the letter and head back to Emberglow.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With that in mind, he double-checked the address on the letter from Liang Po and brought his Skyrunner down into the city.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You two, bring the kids to find us some lodging for the night. I¡¯ll go from here on foot.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°B-boss, are you sure?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, it¡¯s just a quick delivery. We still have to go check out the resources unique to this region before leaving tomorrow morning. It¡¯ll take twice as long if we have all these kids tagging along.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Long Yi said, cing a hand on Wei Ping¡¯s shoulder.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two soon drove away on the two Skyrunners and disappeared into the city. Unlike in the other ces Li Lang had been to, the streets were properly organized. Whenever a carriage went by, people instinctively knew to scurry to the side of the road, allowing them to move around quickly, even with therge crowds.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just like Emberglow, the majority of people here were mortals, supporting a smaller number of elites. It became more and more apparent as Li Lang drew closer to his destination near the center of the city.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before he knew it, he stood before the gates of one of the most luxurious vis around. Behind its walls was one of the tallest structures around, a fifteen-story pagoda.

    <span style="font-weight:400">There were two burly men standing guard outside, each at the peak of Energy Gathering. They were almost considered middle-aged, so it would be reasonable to believe they were one of the many people who remained stuck in the final bottleneck of the first major realm.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, they use people stronger than me as guards, but I guess that is what happens to those who fail to break through to the next major realm. Even people like them are considered mortals, so I¡¯m not even at the start line as a cultivator. I¡¯ll need to redouble my efforts once we get back.</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Li Lang could get caught up in his thoughts, one of the guards noticed him loitering around.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You there! Do you have business with the Yan Estate?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Clearing his throat, Li Lang approached.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ahem, yes. I¡¯m here to deliver a letter to a person by the name of Yan Run.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What?! To the Young Lady?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two guards exchanged a quick nod of understanding between each other before they moved decisively to surround Li Lang.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You¡¯reing with us!¡±

 Chapter 173: Messenger

    Chapter 173: Messenger

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang was quickly <em><span style="font-weight:400">invited </em><span style="font-weight:400">into therge estate under the scrutiny of the pair of peak Energy Gathering guards. It only took him a split second beforeplying, knowing there wasn¡¯t much of a point in antagonizing anyone when he was just a messenger.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°So, what position does the Yan Family hold anyway, to have such arge estate in this city?¡± Li Lang innocently asked the guards as he was escorted in.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What? Youe strolling into the estate without even knowing about the Yan Family?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hey, save it. Let the caretakers do the talking. It¡¯s not our ce to say any more to him,¡± one guard reprimanded the other.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The two guards soon made it apparent they wouldn¡¯t answer any questions. They guided Li Lang into a courtyard and seated him in a small gazebo overlooking a small pond. It made Li Lang slightly relieved he wasn¡¯t taken to a dungeon or something of the like. He was even served tea by well-dressed servants.

    <span style="font-weight:400">While the two guards were still present to ensure he stayed where he was, he wasn¡¯t exactly treated badly. He awkwardly sipped on his tea while he waited under duress.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The strange situation didn¡¯tst long as a middle-aged woman soon arrived with a small entourage, and the guards respectfully bowed toward her as she approached.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You two may go,¡± shemanded coldly.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Answering in unison, the two guards quickly retreated from the scene. The so-called caretaker also made others keep a distance away before she sat down across from Li Lang. She didn¡¯t immediately say anything, choosing to pour herself a cup of tea and silently examine the young man before her.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing this wasn¡¯t going anywhere, Li Lang broke the silence.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, excuse me, but I simply wanted to deliver a letter. If that isn¡¯t possible, I don¡¯t mind leaving.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The woman snorted at his words and violently ced down her cup, spilling much of its contents in the process.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Here is the letter I was entrusted with,¡± Li Lang dered as he quickly pped down the letter he retrieved from his space ring. ¡°Do with it how you will. My job here isplete.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as Li Lang tried to stand up, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, pressing him back down. He looked up only to see the same middle-aged woman who was supposed to be across from him. She had moved so fast that it appeared almost like teleportation to the young Energy Gatherer.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I didn¡¯t say you could go yet. Our Yan Family has invited you in, so you better at least stay to enjoy our hospitality before you leave. Otherwise, it may be taken as a slight against us.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°There¡¯s really no need for your generosity. I¡¯m just a humble messenger,¡± Li Lang tried to exin.

    <span style="font-weight:400">In return, all he got was the silent treatment.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Despite his best efforts to exin himself and disassociate with the sender of the letter, Li Lang couldn¡¯t find an opening to escape. He was forced to sit down and drink his tea under the scrutiny of the middle-aged woman.

    <span style="font-weight:400">By the time he downed five cups, the situation finally changed. The woman abruptly got to her feet, looking off to the side, having sensed something. A few momentster, three girls emerged into the courtyard, scrambling towards the gazebo. From their attire, it was obvious the girl briskly walking at the forefront was the young mistress while the other two were her servants, rushing to catch up to theirdy.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Auntie Cang! What are you doing? I heard you forcefully abducted some messenger! You can¡¯t be doing that!¡±<span style="font-weight:400">

    <span style="font-weight:400">

    <span style="font-weight:400">The young mistress arriving at the scene only spared Li Lang a brief nce before frowning at the middle-ageddy.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Young Miss, who told you about that? And who let you into this courtyard? They should know better than to allow you to approach unfamiliar guests. Please, quickly return to your room. It isn¡¯t safe. I wille find youter.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmph, I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s permission to walk around my own home, and I¡¯m not a child anymore. I¡¯m a Foundation Establishment expert, so I don¡¯t need to be coddled. I also won¡¯t stand for anyone making use of our family¡¯s standing to bully the poor people of Changjiao City.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°But Young Miss, you¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Enough!¡± the young woman shouted as she brought her attention to Li Lang. ¡°You there, I must apologize on behalf of our family for treating you so brashly. I heard you came here to deliver a letter to me. Is this true?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, if your name is Yan Run, then yes. The letter is right here.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you! My family can be a little overprotective at times. Just give me a moment to go over it, and I can get you a reply right away!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Young Miss! You can¡¯t! If word gets out, hundreds of others will follow suit!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Let theme, then. I, Yan Run, can deal with it.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The young girl heroically opened the letter and began perusing its contents under the confused gaze of Li Lang. He could only half follow along with what was happening. He couldn¡¯t help but curse at Liang Po fornding him in this situation.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">That guy didn¡¯t tell me anything about how this delivery would go! I just want to get it over with so I can make my way back to Emberglow with the new students. His letter better not have anything bad in it!</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s prayers weren¡¯t answered as he saw Yan Run furrow her brows as she read on. Her previously confident demeanor changed to that of uncertainty. She was even constantly stealing nces at everyone around her as she grew more nervous.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You three,¡± she spoke to her two servants and the caretaker. ¡°Let me speak to this messenger in private.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What? Absolutely not!¡± Caretaker Cang immediately retorted. ¡°To say nothing of the danger that poses, there¡¯s no way we can allow an unwed woman to privately meet with a man. Think of your family¡¯s reputation!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Stop making a fuss over everything! We¡¯ll be in in view inside this gazebo, and I¡¯m stronger than this young man here. There¡¯s nothing to worry about!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°But¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No buts! Get back! All of you!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Under themand of their willful mistress, the three servants were forced to retreat into the distance, leaving Li Lang alone with the young girl. If he wasn¡¯t being stared at by the caretaker, he would¡¯ve let out a hearty sigh and cradled his head. Instead, he kept his facade on, wearing a fake smile while he awaited Yan Run¡¯s next words.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, you there,¡± the girl hesitantly called out with a faint tinge of red on her cheeks. ¡°Do you happen to know the sender of this letter?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯m not exactly friends with them, but I was entrusted with delivering it in exchange for a favor. If anything inside offends you, I apologize, but I have nothing to do with it.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmmm, really?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">A shiver ran down Li Lang¡¯s spine as the youngdy closely examined him. It felt like she saw through all his words.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter, anyway. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to write a letter back with Auntie Cang scrutinizing everything I do. Can you bring a verbal message back to the sender instead?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang didn¡¯t answer immediately. Judging from her words so far, he believed she knew the origin of the letter, which was why she was being so careful. ying the messenger in that case would just further drag him into trouble. However, he believed it was already toote.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I canpensate you!¡± Yan Run supplemented, having seen through his hesitation. ¡°I may not have ess to a lot. My caretakers take the reins of my finances, but I can offer you some of my alchemy materials.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hm, I will consider epting if my reward can be some information instead.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Information? What do you want to know? I can¡¯t say I know or am allowed to share everything, but I can do my best. Just tell me what you want to know.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">It didn¡¯t take Li Lang too long to decide what to ask. It was one of his reasons for venturing out into the orthodox sect¡¯s territory.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Can you tell me all you know about the Abductress and her whereabouts?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°The Abductress? That sure is something to be asking me about it. Are you trying to say our Yan Family has connections with her?¡± Yan Run¡¯s words grew more icy as she spoke.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No, no. You¡¯re misunderstanding me. I¡¯m not saying you would have any close ties with her or anything. It¡¯s just that the few times I tried asking people about her, they were quite dodgy about the subject. I need information about her, no matter what.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, there¡¯s a good reason why few people want to talk about her,¡± Yan Run said with a sigh. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you everything I know, but don¡¯t you dare associate our family with the Abductress again once you take your leave today.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Of course. I won¡¯t say anything.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">The young girl nced out into the garden for a few moments, as if to gather her words.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Where do I begin?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How about why everyone is so secretive and hesitant when ites to talking about her?¡± Li Lang suggested. ¡°I heard she¡¯s a Spirit Divide cultivator, but several sects have esteemed experts in that realm as well, right? Why are they so scared of her specifically?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, that¡¯s because the Abductress is the type of demonic cultivator that is unpredictable. No one knows where she lives, but she could show up anywhere within the Violet Isle at any time. That means she could do a lot of damage to a faction who crosses her, but they¡¯d find it hard to retaliate. In fact, she¡¯s the reason why a lot of the sects have started treating independent cultivators with a lot more respect in the past few decades.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How is the treatment of independent cultivators rted to the Abductress?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°From what I heard, independents weren¡¯t treated much better than mortals in the past. Since the Abductress became active, her disciples would asionally sprout up from time to time, iming to be independent cultivators. And when a sect wronged one of these disciples, they would inadvertently offend the Abductress. You can imagine how that¡¯d turn out for most sects. Their people would get ughtered.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I see. That means these disciples will also be my lead in finding the Abductress, then.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You¡¯re crazy if you want to find her! Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Rx. It¡¯s not as if I n on doing so immediately.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang then asked a few more questions to rify a few things about the one who had kidnapped his friends. He even inquired about the various materials unique to Vermillion Dragon and how to obtain them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Now then, I gave you what you wanted. It¡¯s your turn to deliver my message. Just tell the other party this: ¡®While the Nightembers bloom and shadows still, the light of dawn shall shine on that nostalgic hill.¡¯¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Okay, I will pass it along.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With the matter settled, Yan Run quickly ordered Li Lang to be escorted out. During the entire time he walked out, he wondered why the message he was supposed to pass along to Liang Po was so weird.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">I know it¡¯s probably some encoded message, but it sounds way too poetic for the likes of that white-haired brat. What in the world could he have gotten this youngdy involved with?</em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about the scene of Sima Xue infiltrating Spirit Grove and making a mess of his former sect.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Could she be an informant of some sort? No, a youngdy of some prestigious family shouldn¡¯t be. Then what?</em>

 Chapter 174: Eagerness

    Chapter 174: Eagerness

    <span style="font-weight:400">After having escaped from the Yan Family estate, Li Lang kept himself out of trouble by staying at the lodging hispanions found while he was away. The next day, they uneventfully departed from the city after purchasing some Mortal-grade materials unique to the province of Vermillion Dragon.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He left most of those errands to hispanions while he focused on teaching their new students. There was a lot to go through to give them the basic education he desired of them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Thankfully, the newly ignited desire of his students in pursuit of cultivation fueled them to pass through these lessons. They were all motivated, having been given hope that they too could cultivate despite their aptitude. Like that, they quietly traversed through the borders between orthodox and demonic cultivators.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They uneventfully made it back to Prity City, where it seemed to be even more lively than before. As the main auction that took ce at the end of the event drew closer, more and more cultivators arrived.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Previously, it was mostly just the wealthy juniors running errands for their elders or newly ascended Foundation Establishment cultivators looking to pick up a few items. Now, many elders had arrived, with more to follow.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What do you guys want to do?¡± Long Yi asked. ¡°Should we stay until the end of the event or make our way back to Emberglow first with the kids?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°If w-we n to attend the main event, t-then there is no point leaving. We¡¯ll h-have to take our new students with us anyway,¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No,¡± Li Lang stated otherwise. ¡°We will be returning to Emberglow first and returning when it is closer to the main event.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go take a look at the auction schedule while you guys do that¡ªWait, what?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°No need. I don¡¯t n to attend any more of them.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s words had taken both hispanions off-guard. They exchanged nces as if to confirm they had heard correctly. Seeing this, Li Lang borated.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We¡¯ve bought enough for now. We¡¯ll need to keep an ample amount of funds for when we set up a ce for ourselves. For now, I want to prepare for a certain project I¡¯ve been looking forward to and I need the guidance of Senior Tie Qian to do so.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With that, no more words needed to be said, and both Wei Ping and Long Yi understood where this was going. They could see from the gleam in Li Lang¡¯s eyes that he was dead set on carrying out his research. They knew it was useless to try to convince him otherwise during these fixated frenzies.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With that, they didn¡¯t even stay the night and departed for Emberglow City right away. With the traffic around Prity City increasing, so too did the volume of Skyrunners traveling between the two cities.

    <span style="font-weight:400">No Qi beast or cultivators with nefarious intentions ambushed them, and they safely arrived above the barren earth that Emberglow Cityy beneath.

    <span style="font-weight:400">To the amazement of their new students, their vehicle hugged close to the ground before traveling through narrow tunnels to reach the giant underground city.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This ce is unbelievable!¡± Xiao Dong eximed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe people managed to build such arge city down here. Do you think those glowing mushrooms on the ceiling are artifacts some cultivators created to light up the ce?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It is natural we cannot use themon sense of mortals to evaluate a city created by cultivators,¡± Wu San retorted.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You guys,¡± a younger child by the name of Ouyang Jie timidly called out. ¡°This ce is filled with demonic cultivators, you know? Aren¡¯t you guys scared?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Our teacher had already gone over the characteristics of demonic cultivation,¡± Wu San exined. ¡°They¡¯re just techniques. It doesn¡¯t decide the character of its practitioner. While it may have some influences on their mind, we can¡¯t just say they are all¡ª¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Okay, okay. I understand that, but still. Every single one of these <em><span style="font-weight:400">good</em><span style="font-weight:400"> demonic cultivators could go rogue at any moment!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You k-kids!¡± Wei Ping interjected. ¡°Save your d-discussions forter. We¡¯rending n-now, and thest thing we want is for anyone to overhear y-you guys.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">While the kids were discussing their new environment with both enthusiasm and apprehension, Li Lang quietly meditated beside them. To be precise, he was within Ruby¡¯s artifact realm.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ruby, are you sure you aren¡¯t able to replicate the creation of an artifact spirit?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes, Master. I¡¯m sorry for not being of use, but I feel other artifact spirits just don¡¯t seem to be possible.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, I guess it could be considered as something alive or sentient. Still, would you know if the results of my experiments will result in an artifact spirit or not? Even if it doesn¡¯t form, you should be able to tell that, right?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I have no idea, Master,¡± Ruby pitifully replied. ¡°I don¡¯t have any memories or experience of what will happen.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm, I guess the only thing to do is to try.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Returning back to reality, their group soonnded in a spacious za. As soon as they did, Li Lang hopped off the Skyrunner.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You guys go find us some temporary housing. Come fetch me from Senior Tie Qian¡¯s ce once you do.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Without letting anyone respond, Li Lang quietly walked away into the bustling crowd of the city. He was familiar with the ce and headed straight for where his artificer mentor¡¯s workshop was.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He strolled through the front of the store and into the back, where he usually found his mentor. When he didn¡¯t see her in the crafting room, he headed for her office. There, he finally found the person he had been looking for, looking over some papers.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The muscr woman, Tie Qian, sensed himing long before he showed up. When he opened the door, she greeted him without tearing her eyes away from the paperwork.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Li Lang, you have returned already. Wee back.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you, Senior.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°It seems like there¡¯s a reason you¡¯vee to me in such a rush. Go ahead, I can listen while I work.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Thank you for your understanding, Senior. I will cut to the chase, then. I want you to show me how the process of forming an artifact spirit works.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">His words made the stoic elder swiftly put down the sheet in her hand as she stared at the young man before her.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°You haven¡¯t even learned artificing for a year and you want to learn how to make an artifact already? As someone who has some attainment in Alchemy and Brushweaving, you should know there¡¯s an order to things. It is still too soon for you.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Please, teacher. I wish to at least know the methods.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing his determined eyes, Tie Qian sighed upon realizing how stubborn her student was about the matter.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What did youe across to make you so eager? Techniques from another school, or maybe Earth-grade beast cores?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang saw no need to hide the truth, especially when so many people had witnessed him win his bids.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I bought a few sets of Mortal-grade beast cores. I know it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll seed in crafting artifacts, but I want to research how the process works as soon as I can.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Using beast cores to sate your curiosity, howvish of you! Fine, I will go over the methods, but just know that you will only waste your treasures if you believe that¡¯s all it takes to craft artifacts.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">For the next few hours, Li Lang studiously listened to the teachings of his artificing mentor. She went over her school of techniques in how an artificer utilized beast cores. Li Lang found it to be a lot like the brushweaver techniques that imbued their ink with powers that enabled talismans.

    <span style="font-weight:400">However, instead of simply imbuing his energy, artificing was a lot more akin to alchemy, where the materials he used in every instance were different, and he had to make the correct adjustments on the fly.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°How in the world does this technique manage to create something sentient like an artifact spirit?¡± Li Lang muttered aloud what was on his mind as he tried to understand the technique.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°There are many exnations for it, but the most popr one is that we aren¡¯t creating something from scratch. Instead, we¡¯re gathering the residual soul that remains in the beast¡¯s core to form a new being. Much like humans, the soul of each Qi beast is unique, which exins why every attempt to create an artifact is different.¡±

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Many exnations just mean the artificermunity has no idea and can¡¯t settle on one answer! And what is this vague exnation about stitching together pieces of souls to form a new life? </em>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang looked down as he fell into deep thought.

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">If that is true, then it¡¯s like we¡¯re using the lives of Qi beasts to make a biological operating system of some sort for artifacts. That is unsettling, to say the least. </em>

    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Wait, does that mean Ruby and the three spirits from the Crucible were once Qi beasts?</em>

 Chapter 175: The Grand Auction

    Chapter 175: The Grand Auction

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang didn¡¯t linger on the topic of whether his artifact spirits were once Qi beasts for long. He could investigate the matterter once he managed to create his first artifact. For now, the significance of the matter didn¡¯t affect anything rting to his ns.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Now armed with the knowledge imparted by his artificer teacher, Tie Qian, Li Lang no longer hesitated and began crafting the printer that had been in his mind for years. For the first prototype test, he made generous use of the advanced equipment in hisb to produce the baseponents. He wanted to test what would happen during an attempt to birth an artifact spirit while within Ruby first before working towards simplifying its production process.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Ruby had said it wasn¡¯t possible to simte an artifact spirit within her realm, but he believed it should still be able to tell whether his attempts seeded or not. It just meant it wouldn¡¯t result in the actual creation of a new spirit, and he could still practice his methods within the artifact space.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With the automated modules of his powerful 3D printers avable, the body of the talisman printer was quickly created within hisb.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He had adjusted the design to amodate a beast core and channeled his artifice techniques in an attempt to create his first artifact. Unsurprisingly, his first few attempts failed before he got too far. He was unustomed to the process, so it was more of a learning experience than anything.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Days passed as he continued to make his attempts. With each failure, he inched closer to his goal.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He began with a standard printer, but slowly, the small changes he made added up, and it became increasinglyplex. However, he hadn¡¯t seeded even once, with the resulting printer always producing results that only retained the appearance of a talisman, but none of the substance that made it work.

    <span style="font-weight:400">That all changed three weeks into his research.

    <span style="font-weight:400">With numerous attempts under his belt, and an expert like Tie Qian as his consultant, Ruby¡¯s artifact space finally reacted in a new fashion uponpleting the printer.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Upon reaching the penultimate step of inserting the beast orb, the entire printer shone with a bright white light. It only intensified when Li Lang then invoked his techniques to finish the process.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The luminosity of the light kept climbing until it began to flicker, as if it had hit a limit. Then, a loud shattering sound rang out before the light entirely disappeared.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°That¡¯s new. Do you have any idea what happened, Ruby?¡± Li Lang asked.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, sorry, Master. I have no idea. I just felt the energies within me run wild for a split second.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I¡¯m going to assume that was the reaction to trying to birth an artifact spirit within you. Let me try a few more times to see if anything changes. If not, I think it¡¯s time for me to simplify this design and try to craft it in reality. After all, there don¡¯t seem to be any life-threatening consequences for failing.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With that, Li Lang began earnestly redesigning the artifact to something possible to create with his means in reality. That meant the entire base of the design had to be changed. It would no longer center around an electronic printer, but a mechanical one.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang didn¡¯t mind too much from having to start over because he already had an idea in mind. Throughout history, there were numerous machines he could base his design on. He didn¡¯t overthink it and decided to go with a mimeograph machine as the base.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It was simple, using a stencil to recreate a talisman, and then pressing ink through it onto paper toplete the printing process.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Having converted a machine into an artifact once, Li Lang progressed much faster this time. However, time was a limited resource. Before he couldplete the design and bring it into reality, a little over a month had passed since his return to Emberglow City.

    <span style="font-weight:400">It was time for him to return to Prity City to meet up with Sima Xue to spectate the final auction, and then exin things to Elder Cao, so that he could have an easier time returning to Yellow Qilin.

    <span style="font-weight:400">He could only do his research during the little spare time he would have.

    <span style="font-weight:400">First thing in the morning, someone knocked on the door to Li Lang¡¯s room.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°B-boss, everyone is ready t-to set off.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Coming!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">With both Wei Ping and Long Yi joining him in Prity, it became necessary to bring along all their new students.

    <span style="font-weight:400">The children had only been taught general knowledge so far and had yet to truly begin cultivating. The trip would serve as a precursor for what was toe.

    <hr>

    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang¡¯s group easily made their way back to Prity City. A constant stream of traffic could be seen congesting the city¡¯s airspace. It made the once deste city be one of the most vibrant cities on the entire Violet Isle.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Still, even with such arge crowd, Li Lang¡¯s party was almost immediately able to reunite with Sima Xue. They had agreed to use the inn they had previously stayed as a meeting ce, so they found her there without any fanfare.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Sima Xue appeared the same as always, but she was apanied by several other people wearing the same clothes as her this time.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°d to see you three again,¡± Sima Xue¡¯s senior brother, Jian Beiyun, greeted. ¡°You guys seem to have taken in quite an interesting bunch.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">His gazended on the dozen of children in their group.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Yes. You should already know the reason we came to the Luminescent Domain in the first ce, so it should be no surprise to you,¡± Li Lang replied.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Back when they had first met, Jian Beiyun had informed Li Lang of a ce where he could recruit the bodies he needed to perform his alchemy tests. It was the reason why the trio had braved the dangers and crossed over into the Demonic Cultivator Territory in the first ce.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Well, this event will be a good experience for young people. Anyway, the main auction will be starting shortly. You¡¯ll have to excuse me.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">As friendly as Jian Beiyun was, it was easy to forget he was a powerful cultivator in his own right. He swiftly and tracelessly disappeared from the lobby of the inn, leaving Li Lang¡¯s party with a group of Nightmoon Valley disciples.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Sima Xue immediately closed the distance to greet the trio, ignoring the gazes of her fellow disciples.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°We should go head out, too. Otherwise, all the best spots will be taken.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Umm, isn¡¯t your senior brother going to save us some seats?¡± Long Yi asked.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Hmm? Him? Oh, no. Juniors like us won¡¯t be able to attend the actual event in person. My Senior Brother himself barely qualifies with his title of head disciple.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°What?¡± Li Lang yelped. ¡°Then why did you say we could spectate the auction before, then? If all we¡¯re doing is listening to someone ry the news of what¡¯s going on inside the venue, then I wouldn¡¯t have made the trip toe.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Don¡¯t m-mind him,¡± Wei Ping interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s been obsessed w-with something recently, and he¡¯s just frustrated t-that he had to take a break from it.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Ha,e on, you guys. We can talk while we¡¯re walking. I never lied. You just didn¡¯t listen to me carefully enough. Everyone in the city will be able to spectate the event, so no worries on that part. To do it infort, however, we¡¯ll need to leave right away!¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Without waiting any longer, Sima Xue led the charge onto the streets, leading therge group toward the main roads. They had almost thirty people between the new kids and other members of Nightmoon Valley. Many people recognized Nightmoon Valley¡¯s group, so they cleared a path open for them.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Contrary to what Li Lang had expected, she didn¡¯t lead them toward any grand auction halls or the like. Instead, she went directly to the same restaurant where he first ordered tofu pudding with her.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Ordering his fellow disciples around, they swiftly took control of a few tablesid out on the rooftop patio. Li Lang¡¯s group didn¡¯t have a chance to ask why until they all got seated.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°I thought we were in a hurry?¡± Long Yi said. ¡°Why are we grabbing food instead of heading straight to the venue?¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">His questions earned him a few looks from the other guests and Nightmoon Valley disciples.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°This is it. We made it in time before all the tables were taken. This restaurant doesn¡¯t take reservations, so if we didn¡¯t make it in time, we¡¯d have to stand.¡±

    <span style="font-weight:400">Gesturing outside toward the main street, arge crowd could be seen. What was special about this scene was that the flow of traffic had almoste to a standstill. Most people were either sitting on nkets they ced on the ground or were merrily holding a drink while they stood. They all looked up at the sky.

    <span style="font-weight:400">Based on their gaze, Li Lang began to have a sneaking suspicion as to what was toe. Before he could ask about it, the skies above the city suddenly darkened. Grey clouds appeared, and everyone in the city quieted down at once. Hazy clouds began moving, undergoing transformations.

    <span style="font-weight:400">They stretched thin, facing down at the city at an angle. There were dozens of them spread throughout the city. The haze began to change color. To be more precise, the haze soon became a screen that projected a live feed of an extravagant venue.

    <span style="font-weight:400">¡°Here it is. Prity City¡¯s Grand Cloud Mirror Art,¡± Sima Xue excitedly stated. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to see everything that¡¯s happening at the grand auction because of it.¡±

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 176: Multitasking

    They brought us all this way out here just to watch a broadcast of the event?

    Li Lang sighed upon realizing he wouldn¡¯t get a chance to attend the long-awaited auction in person. While the existence of a Qi art to remotely view things from afar intrigued him, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he wouldn¡¯t be able to observe the various treasures being auctioned off up close.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Sima Xue asked, having noticed Li Lang¡¯s frown.

    ¡°Hmm, I was just wondering how I¡¯ll be able to find Liang Po now. I thought we would all be attending the venue for the auction, so I would have a chance to see him.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that errand he sent you on?¡±

    ¡°You know about it?¡±

    ¡°Yep, his Myriad Bones Pavilion has its headquarters in the capital city of Nightshade Valley. If I remember correctly, I think they stay at an inn affiliated with their pavilion nearby.¡±

    ¡°Affiliated, huh? His organization sure has quite the reach.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s more of a front in this case. Polarity City can¡¯t be seen directly hosting what could be mistaken as a branch of their pavilion if they are to remain neutral, after all.¡±

    Li Lang glanced around at his companions for a few moments, who all had their attention on the projection high in the air, transmitting the scene of the auction. There wasn¡¯t any audio, but it mesmerized them just the same.

    His gaze then settled on the biggest person around, but he quickly shook his head and looked over at Wei Ping instead.

    ¡°Wei Ping, can you go invite Liang Po here for me?¡±

    ¡°O-Okay.¡±

    ¡°Sorry about the trouble.¡±

    ¡°No problem, b-boss.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Sima Xue interjected. ¡°We can just have one of the attendants from the restaurant run the errand.¡±

    ¡°Oh, if it¡¯s not too much to ask, that would work, too.¡± Li Lang nodded.

    With the matter settled, Li Lang then began materializing various items before himself. There was a small round hammer and a mountain of materials.

    ¡°Li Lang,¡± Long Yi called out, having noticed his antics. ¡°Are you seriously practicing artificing right now? The auction is about to start!¡±

    ¡°I can see that fine while I work.¡±

    Long Yi could only blink blankly, not knowing how to respond. He could instinctively tell it wasn¡¯t right to practice a craft while one¡¯s attention was divided. It raised the chances for errors. However, Li Lang knew that wasn¡¯t the case with himself.

    He was used to watching something while he worked. In his old world, it would be a projection in the corner of his vision, but it wasn¡¯t much different from the large screen in the sky. He was too close to completing his first artifact to be able to resist.

    Everyone at the restaurant gave Li Lang strange looks as he prepared the materials, except for one person. Sima Xue watched on with sparkling eyes as she was excited to see what he was up to.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, at the center of Polarity City, the final and most important auction of the year was underway. People from various prestigious sects and organizations gathered. Only the top southern factions on Violet Isle were able to secure one of the private booths upstairs while the grand hall was filled with experts.

    Except for the workers, the majority of everyone in the building was in the Violet Core realm! That meant there were more than a few old monsters who had lived for over a thousand years currently gathered in one place.

    Naturally, with their long history, there were plenty of grudges between the folks gathered, but they all decided to put it behind them for the next few days, for the sake of the auction. With enemies ignoring each other, the auction practically became one big, harmonious social gathering. People were looking to create new connections instead of addressing old grievances.

    For those from the Luminescent Domain, the center of attention gathered at the booth assigned to the Eroding March Pavilion. The recent news of one of their disciples possessing talent surpassing the three well-known geniuses of the new generation had spread far and wide. Numerous organizations worked to improve their relationship with the previously reclusive power.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Sitting in their booth were not only members of their pavilion like Elder An, but also personages from other groups like Jian Beiyun. Most notable among them were Elder Ji from the Drenched Earth Sect and Elder Du from the Eternal Wave Sect.

    ¡°Elder An, how come neither your esteemed Pavilion Master nor the famed Gui Tianzi have come today?¡± the elder from Drenched Earth Sect asked with a bittersweet smile.

    ¡°Apologies. The two of them are currently busy in closed-door cultivation. They¡¯re the type who only come out after they¡¯ve exhausted every means they have at their disposal. If you have any messages for them, I¡¯d be happy to take them, in their place.¡±

    ¡°What a pity not to be able to exchange a cup of fine wine with them, but I hope you¡¯ll be able to hand over these gifts I got for them.¡±

    At the wave of his hand, the old man summoned forth a small pile of heavenly resources. It made the onlookers in the room widen their eyes upon noticing the generous gift. The sharp-eyed people would even notice numerous Foundation Establishment Pills among the gifts, obviously meant for Gui Tianzi.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for such pleasantries, Elder Ji. The members of our pavilion are used to a simple life. We do not need such extravagant gifts.¡±

    ¡°I insist. This is just a small gesture from my sect. If your Pavilion Master and Gui Tianzi do not want them, your pavilion can do as they see fit with gifts.¡±

    After some back and forths, Elder An soon ran out of excuses to reject presents. Their little exchange had even attracted everyone else¡¯s attention, as they paused their conversation to watch Elder An receive the gifts.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Elder Ji continued. ¡°I heard some jealous people have recently tried to target your pavilion¡¯s personnel. Is this true?¡±

    Elder An grimly nodded, but otherwise didn¡¯t elaborate.

    ¡°You see, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you to be more careful with all the new attention on your organization. Our sect master is still open to forming an alliance with you guys. Maybe you can advise your pavilion master to revisit this topic?¡±

    Before Elder An could respond, someone from the crowd stepped forth and intruded on their discussion.

    ¡°Elder Ji, your sect has been rejected once already, and I can¡¯t blame them either. Your sect¡¯s so-called alliance proposal is too restrictive and lopsided. If your sect isn¡¯t sincere, then you should give up. It¡¯s rather unsightly to dwell on such matter.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, our conversation has nothing to do with you or your Eternal Wave Sect, Elder Du. I ask that you do not interrupt.¡±

    ¡°Ha, how can it possibly have nothing to do with us? My Sect Master has almost hashed out the cooperation agreement with the Pavilion Master of Eroding March already. It is me who should be asking you to not interfere.¡±

    Being caught in the middle of this quarrel, Elder An quickly stepped between the two opposing parties.

    ¡°Now, now, gentlemen. Let¡¯s stop with any debates. The auction is about to start. Don¡¯t you agree, Young Master Jian?¡±

    Being called out among so many Violet Core cultivators, Jian Beiyun fearlessly strode forward.

    ¡°Elder An can really read my mind. My thoughts exactly.¡±

    With the addition of someone from Nightmoon Valley, the quarrel quickly ceased. More voices joined in for a harmonious gathering, and their focus moved to the main stage below.

    Heading over to the balcony for a better view, the attendees seamlessly separated into their little cliques.

    For Jian Beiyun, he went with Elder Du of the Eternal Wave Sect.

    ¡°Young Master Jian, we meet again,¡± the elder softly said.

    ¡°Yes, and I apologize for having to ruin your little fun just now.¡±

    ¡°Ha, just some awkward old men trying to socialize. Don¡¯t mind it.¡±

    Jian Beiyun kept quiet for a few moments as the City Master of Polarity City made his way onto the stage. Everyone in the building stood up and clasped their fist toward him in respect. Once everyone settled down, he began giving a speech that mostly consisted of pleasantries.

    ¡°Elder Du,¡± Jian Beiyun whispered. ¡°If I may, I would like to ask how your sect¡¯s investigation is going regarding the anomaly of The Great Trial of Water Crest.¡±

    Having heard the question, the elder smirked.

    ¡°Is your ancestor putting you up to the task?¡±

    ¡°No, my master.¡±

    ¡°Ha, those old fogies have been around long enough to know what they¡¯re doing. Trust that every action they take has multiple meanings to them. It¡¯s better you wait until they¡¯re ready to tell you.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t help if they never tell me anything.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, not helping is the best way to help. Things become more bothersome the more people are involved. You¡¯re still young. Just sit back and relax.¡±

    Before Jian Beiyun could respond, everyone in the room turned in the same direction in unison. After a second, many of them chuckled.

    ¡°Ha, which junior has the audacity to still work on an artifact when the auction is starting?¡±

    ¡°They either have entered closed-door cultivation or are oblivious to everything around them. How else can they focus on the festive atmosphere throughout the city?¡±

    ¡°Hey, either way, you got to give it to them. Practicing is one thing, but succeeding in creating an artifact isn¡¯t something that can be done with luck alone.¡±

    While the elders were gossiping among themselves, Jian Beiyun was frowning as he stared unflinchingly toward where the disturbance came from. He was deep in thought.

    This direction and distance. Not them again, he thought as he let out a sigh.

    Next Chapter Free on Patreon</a>

 Chapter 177: Imaginative Artificing

    The Grand Cloud Mirror Art showcased to all those in Polarity City how the dignitaries gathered for the opening ceremony of the annual auction.

    While that was exciting for some, to Li Lang, it couldn¡¯t be more boring with no audio to go along with the visuals.

    That was why he instead focused on crafting his long-awaited artifact printer. He had endured numerous failures within Ruby¡¯s artifact space and spent countless hours designing something that he could make without any advanced tools.

    Throughout all his experimenting, there was one notable thing he learned. Artificing required metal materials to use as a catalyst in order to work. It was why artificing techniques allowed one to shape metals efficiently without the need to use any heat. However, Li Lang wasn¡¯t satisfied with just that.

    He possessed a heavenly fire, and while he may not be familiar with the various Qi metals of this world, the auto-analyzer was especially efficient at analyzing material compositions. Li Lang just needed to put in the hours to test out how to draw out the properties he desired of the materials.

    The main challenge left was the final touch of incorporating a beast core into the design. Each beast core was said to be unique, so repeated practice in his lab couldn¡¯t assure him of success.

    That was why Li Lang was surprised as well with how his first attempt turned out.

    After forming the mimeograph machine with his artificing techniques, he proceeded to insert the beast core as he tried to attune it. Just like when he had done it in Ruby¡¯s artifact space, the moment he placed it into the machine, he felt the core pulsating erratically, as if it was trying to communicate something to him.

    He had to use the techniques he learned from Tie Qian to send out similar pulses of Qi in an attempt to control the wild core. It was as if he was building a collar for whatever consciousness was left in the core.

    Normally, it would stop at that, and he would soon find out if his attempt would succeed or not. The start was the most crucial moment, as the spirit of each core reacted uniquely. However, his first attempt in reality had turned out differently. Instead of being able to concentrate on his techniques to form the figurative collar, a bestial roar suddenly sounded out in his mind. It made him flinch, alerting his companions at the table.

    ¡°Li Lang? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sima Xue asked.

    She was about to reach a hand out to Li Lang if Long Yi didn¡¯t stop her.

    ¡°Wait. Just leave him be for now. This happens sometimes in the middle of artificing.¡±

    ¡°Really? It¡¯s normal to freeze up like that?¡±

    ¡°S-Shouldn¡¯t you know what artificing i-is like?¡± Wei Ping asked. ¡°Nightmoon V-Valley is a major organization. Artificers s-should be a common sight for you.¡±

    ¡°We may have many members talented in various crafts, but I personally don¡¯t get to interact with many of them,¡± Sima Xue replied wistfully. ¡°My master keeps me busy, so it¡¯s my first time seeing an artificer in action.¡±

    While Li Lang had heard every word of the conversation going on around him, his mind was currently completely focused on the task at hand. The voices he heard were not only loud, but they also provoked his emotions. Sometimes it made him angry or sad before it abruptly changed to fear or contentment. The changes in emotion made him barely keep up with the attunement process.

    He never once panicked because he had heard about this phenomenon from his artifice teachers and senior apprentices. It was what led the artificer community to believe what made each core unique to be the soul of the beast. And currently, it was lashing out at the person trying to tame it.

    Each wave of Qi Li Lang sent out would clash against the will of whatever was left in the core. He felt like he was fishing, trying to tire out the party he had hooked before he could reel them in.

    As time passed, he could feel the stubbornness of the other party and their fatigue.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    In this even the beast core¡¯s fatigue I¡¯m feeling or my own? Am I just imagining it?

    Not long after that, Li Lang could feel the resistance melting away and the moment of truth came. Even after successfully subduing the spirit, there was still a high chance of it disappearing instead of being tamed.

    Li Lang was treading into new territory as he hadn¡¯t experienced what to do next because Ruby couldn¡¯t simulate anything to do with these residual spirits.

    He quickly found the beast core unresponsive. A sign of failure he had been taught about. The consciousness of it was dead. It refused to submit to him until the end. He had to try again.

    The soul of the beast¡¯s core dissipated, is how Tie Qian explains it. But doesn¡¯t that mean everything but the will that controls the power of whatever makes the artifact spirit work is missing?

    Perhaps it was because he was also tired. He didn¡¯t hesitate to try out whatever came to his mind next.

    Having cultivated for years, Li Lang learned that cultivation reacted actively to one¡¯s imagination. It didn¡¯t mean you could just imagine yourself succeeding and it would work, but it could change the way how things worked.

    That¡¯s why instead of giving up, Li Lang tried to continue with the crafting session. He began imagining the beast core as a virtual brain, a computer of sorts. The software of it was corrupted, so he started compiling a new operating system for it.

    The only issue was that he wasn¡¯t a programmer or a computer scientist. He specialized in biodefense, and knew about adapting to alien floral, but it didn¡¯t make him proficient in software engineering.

    Thankfully, he had Ruby.

    No longer having to struggle against the beast core¡¯s will, Li Lang freely retreated into his lab. He opened up his computer and began referencing the parts of the code he was struggling with. He even started working on the operating system in sandbox mode, ironing out any kinks.

    After some time, he returned to reality and began implementing his work. The pulses of Qi established a connection and transferred the data. It began installing the operating system on the core. He didn¡¯t need anything complicated, as it just managed the functions of a simple mimeograph machine.

    Very soon, he was done, and nothing happened.

    The beast core remained properly installed onto the machine he made and laid still without any reaction.

    I have to say, this is one of my more radical ideas. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised it didn¡¯t work.

    He sighed and glanced up at the screen displaying the scene in the auction, as he planned to take a small break before his next attempt. However, what he saw weirded him out. He was just in time to see everyone in the venue suddenly turning away from the stage at the same time. They even all turned in the same direction.

    ¡°Is something happening?¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°Umm, B-Boss, look down.¡±

    In the area just before Li Lang was where he had placed his failed mimeograph artifact. Currently, it was giving off a dull light that was slowly increasing in luminosity, like a giant lightbulb.

    ¡°I¡ªI, succeeded?¡±

    The torrent of light filled the entire floor of the restaurant before it finally started dimming down. An unmistakable aura began emanating from it.

    The birth of a Mortal-grade artifact!

    ¡°Umm, Li Lang, you really did succeed,¡± Long Yi said as he stared with wide eyes.

    ¡°He did it!¡± Sima Xue cheered before quickly calming down. ¡°But what is this thing? A shield of some sort?¡±

    She reached over to grab it, only to stop in his trackers after hearing Wei Ping¡¯s warning.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t t-touch it if I were you. Knowing boss, i-it could be some sort of poison weapon.¡±

    ¡°Li Lang, is that true?¡± Sima Xue asked. ¡°And is this thing a weapon or a shield?¡±

    Li Lang scoffed as he moved to pick up his new work. He didn¡¯t even bother to answer, as his mind was racing to try to comprehend what he had done while observing the state of his new artifact.

    He tried mentally calling out to the newly born artifact spirit of the mimeograph machine, but to no avail. However, when he tried commanding it to open the slot where you would insert a stencil into it, it automatically popped open.

    Hmm, they did say the intelligence of artifact spirits depends on the grade of the artifact. I shouldn¡¯t expect anything less than an Earth-grade artifact spirit to be able to speak, but isn¡¯t this a little too lifeless? Is my programming the only thing controlling it, or is there actually a sentient spirit in here?

    For a split second, Li Lang was tempted to consume his new artifact into Ruby, but he quickly realized it wouldn¡¯t help. The spiritual aspect of it couldn¡¯t be replicated or analyzed.

    The only concrete method he had to solve this mystery was with good ol¡¯ experimenting. He would need to repeat this process again and again, observing and recording the results while controlling the variables. He was completely undaunted at taking on this challenge. Only excitement could be seen on his face.

    I still have quite a few artifacts I want to craft for us anyway. It¡¯s too bad it¡¯ll only be Mortal-grade, but we¡¯ll take things step by step.

    Should I just leave Polarity City ahead of time to focus on artificing?

 Chapter 178: A Visit

    Li Lang and his friends eventually calmed down after the unexpected completion of an artifact. So too did all the experts at the auction, who had noticed the slight disturbance. The main auction resumed its operations without any further delays.

    Even at the restaurant where Li Lang was, all the onlookers had returned to their own matters.

    The creation of an artifact was rare, but it wasn¡¯t enough to distract them for long. This was especially so when the artifact involved was only at the Mortal-grade. Perhaps due to the name, many cultivators considered Mortal-grade to be mundane items that were beneath them, like mortals.

    An awkward silence befell Li Lang¡¯s table as his companions received no response to their questions. The man in question was too busy analyzing his work. If there weren¡¯t so many people there, he would¡¯ve even begun testing to see if it could produce talismans as intended. However, even with his voracity for research, he knew it wasn¡¯t the time to be exposing his cards.

    Like that, this little incident was soon forgotten¡ªor so Li Lang had hoped.

    The auction proceeded without issue, as numerous people watched on with amusement, where colossal organizations bided against each other for treasures and properties.

    ¡°The newly discovered crystal mine in Azure Mist goes to participant number five for two hundred yellow crystals!¡±

    ¡°The villa on Sword Saint Isle goes to our esteemed guest with the number seventy-five for sixty green crystals!¡±

    The event only heated up as time passed. After all, it was held over several days. To cultivators at the level that could participate in the grand auction, a few days was nothing to them. They would go into closed-door cultivation for years at a time.

    In a blink of an eye, the first day ended.

    ¡°Hey! Li Lang! It¡¯s time to leave!¡± Long Yi tried to awaken his friend. It took some serious shaking for him to succeed.

    ¡°What? It¡¯s over?¡±

    ¡°Like you care!¡± Sima Xue yelled. ¡°You weren¡¯t even watching!¡±

    ¡°I was¡ªfor some of it. Maybe I¡¯ll skip out for the remainder of it. You guys can continue watching and tell me about it later.¡±

    Before any of his friends could retort, a few gasps from the guests on the other tables drew their attention. They all turned around to find Jian Beiyun leading a few old men towards them. Everyone could tell this new group wasn¡¯t to be trifled with.

    ¡°Senior Brother, you¡¯re back! How was the event?¡± Sima Xue immediately rushed over and inquired.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see from The Grand Cloud Mirror Art? The entire place was filled with powerful elders that I could only find myself lacking. Speaking of, let me introduce you to two such elders here. This is Elder An of the Eroding March Pavilion and Elder Ji from the Drenched Earth Sect.¡±

    Sima Xue swiftly bowed and clasped her fist toward the two old men. Her demeanor seamlessly changed from mischievous to that of a role model disciple.

    ¡°Greetings, Elder An, Elder Ji.¡±

    They both smiled amiably at the young princess.

    ¡°No need to stand on ceremony, Young Lady Sima,¡± Elder An replied. ¡°We¡¯re just a bunch of old fossils.¡±

    Seeing how quickly her junior charmed his acquaintances, Jian Beiyun sighed at the scene.

    ¡°Don¡¯t spoil her, Elders. She¡¯s the reason we have the saying, ¡®Give them an inch, and they¡¯ll take a mile.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Ha, very well. We have come for business, anyway. Why don¡¯t we have a chat somewhere more private?¡± the elder said as he meaningfully looked at the person behind Nightmoon Valley¡¯s young princess.

    Li Lang exchanged a quick glance with his companions and looked behind him to check if there was anyone there. When he found no one, he grimaced.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°Us?¡± he asked as he pointed at himself.

    Both elders nodded and Jian Beiyun quickly stepped between the two parties while shaking his head.

    ¡°Li Lang,¡± he said. ¡°The two elders here would like to speak with you. Please come along.¡±

    They didn¡¯t move far. The restaurant staff had overheard the entire conversation, so a private room was quickly prepared. Even though the entire establishment was full to the brim, it didn¡¯t stop the staff from catering to the eminent experts to the best of their abilities.

    ¡°So,¡± Li Lang said before everyone could even get seated. ¡°Why did two esteemed elders come to see me?¡±

    Elder Ji smiled as he stroked his chin. He gave Li Lang a look over before replying.

    ¡°We are here on behalf of the Artificer Guild. We wanted to take a look at the junior who succeeded in taking a crucial step on the path of artificing. If you don¡¯t mind, could we verify your work?¡±

    ¡°Elders, unfortunately, I¡¯m going to have to decline that request. This is my first time succeeding in creating an artifact, so it has a lot of sentimental value to me. It¡¯s not for sale.

    ¡°Rest assured, we have no intentions of taking anything from you,¡± Elder Ji continued. ¡°We just want to examine your work and discuss your experiences. We¡¯ll only be able to certify you as an official artificer after we have verified the creation of an artifact.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that, but information about my creation isn¡¯t something I plan to share. I do not mind forgoing the certification for now.¡±

    ¡°Junior, you can rest assured about our integrity. Old men like us would never spread your information around. We¡¯ve lived for so long, and there¡¯s not much we haven¡¯t seen. There¡¯s no need to be so secretive about a Mortal-grade artifact.¡±

    ¡°Now, now,¡± Jian Beiyun clapped his hands. ¡°There¡¯s no need to pressure a junior around like that. If he doesn¡¯t want to talk, so let him be. If you¡¯re curious, you should consult with the diviners in your organizations.¡±

    ¡°Ha, Young Master Jian, you jest. This isn¡¯t a matter that needs their attention. Besides, as if diviners are ever able to find anything useful until it¡¯s too late.¡± Elder Ji then turned to his fellow elder. ¡°Speaking of them, Elder An, our Drenched Earth Sect would be more than happy to assist against those jealous of your pavilion. I know your organization isn¡¯t used to the limelight, so we can assist with your security issues.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the offer, but that¡¯ll be something our Pavilion Master will have to decide. All I can do is bring it up to them.¡±

    ¡°That is fine. We¡¯re here to help, so you can come find us at any time.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, if this junior isn¡¯t willing to show us his new creation, then we should take our leave.¡±

    Unable to refute Elder An¡¯s suggestion, Elder Ji reluctantly nodded. The two then slowly walked out of the restaurant, accompanied by Jian Beiyun. Before the head disciple of Nightmoon Valley had left, he didn¡¯t forget to wink meaningfully at his junior sister.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure why you refused to get certified as an official Artificer, but that was interesting,¡± Sima Xue commented.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I served you well as entertainment, milady,¡± Li Lang sarcastically replied before gesturing to his companions to prepare to leave. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. We should head back.¡±

    With the first day of the main auction over, there wasn¡¯t meaning in staying any longer. Numerous people took to the streets, returning to their lodging or finding supper.

    Just as they got to the first floor of the restaurant, they happened to run into someone calling out to them. As soon as everyone turned toward the voice, they all instantly recognized who it was. It was thanks to his unique characteristic of white hair but youthful skin.

    ¡°Liang Po, you¡¯re finally here!¡± Sima Xue exclaimed. ¡°What took you so long? The auction is over by now.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, you know. The usual.¡± He then turned to Li Lang. ¡°I don¡¯t want to delay you, as it is my fault for being late. We can finish our business tomorrow.¡±

    Then, without looking back, Liang Po briskly walked out as well.

    Li Lang barely registered his words as he practically ignored everyone during the entire trip back to his room. Once the door was shut, he didn¡¯t hesitate to immediately materialize his new creation from his space ring.

    He hadn¡¯t thought he would succeed this quickly, so he cursed himself for being rash, crafting the printer artifact in public. Before he could dwell long on the incident, he started putting his new creation to the test.

    He placed a hand on the mimeograph machine and sent out a command for it to produce the sole talisman it was currently equipped to print.

    The stencil wrapped around the ink-filled drum within the machine began to rotate by itself. It caused the ink to be pressed through the cut-out areas of the stencil, onto the sheets of talisman paper prepared.

    As soon as Li Lang had invoked this process, he reflexively took a few steps back and watched his creation come to life by itself. He then pressed the red gem inside his hat against his forehead.

    ¡°Ruby, is this what a Mortal-grade artifact is supposed to be like? It can¡¯t converse with me, but can work by itself?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I think so. But the feeling I get from this new artifact is strange, Master.¡±

    Li Lang sighed as he continued to watch his new creation work.

    Is this really normal? Or is the unorthodox way I used to create it make the artifact spirit strange?

    Either way, I guess I should come up with a name for it while I have it under observation. Hmm, but what should I call it?

    Next Chapter Free on Patreon</a>

 Chapter 179: Weave Press

    After a brief moment of thought, Li Lang simply decided to call his new printer artifact, Weave Press. He never liked overthinking names, so he didn¡¯t hesitate and moved on to other matters.

    There was still a lot waiting for him to do. With the creation of the Weave Press, he needed to run multiple tests on it. He needed to examine the talismans it produced to see how it compared to the ones he handcrafted. Then, he wanted to study the nascent artifact spirit, so that in the future, he could evaluate if the programming method he used produced any differing results from the traditional methods.

    The first thing on the list didn¡¯t take long, as the mimeograph artifact only took a dozen seconds to print its first talisman. To those familiar with modern printing, it was on the slower end, but Li Lang wasn¡¯t too concerned about that at the moment.

    When he was designing the artifact, there were many challenges he had to overcome in order for the end result to be able to produce working talismans. Taking the extra few seconds to properly lay out the Qi channels on the talisman wasn¡¯t anything to be concerned about.

    The crux that solved his issues was the ink that had once saved him in his brushweaving trials. His research had shown that every attempt to incorporate the usual multi-element ink into the design had failed. He chalked it up to the operating system, the artifact spirit, not being able to separate the useful bits of energy like a human cultivator could with their will during the creation process.

    That¡¯s why every single stencil on his mimeograph machine had to come with a unique drum that had multiple compartments for various inks. Different parts of it were filled with a variety of inks, with the required elements in the relevant section of the talisman.

    Li Lang found all that extra work he put into its creation had paid off when he found a seemingly average talisman coming out of the machine.

    For the first talisman he planned to print, he decided to pick one he often used. It naturally led to Warding Talisman being selected.

    The freshly printed talisman was slightly darker in appearance compared to the regular ones, but Li Lang had enough experience with working with the tree sap inks to find it normal. Still, he didn¡¯t hesitate to have Ruby take in the talisman for further examination. It wasn¡¯t much of a loss at all, as a new one would be printed a dozen seconds later. He could try to activate the next one to observe its efficiency.

    Like this, Li Lang continued deep into the night, testing out his new supply of talismans. He ran every test he could think of, recording every result, so he could compare it to the regular Warding Talismans.

    Early the next day, he called out to his companions during breakfast.

    ¡°You¡¯re up early,¡± Long Yi noted as he ate.

    ¡°Umm, d-did you sleep at a-all, boss?¡± Wei Ping asked worriedly.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m planning on heading out of the city for a bit this morning. Do any of you want to join?¡±

    Li Lang gave Wei Ping a meaningful look. The young man could understand that this was about another experiment. He had been with Li Lang since that start, when they first recruited their subjects for these tests. What few people knew was that Wei Ping was just as eager to participate in these experiments.

    To be precise, he wasn¡¯t obsessed with any experiments, but ones related to the advancement of cultivation. He, too, had grade-one aptitude. His thirst to break free from the shackles of his natural aptitude could be said to be even greater than Li Lang, who had the fortune of being accepted by the Zi family. He knew exactly what it was like to be powerless.

    It was why Wei Ping was motivated to study like the newly recruited kids. He wanted to be capable enough to handle his role as a research assistant.

    ¡°Y-yes, I can come.¡±

    ¡°Sure, why not? I could use the exercise,¡± Long Yi chimed in.

    ¡°You boys are going to miss the start of the second day of the auction!¡± Sima Xue cried.

    Li Lang shrugged in response, eliciting a sigh from the young Nightmoon Valley girl.

    ¡°You guys go do what you want, then. I¡¯ll stay and summarize what you missed for you.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°You can come too if you¡¯d like,¡± Li Lang offered. ¡°It¡¯s not like you need to be at the restaurant to watch. Anywhere in the city works, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my duty as a Nightmoon Valley disciple to see this through properly. Besides, I¡¯ll watch over the kids for you guys.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    <hr>

    Li Lang¡¯s little trip to the outskirts of Polarity City was a short one. He mainly went outside to confirm the effects of his newly printed talismans.

    At the same time, with Sima Xue and the kids absent, he took the opportunity to freely share the details regarding his latest creations with his two companions.

    ¡°You mean to say that this stack of talismans here is something you created overnight?¡± Long Yi skeptically muttered as he examined the large stack of talisman paper. ¡°This stuff is worth at least ten Qi stones each, right? No, the store sells them for like fifty. Doesn¡¯t this make you rich!?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that. There is the cost and supply of the materials to worry about. Plus, if we¡¯re to flood the market with all these Warding Talismans, the prices will come down. We¡¯ll also draw the wrong kind of attention if we don¡¯t distribute them discreetly. However, first things first. We need to verify how effective they are compared to traditionally crafted talismans.¡±

    ¡°B-boss, we should still look for a s-safe place to live before you print t-too many talismans. It¡¯s inevitable people w-will find out if you¡¯re looking t-to profit from this.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, we¡¯ll work out the logistics and business aspect of it later, but you¡¯re right. It hurts to know we have the perfect place already, but it¡¯s just that it¡¯s too dangerous to reach it as we are currently. We need to speed up our cultivation progress once we get back.¡±

    ¡°I k-know. I¡¯ve been lagging behind as well.¡±

    Even after all this time, the trio¡¯s cultivation hadn¡¯t changed that much since they exited from the pocket realm. Long Yi was still at the peak of Energy Gathering, in the ninth stage, while Li Lang and Wei Ping were in the eighth and seventh stages respectively.

    ¡°Hmm, the timing lines up perfectly,¡± Li Lang voiced. ¡°We¡¯ll need to start researching ways for us to safely breakthrough to Foundation Establishment as well. Long Yi is one thing with his grade three aptitude. For us, we¡¯ll have to rely on the kids to test various methods.¡±

    ¡°Do you h-have any direction to look into, boss?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly yet. We still haven¡¯t looked into Foundation Pills or the Ascension Pills. Hopefully, we¡¯ll find something when we do. However, I think I¡¯ve recently felt my bottleneck loosening with the creation of an artifact. Looking at how crafts assist in cultivation should be a good direction, as well.¡±

    ¡°You two sound like you¡¯ll be busy,¡± Long Yi commented. ¡°I can help with taking care of the kids, but not much else. If you don¡¯t mind, after we return, I plan to focus all my time on tackling the final step to Foundation Establishment, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what we want. I did say we¡¯ll be focusing on our cultivation next. It¡¯s better to have you step into the next realm sooner rather than later. There¡¯s plenty of useful information to derive from your breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°Hey, come on now. I¡¯m not going to be trying out any of your untested ideas when the time comes.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not that reckless. I wouldn¡¯t propose anything to you that I don¡¯t think would work.¡±

    ¡°Mhmm, sure.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s words earned him a skeptical glare from his giant of a friend. The trio didn¡¯t dwell on the matter too much, as they curiously inspected the result of the talisman. While they didn¡¯t exactly have a Qi beast on hand to test its effectiveness, they had the capability of observing the distant Qi beast and how they reacted.

    There was a lot to find out, but there tests didn¡¯t last too long. By noon, the trio returned to the city and reunited with Sima Xue, the children they left behind, and the bunch of Nightmoon Valley disciples at the restaurant from the previous day.

    Additionally, there was one new party. It was the white-haired genius, Liang Po.

    His eyes shone as soon as he saw Li Lang.

    ¡°You personally delivered the letter, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and as I suspected, it was plenty of trouble. Next time¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then you were able to see Ruolan?¡± the white-haired youth interrupted. ¡°Did she write a reply?¡±

    ¡°She sure did. Only verbally, though. However, before I relay it to you, I want to make it clear I won¡¯t be delivering any replies for you. This was a one-time thing.¡±

    Li Lang had accomplished what he needed in the righteous territory. He had recruited students and gained some clues on how to find the Abductress. There was no reason for him to travel there anymore within a short period.

    For the foreseeable future, he planned to hole up in the Luminescent Domain, culminating wealth, and building up a stronghold to carry out his experiments in.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I understand. Just tell me her message already!¡±

    Seeing the fervor from the normally carefree Liang Po, Li Lang began to realize something was amidst. He still dutifully recited the message he had been entrusted. It resulted in Liang Po unleashing a creepy smile as he chuckled to himself.

    It was only then that he began to make a realization.

    Wait? Is he in a relationship with that Yan Ruolan? Does that mean this dumb couple got me to relay their love letters?

    Li Lang was stunned speechless upon arriving at that fact so late.

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 Chapter 180: A Talk

    Once Li Lang had delivered the message from Yan Ruolan to Liang Po, the white-haired youth quickly took his leave.

    As someone who had been dedicated to his work religiously, Li Lang wasn¡¯t the most quick-witted when it came to matters of romance. He cursed himself for realizing he had delivered love letters so late. It made him see Liang Po in another light, but he quickly put the matter behind him.

    The auction being projected onto the skies above Polarity City continued its broadcast. Li Lang would occasionally look up when he noticed some rare type of treasures, but without audio, the things he learned were limited.

    He simply enjoyed the show with his companions, sneaking into Ruby¡¯s artifact space when he got bored. He never tried to craft any artifact after the first one, despite having the materials. There was no point in crafting another printer, and his next goal was to craft weapons.

    He still had nine other beast cores harvested from Long Neck Turtles. They were neutral in element, which could also be described as all-rounders in terms of their elemental affinity. To the greater community of artificers, that meant it wasn¡¯t the optimal material for weapons, as it excelled in no particular area.

    However, he still had several sets of beast cores of other elements that he had bought for exactly this reason. He still needed more time to think up a design and test things out in his artifact space before committing to an attempt in reality. That was why he dedicated any downtime to his lab.

    The city enjoyed the show with a festive mood for another three days before the grand auction finally ended.

    The morning after, a mass exodus occurred, as many people no longer had any reason to stay.

    ¡°I guess this is goodbye for the foreseeable future, then,¡± Sima Xue muttered. ¡°Take care and good luck with your plans! I¡¯ll come visit when I can.¡±

    The young girl from Nightmoon Valley was currently standing in the lobby of the inn, with a large entourage waiting behind her. They were her fellow disciples, including Senior Jian Beiyun, all ready to return to their home.

    Over the past few days, through idle chatter, Sima Xue had come to learn the gist of Li Lang¡¯s plans once they returned to Emberglow City. She didn¡¯t know the details, but at least knew they planned to start up their own little group. She had even advised them to stay in The Orchid Covenant for as long as they could, as their protection would save them from a lot of trouble.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll even get these two to travel to your Nightshade Valley for a visit once things settle down,¡± Long Yi declared with a smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t know how long that¡¯ll take, though. These two tend to get carried away once they start something.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad trait to have. You three still need to work hard to shed your mortality. Even I will need to spend at least a year to stabilize my cultivation once I get back.¡±

    ¡°Do y-you have any advice regarding that?¡± Wei Ping asked, having his interest piqued once the topic arrived at cultivation.

    ¡°Unfortunately, you¡¯ll have to rely on yourself to achieve your breakthrough. But once you do reach the Foundation Establishment realm, I recommend you search for Earth-grade cultivation techniques immediately.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Li Lang chimed in.

    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ll understand once you breakthrough. No point in explaining it now. It¡¯ll only distract you.¡±

    Before Li Lang could press for answers, Jian Beiyun intruded with an amused smile.

    ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but it¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°Senior Jian!¡± Sima Xue complained. ¡°Do you have to rush us? It¡¯ll be at least a year before Master will let me out of the valley again. I won¡¯t see them again for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Junior. With the way you are, I have a feeling you¡¯ll see them again much sooner than you think.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Exactly as I had said.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Urged by her companions, Sima Xue quickly said her goodbyes to the trio before she was forced to leave with her group.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    After seeing her off, Li Lang and his two companions also packed up their bags and exited the inn. They drove their golden brown Skyrunner through the streets, but not toward the exit.

    Instead, they soon arrived at yet another inn. The new establishment was much larger than their previous lodging, but wasn¡¯t as fancy. They made their way past various groups of cultivators, each hailing from various sects and organizations, and strode into the dining hall that was in a detached building to the side.

    There, the staff led them upstairs, into a private room.

    The trio walked in to find a lone middle-aged woman sitting in the back. All three of them politely clasped their fist toward her in unison. The woman sat there unmovingly with her eyes closed. The only reaction she had upon the trio entering was to pour herself more tea.

    ¡°Greetings Elder¡ª¡±

    Before Li Lang could finish his greetings, Elder Cao interrupted him.

    ¡°Sit.¡±

    The three boys complied. Both Li Lang and Long Yi were especially meek, as if they were little children who had been caught doing something bad. They didn¡¯t dare open their mouth carelessly while Wei Ping was happy to remain a spectator.

    ¡°Now speak,¡± the elder continued. ¡°You said you would explain yourself after the auction, so explain.¡±

    Li Lang slowly breathed out as he gathered his thoughts. He had ample time to prepare what to say. It was time to defuse any animosity they may have with Elder Cao. Otherwise, trouble would always be looming whenever he ventured into the orthodox sects¡¯ territories. The Spirit Grove disciples would accuse them of being demonic cultivators upon recognizing them. The memory of cultivators couldn¡¯t be underestimated.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated of a story. After being banished, we headed for Polarity City, as I had discussed with you in the past.¡±

    ¡°Correct, but I also remember reminding you not to get involved with demonic cultivators.¡±

    ¡°Well, it couldn¡¯t be avoided. People recognized us and believed we were demonic cultivators, no matter what we said. No one wanted to do business with us, so we were left with no choice. However, we simply live in Demonic Cultivator Territory now, but we aren¡¯t practicing any demonic techniques.¡±

    Li Lang lied, mixing some truths into his words. It wasn¡¯t that far-fetched that people would recognize a group of kids with such distinct features. The news of their exile would definitely spread, whether through official channels or the gossip between disciples. There were even spies from various sects placed around each other.

    Realizing this, the elder began to ask a few questions to confirm Li Lang¡¯s story.

    ¡°You three manage to not only venture deep into Demonic Territory but also live there long-term?¡±

    ¡°We had some help to get to a city and joined an organization with few restrictions by the name of The Orchid Covenant for protection.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, from my memories, that organization does not impose any techniques on their members. Nevertheless, you expect me to believe you have progressed to almost the peak of Energy Gathering within these short few years with your grade one aptitude?¡±

    Li Lang reined in his urge to sigh, realizing the most critical part of the conversation had arrived. The details of his stories didn¡¯t matter nearly as much as his explanation of his cultivation. He needed to get through the discussion without revealing the existence of his Cleansing Drug.

    It was the secret he didn¡¯t want to reveal, as doing so could stir the greed of the orthodox sects. While Li Lang believed it only worked in the Energy Gathering Realm, it was still valuable to any sect. By mass-producing disciples at the Peak of Energy Gathering, there would that many more Foundation Establishment Realm candidates.

    ¡°I can see how that may make us appear as if we have switched over to the demonic path. Rest assured, that isn¡¯t the case.¡±

    ¡°In that case, how did you achieve your rapid progress?¡± the elder asked in a strained tone, not mincing her words.

    Li Lang had almost a month to come up with an answer to this question. At first, he debated to accredit his progress to the plentiful resources he managed to earn as an alchemist, but even that wasn¡¯t enough to explain his progress. Grade one aptitude was just that big of a disadvantage in cultivation.

    This still left a few ways to explain.

    He could say a mysterious expert had used their means to forcibly advance his cultivation, but there was no one around to play that role. It drew another whole onslaught of issues, as such methods would likely be seen as cruel or demonic. Forcing someone to advance in cultivation was a dangerous matter that could easily turn fatal, thus frowned upon.

    Eventually, Li Lang settled on crediting his rapid progress to a chance encounter. In a sense, it wasn¡¯t wrong. He was very lucky to come into possession of Ruby.

    ¡°We chanced upon an inheritance of a deceased senior,¡± Li Lang explained. ¡°Inside, I almost met my death, but it led me to an epiphany instead. I¡¯m not exactly sure what happened, but it allowed my progress to shoot up.¡±

    After elaborating a little more about his story, Elder Cao remained silent for some time. It made Li Lang nervously glance up at her, but she remained expressionless.

    Umm, did she buy it?

    While I don¡¯t exactly need to head into the orthodox territory in the near future, I¡¯ll want to eventually. They have numerous resources as they hold the most territory on the entire Violet Isle. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to go by an alias and maybe disguise myself a little.

    No matter what, I really don¡¯t want to make an enemy of the kind elder who had helped me so much in the past if I can help it.

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 Chapter 181: Next Focus

    Elder Cao slowly took another sip from her teacup before she finally responded to Li Lang¡¯s explanation of how he had made such rapid progress these past few years.

    ¡°Hmm, likely some ancient artifact that forcibly overloaded your body,¡± Elder Cao commented with a frown. ¡°You¡¯re very lucky to be alive.¡±

    Before Li Lang could let out a sigh of relief, the Spirit Grove elder continued.

    ¡°Even if that is true, can you explain why people I¡¯ve inquired news from all said you three are talented demonic cultivators? I believe orthodox cultivation is permitted over there.¡±

    ¡°Elder Cao, you¡¯re only partly right. There is one official organization that practices orthodox cultivation there, but they refused to accept us due to our aptitude,¡± Li Lang explained. ¡°If it is revealed that we are independent orthodox cultivators, we fear that the rogue elements in the area would come after us for obvious reasons. That¡¯s why I ask that you keep our conversation here a secret.¡±

    ¡°I am not one to babble to others. You don¡¯t have to worry about that. However, I ask that you allow me to inspect your body. I must confirm whether former disciples of Spirit Grove have practiced demonic techniques or not.¡±

    Li Lang relaxed upon hearing her words. It meant the elder had chosen to believe his story, and the complicated part of the conversation was nearing its end. Still, he remained focused, as it wasn¡¯t over yet.

    He had only explained about himself, and he hoped it stayed that way.

    ¡°Of course, Elder.¡±

    Is there such a technique that allows one to verify if a demonic cultivator or not? Well, it shouldn¡¯t be a surprise, considering the feud between the two factions.

    With Li Lang¡¯s consent, the elder proceeded to sit next to the young man and placed a hand on his arm to take his pulse. Li Lang could feel a warm torrent of Qi swerving around his skin. It only lasted a moment before it was over.

    ¡°Good. It¡¯s your turn,¡± the elder said, having turned to Long Yi.

    ¡°Umm, sure thing.¡±

    While she moved on to the next young man, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but ask about the technique she was employing.

    ¡°Elder Cao, what is this technique that allows you to determine whether someone is a demonic cultivator? ¡°

    Having verified the boys before her were indeed telling the truth, Elder Cao¡¯s expression softened and she generously shared her knowledge.

    ¡°It¡¯s not any particular Qi art or technique per se. The Qi of those who practice demonic cultivation react differently when exposed to those of the righteous path.¡±

    ¡°Differently, how exactly?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to pinpoint precisely. As you should now know, there are numerous demonic cultivation techniques. There is a lot of variance between them. Only the Qi of those who practice the orthodox techniques will not cause a reaction to each other.¡±

    From her words, Li Lang surmised demonic Qi¡¯s reaction to normal Qi was similar to the various afflictions one had to endure as a demonic cultivator. Those who specialized in absorbing energy from Qi beasts full of vitality would have their Qi become unruly, while those who preyed on other humans would try to engulf any foreign Qi it came into contact with. He even theorized this change to their Qi was what made them take on unique characteristics of the things they preyed on for their cultivation.

    Nevertheless, it was just Li Lang¡¯s conjectures. He planned to investigate it at a later date.

    There¡¯s just so much to look into, but so little time. I can¡¯t wait to return to Emberglow and settle in.

    Once Elder Cao was finished with Long Yi, she only spared Wei Ping a short glance before returning to her seat. The young man with the wooden mask wasn¡¯t someone she was familiar with, so she decided against examining him.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    He hadn¡¯t been part of Spirit Grove, so he wasn¡¯t someone she needed to be concerned with.

    When Li Lang saw that, he knew any difficulties he may have faced were behind him. The elder hadn¡¯t discovered Wei Ping also had grade one aptitude like him. Even if she did, he had prepared a story to include Wei Ping in it, but he was glad it wasn¡¯t needed. The more parties he got involved with his lie, the more variables came into play. He would rather not give a chance to anyone to cross-examine them.

    ¡°Very well, then,¡± the elder said. ¡°I won¡¯t tell a soul about your secrets, so you may safely remain in your new home. I advise you to move elsewhere, but you kids have grown big enough to make your own decisions.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Elder Cao. Despite my past with Spirit Grove, I¡¯m happy that we¡¯re still on good terms.¡±

    The middle-aged woman nodded in response.

    ¡°As much as I would like to entertain you, I have a duty to carry out. The disciples I brought along are waiting for me to begin our journey back to the sect, so you¡¯ll have to excuse me.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Just one more thing. Since you¡¯re perhaps the only one who knows of our situation in Yellow Qilin, can we come to you when the need arises? We¡¯re independent orthodox cultivators stranded in hostile territory, so we¡¯ll need to visit to obtain resources and cultivation manuals at some point.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t a problem. It¡¯s a given the demonic cultivators wouldn¡¯t have any complete or quality orthodox cultivation methods. Just notify me through one of Spirit Grove¡¯s branch offices when you come.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Elder!¡±

    Li Lang genuinely smiled upon accomplishing his goals. He could now venture back into Yellow Qilin with an Elder vouching for him. Not only could he access modern techniques, but he could also recruit students in Yellow Qilin next time. It would take some negotiating, but he would much rather do so with a known quantity than strangers.

    With the rest of Spirit Grove awaiting her return, Elder Cao quickly took her leave after that. It left the trio alone in the room. Li Lang and Long Yi shared a glance for a few moments before flashing a smile.

    ¡°I guess we should start heading back ourselves, too,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s go back before anything else happens.¡±

    Without anything binding them down to Polarity City anymore, the trio went to retrieve their students and began their two-Skyrunner journey back to Emberglow City. Numerous other cultivators were doing the same thing, all leaving Polarity City for their homes. It was practically a mass exodus.

    As they traveled, the young students shared excited stories about what they had seen during their little outing. The trio let them have their fun, as they knew their training would soon officially begin once the journey ended.

    While both Li Lang and Long Yi were driving their Skyrunners side-by-side, Wei Ping climbed out to converse with his companions.

    ¡°So, B-Boss, have you decided what kind of place w-we should be looking for?¡±

    ¡°We still have quite the sum, right?¡± Long Yi asked. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem to even rent out a large plot of land to build an estate as long as it isn¡¯t in the central locations. We¡¯ll need the space with all these kiddos around.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Li Lang interjected. ¡°We won¡¯t be getting anything fancy like that.¡±

    ¡°What, you want us to live in a dozen rooms at some inn?¡±

    ¡°Just a modest house on the outskirts will do.¡±

    ¡°Come on! Many commoners live in the city. We can find a decent estate somewhere with the money we have. Money exists to be spent!¡±

    ¡°It can also draw trouble to us. Look, we aren¡¯t even in the Foundation Establishment realm yet. We¡¯re mortals. If someone finds out about our wealth, trouble will follow.¡±

    ¡°B-Boss is right,¡± Wei Ping supported. ¡°We should s-start slow.¡±

    Li Lang took a moment to observe the children happily conversing off to the other end of the Skyrunner before continuing.

    ¡°Long Yi, you¡¯ll have to realize that you¡¯re everyone¡¯s protector at this point. You have the highest cultivation and the closest to breaking through. With your aptitude, you shouldn¡¯t have any issues as long as you have enough Foundation Pills. We¡¯ll be relying on you for the foreseeable future.¡±

    ¡°What? That¡¯s a little too much pressure.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, but to reiterate, our next focus should be on the three of us all breaking through. After creating the last artifact, I felt my bottleneck loosen. I believe I should reach the ninth stage of Energy Gathering soon. How about you, Wei Ping?¡±

    The masked youth hesitated to answer for a few moments, opting to look down at the ground instead.

    ¡°I¡¯m n-not talented like Long Yi, or g-good at crafts like you, Boss. Do you mind if I head off on a t-trip to gain some experience once we get back?¡±

    Li Lang blinked blankly at the sudden request. He hadn¡¯t expected his assistant to want to part ways so abruptly. He was troubled by how to respond.

    ¡°Uhh-maybe?¡±

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 Chapter 182: Pressing Concerns

    Troubled by Li Lang¡¯s flimsy reply, Wei Ping continued.

    ¡°If i-it¡¯ll be an issue with your plans, I can stay.¡±

    ¡°No. I was the one saying we should focus on our cultivation. If you feel that taking a trip is what you need, then it¡¯s not fair for me to stop you.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t y-you need help with the start of another round of testing?¡± Wei Ping said with eyes turned to the children they had recruited.

    ¡°It¡¯ll mostly be cultivation techniques, not administering an untested drug. I¡¯ll manage, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    The trio soon finished their discussion, and Wei Ping returned inside the Skyrunner. He found the children merrily chatting among the little cliques they had formed. Underneath his mask, he smiled at the scene, but that quickly changed to a frown when he saw one of the kids sitting alone in the corner.

    It was inevitable that not all the children got along with each other. Cliques naturally formed, centered around the more outgoing, charismatic, or knowledgeable among them. In turn, it was inevitable there were outcasts, too.

    Seeing this, Wei Ping strode over and sat by the lonely boy.

    ¡°H-hey, did you enjoy the trip?¡±

    ¡°Um, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Haha, there¡¯s n-no need to forcefully say yes. It¡¯s n-normal for people to enjoy different things.¡± The boy awkwardly glanced down without a word, so Wei Ping continued.¡±One day you¡¯ll be a-able to get your own Skyrunner, and you¡¯ll be able to make these trips yourself. Then y-you¡¯ll be able to control where you go.¡±

    Once again, the boy didn¡¯t reply, but glitters could be seen in his eyes. He finally revealed a smile as he nodded toward Wei Ping to show his appreciation.

    The scene made Wei Ping thoughtful, and the two shared a moment of silence while the spirited chatter continued all around them.

    Eventually, the group made it back to Emberglow City after some time. They had to use their old Skyrunner to carry so many people, so it took them some time.

    They landed on one of the open squares within the city and navigated through the streets with ease. With the city being their place of residence, they naturally were familiar with its layout. They didn¡¯t need to ask anyone for directions and arrived at one of many inns in the city.

    As they had yet to find a more permanent place to stay, they would be temporarily staying in inns.

    After the long journey home, all of them were exhausted. The children were separated into four people per room, and today, they didn¡¯t even fight for the beds before they all fell asleep together.

    Only the trio, who were now proper adults in this world, managed to stay awake.

    Both Long Yi and Wei Ping were hard at work, cultivating and practicing their various techniques. One had to prepare to face a major breakthrough while the other prepared for his journey. In a sense, they were both life and death matters. Neither of them could afford to slack off.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang naturally was playing with his Weave Press.

    Now that he had completed this artifact, it was time to put it to good use. Despite having earned a large sum from betting, he knew he couldn¡¯t rely solely on it. He needed a stable source of income, especially having taken in a dozen kids.

    At the same time, he didn¡¯t forget to record the occasional talisman produced as well. He wanted to observe how his artifact did, searching for any variance between talismans. There was also the matter of the artifact spirit he created. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have another Mortal-grade artifact to compare to.

    Within one night, he gathered a cache of useful data to plan out the nascent talisman empire he was building. He recorded that the Weave Press could print out approximately three hundred talismans per hour. However, it needed to take a two-hour break every hour. He couldn¡¯t figure out the exact reason why, so he went to visit the only spirit he could converse with at the moment.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Ruby, do artifact spirits ever feel fatigued?¡±

    ¡°Master, I think it¡¯s possible, but high-performance spirits like me have the energy to work for years without a break!¡±

    ¡°I thought you guys were fine as long as there¡¯s enough ambient energy to power you. Isn¡¯t that how the three controlling the Crucible work?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not exactly sure of the underlying reason, but I don¡¯t think Master should compare a Spirit-grade artifact with a Mortal-grade one.¡±

    ¡°Then does that mean a Mortal-grade one, like the one controlling the Weave Press, can only operate for an hour continuously? No, it should be unique to each artifact and its functions. Otherwise, it would make no sense for weapons to only work for an hour.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t time for Li Lang to dwell on such details, so he quickly moved on. Three hundred talisman per hour was plenty. It was speed that made it hard for him to keep up with the materials. The final products also had issues with their quality.

    Having to use Li Lang¡¯s rediscovered method of using mono-elemental inks due to the limitation, the performance of the final product paled in comparison with handmade ones. Practically all talismans in modern times used the multi-elemental ink for good reason. It was an overall improvement, an advancement in brushweaving technology.

    ¡°I doubt talismans working at half the efficiency would fetch a good price, but I have the advantage in quantity. There should be numerous merchants at the very least who would rejoice at an economical way to travel.¡±

    ¡°Master, you can also try training the artifact spirit to handle using the normal ink. Blue, Orange, and Green would likely know more about the specific method with their big library.¡±

    ¡°As excited as I am to do that. I¡¯ll save it for another time. I have to start finding stores to sell our talismans tomorrow, find a place to settle in, and come up with an education plan for the kids. It¡¯s not so easy if Wei Ping is leaving. I¡¯ll need to set up a system for them to report to me their results.¡±

    The large workload had gotten Li Lang to stay in his artifact realm for longer periods of time. He liked having someone to converse with while he worked, and Ruby served in that role.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see. As much as I want what¡¯s good for the kids, I¡¯ll want to rush them along, so they can help explore how to reach the Foundation Establishment realm for me. That means I¡¯ll have to sacrifice their martial arts and Qi arts training in exchange for cultivation speed.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that fine, Master? None of your opponents so far practiced too many techniques so far. There¡¯s nothing wrong with sticking to the basics.¡±

    ¡°It still feels wrong. The three of us trained for years inside the pocket realm, honing our moves. Forcing them to advance so quickly without the skills to exert their power shouldn¡¯t be something that¡¯s good for them.¡±

    Left with that uneasiness, Li Lang soon completed collecting what he needed for the next day and quickly fell asleep.

    The next day, he found Wei Ping and Long Yi already gone, likely to take care of the children and start their classes as planned. As for him, he went out to begin negotiating with the talisman stores in town.

    Looking for business partners that could sell the large quantities he could produce, he naturally went to a store belonging to a fellow member of The Orchid Covenant. The storefront wasn¡¯t only large, but it also had multiple stores throughout the city and beyond.

    It belonged to Elder Mei, who he previously visited in search of a brushweaving teacher.

    He flashed his token, identifying himself as someone from the same organization to the store clerk. A moment later, an elderly man walked out.

    ¡°Apologies, Sir. Master Mei is not here right now. Would you like to leave a message?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m actually here to discuss if your stores are willing to sell some of my talismans. I happen to have a large quantity of Warding Talismans I can regularly provide at low prices.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we only sell works we¡¯ve produced in-house. You may want to try other stores if selling is your goal.¡±

    Li Lang only took a moment to deliberate before nodding. He had seen numerous disciples under the tutelage of Elder Mei before. He remembered they had a sizable workforce dedicated to producing talismans, so it wasn¡¯t surprising they only sold their own work.

    With no other choice, he exited the stores and began scouring the streets for other talisman stores. As a vibrant city with a large population, Emberglow City had dozens of other stores.

    ¡°Excuse me, can I please speak to your manager?¡±

    He used this line dozens of times throughout the day, but never received a positive reply. None of the stores were willing to carry such a large quantity of subpar products, as they each had their suppliers already sorted out. It was just more profitable for most businesses to produce themselves or deal with higher-grade items with larger profit margins.

    Do I really have to start my own store already? A store that only sells one type of talisman, or maybe a few more, but they¡¯ll still be all Mortal-grade. If only the Weave Press was an Earth-grade artifact. Then maybe the stores would be more receptive to Earth-grade talismans.

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 Chapter 183: Talisman Channels

    Finding no luck with any of the talisman stores he had approached, Li Lang soon turned to someone who he could rely on when it came to the matter relating to brushweaving. His brushweaving teacher, Yi Lin.

    The abode Yi Lin stayed in remained unchanged. Li Lang knocked on the doors and, as expected, it took several minutes before someone came to answer. The familiar disheveled appearance of his teacher poked out from the other side of the door, and his expression quickly changed to that of surprise upon recognizing his student.

    ¡°Li Lang. Can¡¯t say I was expecting you to pay me a visit. When did you get back?¡±

    ¡°Just last night.¡±

    ¡°And you came to see me the next day? Didn¡¯t know you held me in such high regard. Please come in.¡±

    Li Lang felt a little guilty that he only turned to his teacher because he needed help, but he kept that to himself. He was guided up to the second floor study where Yi Lin usually carried out his work. As a workaholic himself, Yi Ling got straight back to what he was working on, while Li Lang skillfully maneuvered around the messy room to a seat.

    The two hadn¡¯t spoken too much after the event of the pocket realm. They only went through some of Li Lang¡¯s findings from the knowledge he had gained and filled out the gaps in his brushweaving knowledge. It couldn¡¯t be helped, as both of them had busy lives.

    Perhaps due to this similarity, Li Lang silently waited for his teacher to complete the inscription of a talisman before speaking.

    ¡°Yi Lin, do you mind if I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? You never asked for permission before, so you don¡¯t need to now. Just ask. I can work at the same time,¡± the brushweaving mentor nonchalantly replied as he prepared to get started on his next piece.

    ¡°Hypothetically speaking, if I somehow can get a stable and large supply of low-quality Mortal-grade talismans, how can I sell them?¡±

    ¡°Well, besides having your own store like most brushweavers do, you can usually sell in bulk to organizations or even to the Brushweaver Guild.¡±

    ¡°But the catch is?¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t really one except for having to negotiate the deals. The Brushweaver Guild is easy, as they are more of a middleman who gathered the work of numerous apprentices to sell to the organizations themselves. However, the price they give will also likely be the lowest. It¡¯s why so many rush to open their own store.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you open your own? I think you should have the skill and funds for it by now.¡±

    ¡°Ha, look around. Do you really think it¡¯s something I am suited for?¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t have to glance around the chaotic room to know what his mentor was referring to. He only chuckled in response.

    ¡°Stores are profitable when selling large quantities of the same old things,¡± Yi Lin continued. ¡°In my case, I sell my services to create high-quality products, customized to my client¡¯s specifications. It¡¯s just as profitable as long as you have the skill, and much more exciting, being able to do new and challenging work.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense. After all, it is working out for you.¡±

    ¡°So do you want to share how you¡¯ve come across a large supply of low-quality talismans? Don¡¯t tell me you recruited dozens of students to slave away for you or something.¡±

    Well, he¡¯s not wrong about recruiting a dozen students part.

    ¡°I said hypothetically. Just wondering after learning that most talisman stores don¡¯t resell low-grade talismans.¡±

    ¡°Right, right. Suit yourself. If you don¡¯t want to tell me, then it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Li Lang shrugged at his surprisingly perceptive mentor. For someone who was as messy as him, Li Lang had expected otherwise. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t press the matter, so Li Lang directed the conversation to different topics. There was still a lot he could learn a lot more from him. Li Lang hadn¡¯t neglected his brushweaving training, so he naturally had a plethora of things to consult with his mentor.

    Their sudden tutoring session came to an end slightly past noon. Li Lang still had things to get done today, so he bid Yi Lin farewell and returned to the streets of Emberglow City.

    He had no hesitation about his next destination. He knew that it was a futile effort to negotiate with any organization as only an Energy Gatherer. That¡¯s why he headed straight for the Brushweaver Guild. He would let the guild do the negotiating for him.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    The lower price they could offer wasn¡¯t that much of a problem to him. He could produce over a thousand talismans a day. The true profit was in being able to move the huge quantity of talismans.

    Li Lang soon set foot into the Brushweaver Guild within Emberglow City once more. It was some time since he had been here, but just like the previous time, the sound of water could be heard as soon as the doors opened.

    The entrance led straight to a bridge, with water splashing down on both sides of the walkway.

    He walked briskly, heading to the reception counter.

    ¡°Welcome, Sir. How may we help you today?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to sell Mortal-grade talismans in bulk. Who do I need to speak to?¡±

    ¡°Please wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll see if anyone in the procurement department is available.¡±

    Seeing the receptionist dart to the back, Li Lang had no choice but to wait. He spent the time watching the people passing by. Some were in a rush, while some were appreciating the calligraphy on the walls.

    The ones leisurely looking around were the experienced cultivators with unfathomable cultivation, while the ones in a rush were the young apprentices.

    He wondered if the adolescents rushing around him were in the same position, selling their work to the guild so they could fund their studies. However, they didn¡¯t have an artifact printer as he did, so he could only admire their hard work and perseverance.

    After having witnessed dozens of people walking by him, the receptionist, who had received him, finally returned.

    ¡°Sir, please head up to the second floor to room eight.¡±

    ¡°Understood, thank you.¡±

    Li Lang was no stranger to the upper floors of the Brushweaver Guild. He had been there before during the time he got his certification. Very soon, he entered a room that was reminiscent of the waiting rooms he had been to, with nothing more than some chairs and a table in the middle.

    Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to wait long. Before he could warm his seat, a knock could be heard, and the doors opened. A young man in the guild¡¯s attire walked in. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, with a cultivation similar to his own. Based on those clues, Li Lang believed he was one of the many employees who managed the operation of the guild instead of being a brushweaver himself.

    ¡°Thank you for coming. My name is Mou Fong. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re here to sell talismans, but may I see your guild ring first?¡±

    ¡°Of course, here it is.¡±

    Li Lang smoothly took off the ring that had been with him for years. He took a brief glance at it before handing it over. Having been in his possession for so many years, he knew it was an exceptional item.

    It wasn¡¯t an artifact, but it had the ability to contract and expand so that it would fit the wearer perfectly.

    The guild worker took out a thin slate and placed the ring on it.

    ¡°So, Li Lang, what kind of talismans do you have for us today?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking to negotiate a long-term deal for Warding Talismans.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, those are certainly useful, especially for merchants and the like, but I can¡¯t give you a definitive answer about any extended arrangements. I¡¯m only authorized to deal with onetime transactions, but I can send your proposal to someone higher up. It may take a few days or  weeks, though.¡±

    ¡°That¡ªis no problem.¡±

    ¡°Okay, give me the details of the arrangement you¡¯re looking for in terms of quantities, terms, and prices.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, for terms, the only thing that comes to mind is the bulk purchase of materials for Mortal-grade Warding Talismans. If the guild can satisfy that part, I plan to sell the guild a thousand talismans.¡±

    ¡°Per month?¡± Mou Fong asked as he jotted down some notes.

    ¡°Per day.¡±

    Mou Fong suddenly stopped mid-stroke and froze.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What did you say?¡±

    ¡°One thousand Warding Talismans per day. We can do our transactions once a week or month, if that is more convenient for you.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s Weave Press could print three hundred talismans every hour, but it had to take a two-hour break after one hour of printing. He had tried allowing the artifact to rest before it hit its limit, hoping it could recover faster, but the recovery period remained static.

    That meant it could theoretically work eight hours a day, which equals twenty-four hundred talismans, but that could only be possible if Li Lang woke up multiple times in the middle of the night. As the artifact was bound to him, only he could operate it. He only needed to start it up every two hours, but Li Lang wasn¡¯t in desperate need of money.

    Eventually, he made the decision to only sell one thousand talismans for now. That way, it wouldn¡¯t disrupt his sleep, and he got the chance to observe the impact it had on the market.

    One thousand was already a lot. Even seasoned brushweavers took a few minutes to inscribe simple talismans, with novices taking closer to fifteen minutes. Few brushweavers produced more than fifty talismans a day. His thousand had the same impact as having twenty brushweavers slaving away at nothing but Warding Talismans for him.

    Of course, their quality also had to be taken into account.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can you say that one more time? I thought I heard you say you want to sell a thousand talismans every day,¡± the guild worker continued.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Umm, okay. Sorry about that. Very few groups choose to produce only one type of talisman. Normally, when you have that many brushweavers working together, they collectively open a store instead or satisfy what¡¯s in high demand. You¡¯ll have to list out the names of every brushweaver you¡¯re working with and the quota they¡¯re responsible for, so we can add that to their records.¡±

    This time, it was Li Lang¡¯s turn to freeze up.

    Umm, how do I tell him it¡¯s just me without this becoming a big deal?

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 Chapter 184: Mortal-Grade Negotiating

    Li Lang cursed himself for his hastiness. As soon as he heard about the possible deal with the Brushweaver Guild, he rushed there immediately. He had planned how to deal with private businesses, where he could simply say it was a business secret to answer any touchy questions, but he was hesitant to lie to the guild.

    After all, the craft guilds were powerful organizations in their own right. Their ability to operate openly in both the orthodox and demonic factions¡¯ territories was a testament to that.

    Li Lang had been in the cultivator world long enough to know not to underestimate experts. They each had esoteric means that could achieve incredible things. It wasn¡¯t far-fetched that there were some who could tell if he was lying or even the divination he had once heard of. The only reason he wasn¡¯t more paranoid was because he learned that divination required a catalyst that belonged to the target.

    After weighing things through in his mind, he finally made the decision to proceed as planned.

    ¡°Unfortunately, my business partners do not want to reveal their identity. Please, just list my name alone.¡±

    ¡°What? Are you sure you have their consensus on this?¡± Mou Fong asked with a voice tinged with concern. ¡°If someone comes to dispute the claims later on, it won¡¯t end with just a simple scolding. It could result in certifications being revoked and banned from the guild.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am certain.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡ªgive me a few moments to convey your request to my superiors.¡±

    The guild employee then left the room in a hurry, rushing up the stairs of the guild. He even brushed past a few of his coworkers, who all stared at him in disbelief. They normally knew him as a calm and gentle man. It could have something to do with his low position, never having to come into contact with any important matters, but today that changed.

    A young man had walked into the guild, requesting not to sell a couple dozen talismans, but a long-term deal that was in the thousands. If the items involved weren¡¯t only at the Mortal-grade, Mou Fong doubted he could¡¯ve held his composure.

    He rushed back to the third floor, where the procurement department was located. He didn¡¯t bother with anyone he saw, heading straight for his superior¡¯s office. Despite the urgency in his step that stemmed from finally having gotten involved with a big transaction, he still had the discipline to first knock.

    However, before his knuckles made contact with the door, a voice rang out from behind it.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Mou Fong knew his manager was a esteemed Violet Core cultivator, so he wasn¡¯t surprised at his sharp perception. He entered the room as instructed and clasped his fist courteously to the old man with long white hair.

    ¡°Steward Zhou, I have a transaction that needs your attention.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Sit down first, Mou Fong. You¡¯ll have to wait for me to read over it, anyway.¡±

    Adjusting himself to the old man¡¯s pace, Mou Fong reined in his emotions and sat down. He then pushed the request sheet over to his superior. He mindfully kept his mouth shut as he let the old man go through the form he had written.

    He intently waited for the old man¡¯s response, but contrary to his expectation, what he heard next was a chuckle.

    ¡°Ha, is this what got you all worked up? These things do happen from time to time. However, it normally involves items of much greater value. I can¡¯t blame you for being surprised since you rarely deal with anything beyond Mortal-grade.¡±

    ¡°But Steward, is it okay to allow people to blatantly withhold information like this? It could be stolen goods for all we know.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but that isn¡¯t likely if their terms include supplying them with materials, and the deal being recurring instead of a onetime transaction. Either way, it isn¡¯t our business. If the brushweavers behind this request don¡¯t want their work recorded, then so be it.¡±

    ¡°Then are we accepting this proposal then?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. You can go. I¡¯ll take over negotiations from here. You don¡¯t have the experience to take charge of deals of this size yet.¡±

    ¡°Umm, can I not observe? I¡¯ll never have the experience if I¡¯m never allowed to get involved.¡±

    The old man kindly smiled while he stroked his long beard. While his expression was benevolent, Mou Feng couldn¡¯t help but shiver upon being so closely inspected by a Violet Core cultivator. The pressure caused him to hold his breath.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    This continued for some time as the old man held his gaze.

    ¡°Very well. You may tag along but don¡¯t remember to stay in the background. As demonic cultivators like us advance in major realms, it is common for their disposition to be drastically altered. You should treat them all like they¡¯re short-tempered brats to be safe.¡±

    ¡°But Steward Zhou, the other party¡ª¡±

    The old man held up a hand.

    ¡°We can discuss how to handle different types of clients later. For now, just stay silent and follow along.¡±

    Rebuked by his superior, Mou Fong could only keep quiet and walked behind the old man. They walked at a steady pace, garnering every passerby¡¯s attention. The guild had several elders of a similar rank and stature as Steward Zhou, but it didn¡¯t diminish their presence and authority when faced in person.

    Very soon, they arrived at the room where Li Lang had been waiting. Just as they stepped in, Steward Zhou frowned and turned back to his subordinate.

    ¡°Are you sure this is the right room?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Steward Zhou. This is Li Lang, who proposed the transaction I handed you just now.¡±

    An expression of shock could be seen on the elder¡¯s face as he alternated looks between the two young men around him. If it was in a normal building, Steward Zhou, with his high cultivation, would¡¯ve been able to detect the anomaly of the young cultivator in the room before they had gotten so close.

    However, the meeting rooms of the Brushweaver Guild were special. The materials of the walls were able to repel Qi detection for privacy¡¯s sake, catching the old man off-guard. He never expected the person who was the representative of such a sizable deal to be so young and only an Energy Gatherer.

    Even though the money involved with Mortal-grade goods was only a drop in the bucket for the guild, the quantity involved still made it substantial. It was incomprehensible to send a mortal to negotiate such a deal.

    Seeing the confusion, Li Lang took the initiative and stood up to greet the old man. He had just been told earlier that it could take a few days to weeks for a reply. With the arrival of someone clearly more important than Mou Fong, he believed he could realistically close the deal today.

    ¡°Steward Zhou, as your staff has said, I am Li Lang. I hope my sudden request hasn¡¯t disturbed you in any way.¡±

    Hearing this, the old man snapped out of it and nodded back.

    ¡°The Brushweaver Guild welcomes you. I¡¯ve heard the gist of it from Mou Fong here, but to confirm, you would like to supply the guild with one thousand Warding Talismans per day?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Steward.¡±

    ¡°You do realize that is a huge amount to suddenly drop on us? It won¡¯t be so easy to find buyers right away unless the price is discounted. However, that could also cause the market for Warding Talismans to crash. Do you and the people behind you understand the impact this would have?¡±

    Upon hearing those words, Li Lang instantly knew negotiations had begun.

    ¡°Of I understand, but I don¡¯t think the impact would be as great as you say. Warding Talismans of the Mortal-grade can practically be used by anyone. The market for it could be said to be one of the biggest there is. I¡¯m sure it is easy to expand the market for it. For example, maybe arrange a deal with the Merchant Guild? They have plenty of members who would rejoice at cheap Warding Talismans for their travels.¡±

    The old man said nothing, but simply held his gaze toward Li Lang. It caused him to internally panic, but outwardly, he remained composed.

    The pressure finally relaxed when the Steward Zhou slowly nodded three times.

    ¡°Your words may have some truth to it. However, such a deal would put the Brushweaver Guild¡¯s reputation on the line. How can we know that you¡¯ll be able to supply such an amount of talismans consistently? Both quantity and quality have to remain consistent for this to work out.¡±

    ¡°Steward Zhou, we both know that I can¡¯t provide a hundred percent certain guarantee. The best we can do is sign a binding contract with terms that¡¯ll compensate for any losses should we fail to uphold our end of the agreement.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, while your words make sense, I question the sincerity of your organization to send a youngster like you. How about we do it this way¡ªyou can do onetime transactions with us for the duration of this month. If we find that your work is satisfactory, we can negotiate a more permanent deal, then.¡±

    As much as Li Lang wanted to get everything over with right away, he knew he didn¡¯t have much leverage. Pushing too hard for a deal right away could ruin everything, so after a brief moment of deliberation, he nodded.

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll bring the first thousand tomorrow. Then I can come weekly after that.¡±

    ¡°Mou Fong here will assume responsibility for the transactions. Oh and if have any samples of the talismans in question right now, please leave some with us. We can save time tomorrow by getting the quote ready.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have a few with me,¡± Li Lang replied, taking out a few talismans from his space ring before turning to Mou Fong. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, then.¡±

    He then quickly departed from the guild. There was still much waiting for him to do before the day was over. He had to search for places more suitable for his group to stay and refine the education plan for his students.

    Unbeknownst to him, Steward Zhou and Mou Fong both squinted their eyes at the talismans he had left behind. They both blinked blankly, unable to speak for some time.

    ¡°Umm, Steward Zhou,¡± the young guild worker hesitantly called out.

    ¡°Yes, what is it?¡±

    ¡°Is it just me or are these all of subpar quality?¡±

    ¡°It¡ªisn¡¯t just you.¡±

    ¡°Are you still going to bring them over to the Merchant Guild to negotiate?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Trust is one of our most important assets. It¡¯s just the price¡ªthe price may be lower than predicted. Let¡¯s just hope they¡¯re still willing to sell the talismans after hearing about the price tomorrow. For that, I¡¯ll leave it up to you.¡±

    Placing a hand on the shoulder of the young guild worker, Steward Zhou shamelessly retreated.

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 Chapter 185: Finishing Errands

    After exiting the Brushweaver Guild, Li Lang sped through the streets with his Skyrunner. He was headed for the address Wei Ping had left him with. It was where he could find one of the agents who rented out various properties in the city. There were numerous of these agents throughout Emberglow, so Li Lang was thankful his friend had narrowed down a few with a good reputation.

    He arrived at a modest-looking house just off the main road. It was two stories with bright orange-brown tiles decorating the roofs. The front doors were wide open, with a man sitting inside, fanning himself as he watched people walk by.

    ¡°Greetings, Sir. Are you Cuo Zi, who manages some properties available for rent?¡±

    The man gave him a few slight nods before lazily turning to grab a biscuit off the table. His demeanor said it all. He was used to his position of power as the one who rented out various properties on behalf of his patron. He could literally choose who to rent the places to on a whim.

    Seeing this, Li Lang wasted no time. He had to get him to take him seriously.

    He took a deep breath and began channeling the Qi inside of him. The energy surrounding him flared up, and a cultivator had to be blind not to perceive it. If Cuo Zi hadn¡¯t noticed before, he definitely noticed Li Lang¡¯s cultivation now.

    His expression quickly changed to that of a businessman. He normally dealt with mortals, so he hadn¡¯t paid too much attention to the young man who had suddenly appeared. Realizing the truth, he was quick to change his tune. He was a classic example of bullying the weak and fearing the strong.

    How did Wei Ping come to the conclusion that this guy was reliable?

    ¡°Please excuse me, I was just too hungry, as this was my first meal of the day. How can I assist you today, Young Master¡ªerr?¡±

    ¡°I am Li Lang. I¡¯m here because I want to take a tour of some of the properties you manage.¡±

    ¡°Of course I can help you with that! I¡¯ll bring you to the finest place currently available right away!

    ¡°No need. I want to check out these places.¡± Li Lang handed over a piece of paper Wei Ping had given him. It was the address of the properties he had scouted out.

    ¡°No problem, no problem. Right this way.¡±

    Cuo Zi was the type of person Li Lang never liked being around. It reminded him of those so-called relatives who suddenly appeared back when he had achieved some success. That¡¯s why he urged the man to move quickly, using his Skyrunner.

    However, as their destination was on the outskirts, far away from the main roads, congestion was unavoidable. The roads were only so wide.

    ¡°Umm, Young Master, why don¡¯t we take to the skies? There¡¯s no need for you to wait for the foolish mortals ahead.¡±

    It was only at his words that Li Lang realized he could fly over the traffic. He had gotten too used to Polarity City and the other orthodox cities. In Emberglow, everyone had to fly up in order to leave the underground city, so there weren¡¯t any stringent restrictions on it.

    He didn¡¯t respond to Cuo Zi, but proceeded with his suggestion. During the entire trip, Cuo Zi didn¡¯t stop his attempts at buttering up to the cultivator, who had suddenly shown up. It made Li Lang pretend to be meditating, closing his eyes and ignoring his every word. Unfortunately, the man didn¡¯t shut up despite it.

    Li Lang let out a sigh of relief upon arriving at the first destination. A modest two-story house, much like the one he had found Cuo Zi in.

    Touring the place didn¡¯t take long at all. There weren¡¯t any additional amenities here, nor were there much of a view. The place was simply four walls and some windows. There was no furniture or anything notable inside.

    Taking a brief moment to jot down some notes within Ruby¡¯s artifact space, the two moved on.

    ¡°Hmm, not bad and spacious enough, but the building is way too close to others. We¡¯d probably be able to hear our neighbors if they got rowdy, which means the reverse is true.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Master deserves a much better place!¡± Ruby cried out. ¡°Maybe one of those penthouses on those tall buildings I¡¯ve seen from the memories?¡±

    ¡°Those¡ªaren¡¯t that spacious, and out of the question here. I doubt there are any condos around.¡±

    ¡°Maybe Master should buy a plot of land and build one, then.¡±

    ¡°Ha, trust me, I¡¯d love that. However, that¡¯d take too much time away from my research. I¡¯d rather go with something with less maintenance.¡±

    Not wanting to listen to Cuo Zi¡¯s voice any longer, Li Lang resorted to retreating to Ruby whenever he could. The little house shopping trip lasted all the way until the sky began to dim.

    In the end, Li Lang finalized a decision, as he didn¡¯t want to drag it out. He selected a small estate towards an area of town known as the Southern Dark Spot. Emberglow City was mainly illuminated by the orange crystals hanging on the ceilings. As the name implied, Li Lang¡¯s selected home was in an area where the light didn¡¯t have a good reach. It wasn¡¯t completely dark, but if one flew over the city, one would notice it as one of the dark spots found around the city.

    The reason he chose an estate in this area compared to all the other places was because of its spaciousness and affordability. Regular mortals were the majority in the city. While they had some cultivation, it was often shallow. They couldn¡¯t maintain channeling Qi to their eyes all day, so the various dark spots were naturally less desirable to live in.

    To cultivators in the late stages of Energy Gathering like him, it wasn¡¯t an issue at all. It was only their students that would have to suffer, but in a way, it was a good way to train them as well.

    With this important decision made, Li Lang headed straight back to the inn to share the news. He hoped they would move in the next day after gathering their belongings. He also wanted to get them to start building a list of all the daily necessities, bedding, and furniture they would need for their new place.

    However, what he didn¡¯t expect was to walk into an awkward conversation between Wei Ping and Ouyang Jie, one of the more timid among the students.

    ¡°Um, sorry. I overheard you talking about it with the other two teachers, but if you don¡¯t mind, can I go with you on your journey, Teacher Wei?¡±

    Walking in, Li Lang exchanged confused glances with his two companions. They were just as surprised at the boy¡¯s sudden request. Realizing they were all clueless, Wei Ping decided to prod for the reason.

    ¡°Why w-would you want to do that? We¡¯re going to o-officially start teaching all of you cultivation soon.¡±

    The young kid hesitated for a moment. It appeared his bravado of broaching the subject was quickly fading by the second. He replied with a voice that grew quieter the more he spoke.

    ¡°You could teach me the same things while on a trip as well, right?¡±

    His words left Li Lang speechless. He gave Wei Ping a meaningful look that said, ¡°This is your problem to solve. Good luck,¡± and went over to Long Yi to discuss the preparations for the move.

    ¡°Can y-you tell me the reason you want to come with me first?¡± Wei Ping continued.

    ¡°Umm, I just feel more comfortable with you.¡±

    Hearing this, Wei Ping sighed and slowly walked away, appearing to be in deep thought. Ouyang Jie followed him like a baby duckling while glancing around at Li Lang and Long Yi, asking if he had said something wrong with his gaze.

    Once Wei Ping reached the corner of the room, he finally spoke, but kept his back turned to the young boy.

    ¡°I¡¯m g-going to have to decline. You will stay here and study properly w-with those of your age.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯d rather be under your tutelage.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have t-to learn how to work with people you¡¯re not fond of eventually. Better now t-than later.

    The kid¡¯s breathing hastened as he got frustrated at being rejected. He tried to run off, but before he could take a step, Wei Ping grabbed onto his wrist.

    ¡°Listen. If you t-try to shun people without trying to get to know them, you¡¯ll n-never succeed. You m-may be an introvert like me, but that¡¯s no excuse. I¡¯m not s-saying you have to act like the others. Even if you don¡¯t want t-to talk, at least listen to them f-first. Trust me on this.¡±

    After having said his piece, Wei Ping let go of the boy, but instead of running off, he just stood there with a blank look. The masked youth didn¡¯t bother with Ouyang Jie anymore and walked away.

    With the scene over, Long Yi abruptly stopped mid-sentence and dragged Li Lang closer. He double-checked to see if Wei Ping truly had left before leaning over and whispered.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with that? I never knew Wei Ping had it in him to scold people like that. Should we do something about the boy?¡±

    Li Lang sighed at being pulled into petty gossip.

    ¡°Just leave them be. While his stutters may make you think he is timid, he usually selects his words carefully and is adaptable. Before he met you, he used to handle my communications with a bunch of kids from the streets. I doubt it¡¯s easy to get people to listen to you with that impediment, so he has come to know what to say and when to say it.¡±

    Before Long Yi could respond, Li Lang quickly escaped to his room. He was too busy for any more idle conversations. It was time for him to do a final check on the materials for the cultivation course they had prepared for the students. Classes would begin the next day.

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 Chapter 186: First Day of Class

    The next day, the trio led their students to the new place selected as their new home. Their belongings were still stowed in the space rings, so there was a minimal need for packing. They simply rode over to the Southern Dark Spot, directly to their new residence.

    Before they could rush in to assess the estate, Li Lang gave them some instructions first.

    ¡°You¡¯re all to be on cleaning duty for the entire morning. We must clean this place nicely before lunch, and we will then allocate the rooms based on your performance. Then, lessons will begin in the late afternoon. Are there any questions?¡±

    The kids looked around at each other, but no one said anything.

    ¡°Then get to it!¡±

    Immediately, a competitive glint could be seen from many of them. It was their chance to secure better living quarters, and many were eager to show off. After all, many of them had grade-one aptitude, so they were excited at this chance to cultivate.

    However, the excitement quickly died down as soon as they entered the main house. It wasn¡¯t because they already felt daunted at the task of cleaning, but simply due to the lack of light inside.

    As the place hadn¡¯t had anyone living in it for some time, there were no lit candles or crystals to illuminate the interiors. Being located in a dark spot, the young children who had yet to master channel Qi into their eyes could only wait for their eyes to adjust. Even then, they relied on the small bit of light leaking from the outside.

    One of the more sharp-minded children quickly realized their predicament and ran up to Li Lang.

    ¡°Teacher Li, can you lend us a light source?¡±

    Li Lang glanced down at the kid with an amused expression.

    ¡°Xiao Dong, was it? Sorry, but you kids will have to rely on yourselves. Search around for materials and use that brain of yours or let your eyes adjust. Just don¡¯t accidentally burn down the place. We¡¯ll be watching.¡±

    Hearing his words, a few of the kids persisted and swiftly got to work without any more complaints. Those few failed to realize that while their eyes adjusting could work near the windows, it wouldn¡¯t help further in where it was completely dark.

    The trio watched this without muttering a word, as they had discussed this the night prior. It was to be a part of their training.

    Moving at a leisurely pace, they stowed away their Skyrunners and slowly followed behind the children into the house.

    ¡°Have you gotten everything you needed for your travels, Wei Ping?¡± Li Lang asked. ¡°Because you can go shopping if you want. Long Yi should be able to manage alone.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I w-will take you up on your offer, then.¡±

    As Wei Ping was walking away, Long Yi quickly turned to his companion.

    ¡°What do you mean, alone?¡±

    ¡°It means exactly as it sounds. You had previously said that while you can¡¯t help with recruiting, you can at least watch over the kids, right? I have some business to finish.¡±

    With that, they each split up to do their own tasks. Long Yi would supervise the children, Li Lang heading for the Brushweaving Guild, while Wei Ping prepared for his journey.

    The transaction at the Brushweaving Guild didn¡¯t take long at all. When Li Lang got there, he was quickly quoted a price, and he accepted it on the spot. He knew the quality of his products, so he had no complaints about the price. It was still profitable, and he managed to replenish his materials in bulk.

    By the time he returned, the cleaning was already finished. With a dozen kids, it took no time at all.

    They completed everything before lunch. It gave them enough time to spare to head out to purchase additional bedding and furniture for the home.

    The estate wasn¡¯t large. It only had one main house, along with a small, empty courtyard. People normally planted trees, dug ponds, and filled the space with gravel for decoration, but the group had other uses in mind. They would turn it into an open field, where they had ample room to cultivate various martial and Qi arts.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Inside the house, there was an empty main hall. It connected to several paths that led further into the building. It was where the living quarters lay. There were a total of four large rooms and eight smaller rooms. To be precise, they weren¡¯t rooms, but small houses with roofed walkways that were connected to the main hall. Between each room was even a small garden, though it was currently barren.

    After stocking their pantry with supplies and furnishing the rooms with bedding, everyone had an idea of how the rooms would be split. Two of the small rooms were equipped with four sets of sheets, while another two only had two. It was obvious the high performers only needed to share a room with one other person.

    It was a rare privilege in most places except for the wealthiest of sects. Even in those powerful organizations, a private room was only made possible by making the living area the bare minimum.

    Li Lang¡¯s room in Spirit Grove was a testament to that. It could barely fit the bed and desk.

    ¡°I won¡¯t keep you all waiting,¡± Li Lang proclaimed before his gathered students. ¡°There are four top performances today, and they are Wu San, Xiao Dong, Shi Yan, and Chu Qinghe. They will be split according to their gender. The rest of you can split up into two groups of four at your own discretion.¡±

    The two boys and girls stepped forward excitedly at being commended for their performance, while the others moaned at their misfortune. Only Ouyang Jie remained expressionless and silently stood there while the groups were formed.

    Li Lang could see his fingers twitch a few times, trying to interject himself into conversations, but never happened in the end. He simply pretended not to see and sent the kids off to their new rooms to get settled.

    ¡°Sucks for you kids!¡± Long Yi teasingly cried out. ¡°An adult like me gets his own large house!¡±

    His words caused the kids to jeer at him as they walked by, with some even whispering about a plot to get their revenge, but the mood was light-hearted.

    Once they were all gone, Li Lang returned to his own abode, also one of the large houses, so he could return to his lab to continue his work. While he treasured his time, it still felt like it passed excruciatingly fast. It reminded him of his old busy schedules. With more to do, time flew by.

    Soon, everyone in the new estate, even Wei Ping, gathered in the barren courtyard for their first lesson.

    While the majority of them had already stepped foot onto cultivation, reaching the first stage of Energy Gathering, there were still a few who were completely new. To Li Lang, that didn¡¯t matter. He would still be explaining cultivation from scratch. After all, he would be teaching his methods from now on, not anyone else¡¯s.

    ¡°The first step to cultivation is to be able to sense Qi, the energy that allows you to wield the power of cultivators. For those who haven¡¯t learned to sense Qi yet, either I or one of the other teachers will assist you. For those who already know, I¡¯ll be going over the cultivation technique to absorb this Qi into your body so you may expand its capacity to store more of this energy. Be warned. It will be a painful process.¡±

    The lesson began, with Li Lang giving a detailed background on how cultivation works. Wei Ping even had to nudge him to get to the point, which was sharing the cultivation technique he devised. He knew the black hole method he used wasn¡¯t something he could teach after just a few weeks of education.

    Even if he could, it wasn¡¯t that instrumental to their advancement, as it only shortened the cultivation time one needed to hit their limit. The key lay in the Cleansing Drug. Still, he didn¡¯t slack off in his teachings.

    Instead of the black hole method, he explained a new cultivation method with the aid of a prop. This prop was made using the help of his Primordial Star Fire, some silica, and his artificing techniques. It wasn¡¯t an artifact, but it was a genuine microscope.

    ¡°Each of you will now take a look through this microscope. You must learn that the human body is full of holes called pores. They are there for various functions of the body. For example, the Eccrine sweat glands is where your sweat leaks out from. The Sebaceous pores are where your hair grows from.¡±

    At the sound of someone exaggeratedly clearing their throat, Li Lang quickly got back on track.

    ¡°What you simply need to do is retain an image of all these little holes around your body. You will use the image of numerous pores to absorb all the ambient Qi in the surroundings.¡±

    With only a dozen students, they each had a turn with the microscope within a few minutes. Some of them were confused at what they saw, needing further clarification, while others were surprised. However, none of them were particularly shocked, as it was something they mentioned during one of the previous lessons on human biology.

    ¡°Now, allow me to demonstrate this technique. All of you, place a hand on me. I will direct some Qi through all of you before invoking the technique.¡±

    The students quickly gathered as told, placing a hand around his shoulders and arms. Then, Li Lang manipulated the Qi to course through each of their hands, allowing those who hadn¡¯t sensed Qi before an opportunity to do so.

    As someone in the eighth stage of Energy Gathering, this was only too easy of a task. After all, he could even move the Qi freely when it was outside of his body.

    Just when the lesson was going smoothly, every student who could feel the gentle stream of Qi suddenly cried out in alarm. The gentle stream abruptly turned into a violent whirlwind. Seeing this, Long Yi quickly took action.

    He dove into the crowd of students, pushing them all away.

    ¡°All of you, step back!¡±

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 Chapter 187: Start Line on the Horizon

    The children all stared with their mouths agape at the unexpected turn of events. Their teacher¡¯s Qi spontaneously increased in intensity. It hadn¡¯t directly affected or hurt them in any way, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that it caught them all off-guard.

    ¡°Teacher Long, what is happening?¡± Xiao Dong shouted from amidst the shocked flock of students.

    ¡°Keep moving back. Li Lang is breaking through!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing? Why do we have to retreat?¡±

    ¡°When he finishes, he probably won¡¯t be in complete control of himself after breaking through. He¡¯ll likely jump up and release his pent-up power. It could easily hurt you, so you kids can¡¯t approach him!¡±

    Without a word, Wei Ping had already begun dragging one student after the other back into the house. If he wasn¡¯t so mindful to be gentle with them, he likely would¡¯ve picked them all up at once.

    Despite his efforts, the curious children still poked their heads out from the building to continue spectating. Instead of pushing them back inside, Long Yi and Wei Ping positioned themselves between them and Li Lang.

    Everyone then watched as they felt the ambient Qi twirl around them, rushing toward the man experiencing an untimely breakthrough.

    It wasn¡¯t exactly Li Lang¡¯s fault, though. Spontaneous breakthroughs happened when one had adequate accumulation and luck. Some said it was when a cultivator had an epiphany. It was the preferable method of breakthrough, as opposed to the forcefully induced method. The only downside was that once it started, it couldn¡¯t be stopped. Otherwise, it could cause severe damage to the cultivator.

    After all the training he had done in the past few years, combined with the creation of his first artifact, Li Lang obviously met the first condition. However, right now, Li Lang¡¯s mind was racing to understand what the trigger was. At the same time, he tried to memorize his experiences.

    They do say teaching is the best way of learning. Is that simply it, or did my accumulation hit the limit, causing this breakthrough?

    With so many thoughts going through his head, Li Lang visibly frowned with a scrunched-up expression.

    To the onlookers, they suspected he was enduring unimaginable pain because of the breakthrough.

    ¡°Will Teacher Li really be okay?¡± one of the children muttered.

    Their words caused the seed of anxiety to spread among the others. They were all worried about their mentor, who had only just begun his lessons. They all still needed him to become cultivators themselves, so they all cheered him on.

    ¡°You can do it Teacher Li!¡±

    ¡°Show us how to overcome a breakthrough!¡±

    ¡°Endure it! Teach us by example!¡±

    Unfortunately, none of their words reached Li Lang¡¯s ears. He was too focused on what was happening to his body.

    He could feel the Qi inside him constantly burst outward in all directions, trying to rip him to pieces, but then it would reverse its flow, trying to converge to his navel. While the change in pressure was torturous, it still wasn¡¯t worth his attention at the moment.

    He was single-mindedly focused on how his body was changing. He felt like every possible part of him that had the potential to hold Qi was exhausted, and his navel was feeling strange.

    Before he could grasp exactly what this strangeness was, it all stopped as quickly as it had started. The energies inside his body returned to being under his control. He was brimming with power.

    Having experienced multiple breakthroughs by now, Li Lang didn¡¯t give in to the urge to just stand up and release everything. Instead, He gathered his power, made it exit his body, and had it whirl around him before calmly returning.

    It managed to alleviate his urge for release, and everything soon returned to normalcy.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Congratulations! It seems you¡¯ve caught up to me!¡±

    Li Lang turned to find Long Yi walking over with a wide smile.

    ¡°C-congrats, Boss. I¡¯ll make sure I-I make the most of my trip and catch u-up soon!¡±

    Witnessing the adults relax, the children knew the danger was over. They all poured out of the building and surrounded Li Lang with excitement.

    ¡°Teacher, do you really have grade-one aptitude? How is it possible that you¡¯ve reached the peak of Energy Gathering before your twenties, if that is true?¡±

    Some barraged Li Lang with questions, while others suddenly got down to the lotus position on the spot and began cultivating themselves. They used the method they had just learned in a desperate attempt to follow suit. Some mistakenly believed the cultivation method was what was special.

    They couldn¡¯t be faulted, as Li Lang had yet to release any details about the Cleansing Drug. It was just too sensitive of a matter when he couldn¡¯t predict how the cultivation world would react to it. Still, he resolved himself to reveal some of its secrets to his students. He needed them to cooperate with his experiments.

    ¡°Everything will be explained one step at a time. For today, all of you should focus on learning this new cultivation method and sensing Qi. Remember to call one of us once you¡¯ve reached your limit. We will tell you the next step then.¡±

    The lesson soon resumed. Inspired by Li Lang¡¯s breakthrough, all the children worked extra toward mastering what they were taught.

    One by one, they would raise their hands once they¡¯d cultivated to their limits, and one of the trio would lead them inside. Only in the privacy of the house would they then reveal the white powdery substance to them, giving them a brief introduction and how to use the Cleansing Drug.

    After teaching the student about the drug, Li Lang made his way back out to tend to the others when he happened to catch a glimpse of Long Yi explaining to yet another student.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the details. Just stick to the dosage and cultivate without thinking too hard about it. You can dissolve it in water or directly consume it. Just don¡¯t snort it, or so I¡¯ve been told.¡±

    It was at those words that Li Lang suddenly realized how sketchy their actions appeared. They each guided a child into the house and dealt them a white powdery substance in a bag for consumption. It was the result of Li Lang¡¯s attempt to save time by forgoing the film coating for the Cleansing Drugs.

    Hmm, maybe it¡¯s time I refine this into a pill or at least get better packaging for it. It may be a drug, but I don¡¯t want to look like a drug dealer.

    Many things were learned on the first day of lessons. The trio were new teachers themselves. They all gathered after dinner to discuss and refine their education plan based on the experiences from the day.

    ¡°I t-think we should hire some mortals to do t-the odd job. Even if the k-kids can do the cleaning, we still need a cook. It¡¯ll s-save us a lot of time.¡±

    ¡°Wei Ping is right.¡± Long Yi nodded in favor. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to have seconds today because we didn¡¯t make enough for their ravenous children!¡±

    ¡°Agreed. I¡¯ll ask around tomorrow. Hiring a regular person shouldn¡¯t be that difficult. I wanted to have the kids learn how to do everything eventually, as these are skills they need to survive. I guess I¡¯ve been too hasty.¡±

    ¡°Umm, I-I¡¯ve decided to leave tomorrow. Sorry, I won¡¯t b-be able to help.¡±

    ¡°No problem. Make sure to send regular letters to us through The Orchid Covenant if you stray too far from Emberglow. We¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Ha, do pick up any interesting souvenir if you travel to novel places,¡± Long Yi chimed in. ¡°As for now, let¡¯s drink and snack! It¡¯ll be some time before you return home, right?¡±

    ¡°Stop making it sound like we¡¯re drinking alcohol. It¡¯s just tea. Don¡¯t want to let those kids get the wrong idea,¡± Li Lang reprimanded.

    ¡°As if drinking alcohol is a big deal. We¡¯re adults now. Plus, we won¡¯t be able to get drunk on mortal drinks once we reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. We should try things out while we still can.¡±

    Their conversation soon devolved into mundane chatter and the three friends partied amongst themselves. They merrily chatted and reminisced everything they had experienced so far. The mood was melancholic, as they finally got to the point where things appeared would settle down. To them, it felt like a much-needed break after years of nonstop training and events. Like that, the three of them naturally decided to spend the night in Li Lang¡¯s room.

    The large houses were spacious, and they had ample bedding in their space rings. While they regularly traveled together, Li Lang couldn¡¯t remember the last time they sat down and relaxed, like tonight.

    There¡¯s a huge difference between going from inn to inn and finally having a place you can call home.

    ¡°You two asleep?¡± Li Lang muttered after being lost in thought for some time.

    Only the sound of snoring came, so he soon turned in for the night himself.

    This is nice. I¡¯d love for this to continue, having a carefree life while I leisurely researched what I wanted. However, Zi Xi and Zi Xiaomei are waiting for me somewhere. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re still alive if that demonic cultivator managed to earn the moniker The Abductress, and not The Killer.

    I¡¯m finally at the peak of Energy Gathering. I¡¯m only a small step away from truly walking the path of a cultivator. I wonder if they¡¯re any real immortals around?

    Li Lang¡¯s thoughts began to wander, as he inevitably slipped into slumber.

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 Chapter 188: Observe and Learn

    The next day, everyone gathered to send Wei Ping off on his journey. No one said much as everything that needed to be said had already been said the day prior. They watched as Wei Ping summoned a Skyrunner in the open courtyard.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to take the old Skyrunner?¡± Li Lang asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like we plan on traveling anytime soon, so you can take my new one if you want. It¡¯ll save you a lot of time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s o-okay. I¡¯m not in a rush to go anywhere. Plus, I-I plan to finish my own Skyrunner s-soon.¡±

    As a woodsmith disciple, Wei Ping had naturally learned how Skyrunners were made. However, it was a process that took a long time, but it seemed it would soon finally bear fruit.

    ¡°Well then, have a safe trip.¡±

    Wei Ping nodded and boarded his transport. As he slowly took to the skies, everyone below waved. They continued to do so until his vehicle was just a blip in the distance.

    ¡°Okay everyone, since we¡¯re gathered here already, let¡¯s continue our training,¡± Li Lang declared.

    The students quickly changed gears upon hearing that. Only Long Yi complained.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we at least have breakfast first?¡±

    ¡°Take a Nourishment Pill if you can¡¯t stand it.¡±

    Li Lang threw over a small pill bottle at him. Long Yi immediately examined its contents and found a bright yellow pill.

    ¡°This a new flavor?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, try it and tell me what you think.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, maybe later. Nothing beats real food.¡±

    ¡°Then stand there and wait.¡±

    With that, Li Lang directed his attention back to his students.

    ¡°Since we have gone over how to sense Qi and use it for your cultivation yesterday, today we will be going over how to utilize this power. Before I proceed, if any of you are still struggling with what we went over yesterday, please go to Long Yi now. Remember, there¡¯s no shame in taking your time to learn properly.¡±

    No one moved. The ability to perceive Qi wasn¡¯t something difficult. There was a reason why almost anyone could cultivate if they wanted to. It was just that the efficiency was too low if they had low aptitude.

    As for the cultivation technique Li Lang imparted to them, most of their questions were already resolved yesterday when they were receiving the Cleansing Drug.

    ¡°Okay, then I will proceed. Utilizing your Qi should be as easy as yesterday¡¯s lesson. The hard part is to use it efficiently, which is what martial and Qi arts are for. To start, we¡¯ll learn some easy applications that are most relevant to you right now.¡±

    The young teacher gestured for his students to come close.

    ¡°You may already have noticed, but our little manor here is within the Southern Dark Spot of Emberglow City. I know some of you were having trouble moving about last night, so we¡¯ll be learning how to see in the darkness.¡±

    Seeing the children nod attentively, he pointed at one of them at random.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be going first. Come stand in front of me.¡±

    The selected student, a girl by the name of Shi Yan, fearlessly did as instructed.

    ¡°What do you need me to do next?¡± she gallantly shouted out.

    ¡°Grasp some of the Qi within your body. Try to move it around.¡±

    The girl closed her eyes tightly and began sensing the energies in her body. Li Lang placed a hand on her back, tracking her progress. He patiently waited for her to get used to controlling Qi. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re moving it. Now try to bring it up to where your eyes are.¡±

    Shi Yan struggled less by the second, but she was still clumsy with her control. However, precision wasn¡¯t needed yet. She managed to successfully complete her task after a few seconds.

    ¡°Now, fuse that energy into your eyes. Remember, your intent is what matters here.¡±

    ¡°Am I doing it right?¡± the girl asked.

    ¡°Just open your eyes and check.¡±

    While hesitant, as Shi Yan hadn¡¯t felt any changes, she still opened her eyes and started looking around. To her surprise, everyone appeared with more clarity than usual.

    A few gasps of surprise sounded out beside her, as she wasn¡¯t the only one who had been doing as their teacher instructed. A few impatient students were also following along and they too successfully directed their Qi into their eyes.

    ¡°Feel free to walk around and get used to it. Teacher Long and I will go around to make sure you all get the hang of it.¡±

    Like that, the group was soon engrossed in their training, swiftly moving on from Wei Ping¡¯s departure.

    They settled into a routine, and with the help of the Cleansing Drug, the newcomers broke through one after the other.

    After an entire month, all of them were at least in the third stage of Energy Gathering, with several who were even in the fourth stage thanks to their grade two aptitude.

    During this entire time, neither Li Lang nor Long Yi slacked off on their training.

    Li Lang also continued with his various research projects, studying the effects of his new Nourishment Pill to ensure its efficacy and mapping the meridians for each of his students to study.

    While a dozen cultivators were a sizeable number, it was nowhere near enough to satisfy Li Lang for all his experiments. After all, he also had to continue his research into his poisons and all the other things that piqued his curiosity. There was no way he could get his students to act as test subjects for so many topics.

    That was why, after a month of observations, he concluded he needed more test subjects. He wasn¡¯t going to find more cultivators right away, though. Instead, he went to procure Qi beasts just like many demonic cultivators would.

    His trip also acted as a cover story for his students before they registered as members of The Orchid Covenant. It would only be too suspicious if a bunch of demonic cultivators had never ventured out or had a history of procuring Qi beasts to advance so quickly in their cultivation.

    Before breakfast, Li Lang ordered everyone to assemble so he could explain to them the situation.

    ¡°Is everyone here?¡± Li Lang looked around the empty main hall, sitting in one of the only two chairs around.

    One of his students, Wu San, politely stepped forward and clasped his fist toward Li Lang.

    ¡°We¡¯re just missing Teacher Long.¡±

    That Long Yi is only ever on time for breakfast.

    ¡°Someone go get him¡ª¡±

    Before Li Lang could finish his sentence, a distant voice interrupted him.

    ¡°Li Lang! I think I¡¯m going to make my attempt!¡±

    The familiar voice silenced the entire hall, as they all glanced in the direction it originated from. Then the students turned to the only teacher with them, waiting for his instructions.

    ¡°Everyone is dismissed. Do not approach Long Yi¡¯s house for now. I¡¯ll call for you when it¡¯s over.¡±

    Without waiting for his students¡¯ response, Li Lang briskly walked out of the hall and toward the house where Long Yi lived.

    He charged in without knocking to find his friend sitting with crossed legs on his bed. He had his eyes closed with a solemn expression. In his hand was a pill that exuded an aura of energy. Li Lang would never fail to recognize the Foundation Pill the received as a reward for helping Tai Xilun from the Bloodwave Conclave.

    He had been dying to study it, but it wasn¡¯t an item he could easily obtain. If he allowed Ruby to consume it, it would prevent them from using it for their eventual breakthrough.

    ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± Long Yi said. ¡°I have to start soon. I have a feeling I can do it, so I don¡¯t want to delay it any longer.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to cast the Tracing Origin Art every so often. Like we planned. I¡¯m going to ask you questions as you go. You don¡¯t have to answer.¡±

    Long Yi nodded. He then threw the pill into his mouth and swallowed it in one go.

    Seeing this, Li Lang retreated a few steps away and got into a meditative stance himself. While he couldn¡¯t monitor what was going on in Long Yi¡¯s body, he could still observe the surroundings.

    Soon, the ambient Qi in the surroundings trembled as they whirled around the young man, attempting his breakthrough.

    As instructed, Long Yi monitored the movement of this new gust of Qi by using the Tracing Origin Art. He had previously mapped out his meridians, so he was tasked with seeing if his breakthrough would change anything.

    While watching this, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but remember Sima Xue¡¯s words. She had said once they managed to step into the Foundation Establishment realm, they should immediately find an Earth-grade cultivation technique to complement it.

    People say cultivation techniques become more important as they go up in realm, but why is that? It shouldn¡¯t just be different ways to absorb Qi. Sima Xue said we¡¯ll understand once the time arrives.

    Please succeed, Long Yi. I need you to tell me the secrets of cultivation techniques. Maybe then I¡¯ll be able to come up with a way to assist people with low aptitude like me to break through.

 Chapter 189: Questioning the Breakthrough

    Long Yi¡¯s breakthrough attempt continued under the watchful gaze of Li Lang. So far, nothing had deviated from the time they observed Tang Yulian¡¯s breakthrough back in the pocket realm. Long Yi had begun to glow as the ambient Qi formed a vortex around him.

    The intensity at which the Qi rushed to Long Yi finally relaxed after some time. Instead, the spot on his navel that shone began to grow in size.

    It was as if the light was slowly being stretched out like a balloon.

    This went in line with what Li Lang knew about the process of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. One¡¯s Qi had reached a saturation point and now had to converge in the cultivator¡¯s dantian in the navel area.

    This stage was also the most dangerous part of the ordeal. If the cultivator lost control, all the gathered Qi would be released all at once. It would result in a violent explosion within their body, certainly ending their lives.

    It was why any sane cultivator would ingest a Foundation Pill before attempting a breakthrough.

    The Foundation Pill created a barrier around a cultivator¡¯s dantian and would prevent such a violent explosion. It was like a brace that would instead let the Qi leak up at a steady pace in the event of a failed attempt. It allowed the cultivator to safely fail, letting them try again later.

    Even though Li Lang knew this meant his friend¡¯s breakthrough was deemed safe because of the pill, he couldn¡¯t help but worry. The Foundation Pill didn¡¯t prevent all the pain one had to endure as the Qi tried to converge on one point of the body. It then expanded, further adding to the discomfort.

    Li Lang knew severe and unrelenting pain was dangerous. It could induce stress responses in the body that release large amounts of adrenaline and other stress hormones. That could lead to cardiac arrest or even organ failure.

    There were also various other conditions that could occur, like neurogenic shock and other mental health impacts. While he knew cultivators had a sturdier constitution, anything could still happen.

    Hours passed as Long Yi continued to persist.

    Sweat drenched his robes as Li Lang occasionally asked him a few questions.

    ¡°Are meridian channels still the same?¡±

    No answer came, so kept quiet for some time before trying again.

    ¡°Can you feel any difference in your Qi yet?¡±

    This time, he received a slight nod, but no words followed it.

    Hours passed, and early morning soon became late afternoon.

    Nine hours after the ordeal started, Long Yi suddenly grunted. He released an intense wave of Qi, accompanied by the sound of something crackling.

    Li Lang couldn¡¯t even react to the noise before a flash of lightning suddenly struck down at his friend. It caused Long Yi to tense up and couldn¡¯t even open his mouth as he endured the pain. The lightning was only an instant, but the aftereffects remained for several long minutes before Long Yi¡¯s breathing steadied again.

    The ambient Qi quickly returned to normal, leaving Long Yi silently sitting there, taking deep breaths.

    Nothing happened after that for some time until his aura abruptly changed in an instant. Li Lang could now feel the formidable presence of a Foundation Establishment cultivator gushing out from his friend.

    Long Yi had succeeded!

    Others would be surprised at his successful first attempt, but no one present was. Long Yi had been steadily cultivating while in the last stage of Energy Gathering for years. His accumulation was more than enough.

    Long Yi slowly opened his eyes and grinned upon seeing his friend.

    ¡°Looks like it all worked out,¡± he casually blurted out.

    He inspected his body for a moment before standing up to stretch out his body.

    ¡°You sure you¡¯re in shape to move around right away?¡± Li Lang asked.

    ¡°Yeah, I feel better than ever! Not counting how sweaty I am and the drenched clothes, of course.¡±

    ¡°Did your meridian channels end up changing? You didn¡¯t exactly give me a precise answer earlier.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Well, yeah. It took everything I had to make out your words. My meridians seem to be the same, just¡ªthicker now. More Qi can pass through each of my spiritual roots.¡±

    Having answered one question, Long Yi was soon barraged with a dozen others. The questioning lasted for another hour until he was finally set free. He quickly went to wipe himself and change clothes while Li Lang went to gather his students once more.

    He didn¡¯t beat around the bush and announced the news to them as soon as they gathered.

    ¡°Everyone, there the ordeal is over. Teacher Long has successfully broken through to Foundation Establishment!¡±

    Gasps of admiration could be heard, as many of them began to dream about having similar accomplishments themselves. Li Lang swiftly continued before they got ahead of themselves.

    ¡°With that said, you can ask him about his experiences at a later date. He needs to rest and stabilize his cultivation right now. As for us, we have an errand to run today. We¡¯ll be going to Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Woah, woah. Don¡¯t count me out so fast.¡±

    Everyone turned to find Long Yi approaching. Some wanted to run towards him to question his experiences, but the children all quickly reined in their excitement. Despite their age, they had become mindful of etiquette. It was due to their desire to respect their teachers, who had allowed them to progress their cultivation so quickly, at a pace they never dreamt of before.

    ¡°Congratulations, Teacher Long!¡± they shouted in unison.

    ¡°Long Yi¡ªWhat are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°You were about to say you¡¯re bringing everyone to the bazaar, right? I want to tag along.¡±

    ¡°Learn to rest already!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from someone who interrogated me for an hour immediately after my breakthrough. Plus, I need to grab a new cultivation technique, right? How else am I supposed to answer your questions?¡±

    His words made Li Lang speechless, and he could only nod. He then proceeded to explain the goal of their trip to the Bloodwave Conclave bazaar to his students as if nothing happened.

    ¡°You¡¯re all to register as members of The Orchid Covenant soon. As demonic cultivators, you¡¯ll need to be seen procuring Qi beasts for your cultivation to dispel any suspicions.¡±

    ¡°Umm, Teacher Li,¡± Xiao Dong interrupted. ¡°Do we really all have to go? We don¡¯t need to be there for the purchase, right?¡±

    ¡°Good question. You¡¯re right in that you don¡¯t have to go, but I thought this would be a good chance to bring you guys to shop for martial and Qi arts. You haven¡¯t learned anything yet, right?¡±

    This caused a stir within the group of students. For the past month, they had done nothing but cultivate. Once they used up their quota of Cleansing Drugs for the day, they would then be ordered to clean around the manor or help with the kitchen staff.

    The young cultivators had long grown restless, wanting to practice something more cultivator-like. They had grown up hearing stories about what powerful cultivators could do and wanted an outlet for their newfound power.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. You¡¯ll be able to find more techniques once you officially become members of The Orchid Covenant, so you don¡¯t have to make a decision right away. Remember, it¡¯s better to practice and master a few techniques rather than a dozen. Those of you interested in crafts should also wait until then.¡±

    Despite being an official alchemist and brushweaver, Li Lang had declined to teach over the past month. He only had so much time, and he had to use it sparingly for the sake of his research. That¡¯s why he had his students seek out mentors like they had once done when they joined the organization.

    After a few more reminders, the group set forth for the bazaar. They walked the entire way, as their only Skyrunner couldn¡¯t fit them all.

    Even with all the wealth Li Lang had accumulated with his talisman business, he was hesitant to spend it. He was preparing for the expensive research regarding the path to the Foundation Establishment realm.

    While it took some time, they safely arrived before the massive cliff wall that was the entrance to the Bloodwave Conclave bazaar. They blended into the crowd of people entering the lively market.

    Long Yi then led the group down the path that led to the cultivation techniques library while Li Lang alone ventured toward the Qi beast area.

    The Qi beast area was the largest section of the entire bazaar. After all, they were one of the most important resources for demonic cultivators.

    Having been there before, Li Lang briskly walked around in search of his target. He wasn¡¯t after anything specific. He just wanted to buy the same type of beasts in bulk.

    While he was conversing with one of the vendors, the shopkeeper suddenly paused mid-sentence, bowing respectfully at the person standing behind Li Lang.

    ¡°Li Lang, it¡¯s been some time,¡± a man¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve grown yet again.¡±

    Li Lang turned to find a familiar face wearing black and red robes. He was a little taken aback at the sudden appearance of his acquaintance, but quickly composed himself.

    ¡°Greetings, Senior Tai. I¡¯m surprised you still recognized me.¡±

    The man before him was Tai Xilun, the head disciple of the Bloodwave Conclave. Li Lang almost wanted to ask why he was here, but then remembered this was their turf.

    ¡°Just because you¡¯ve grown bigger doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t recognize you. Your distinct physique may no longer be so distinct, but your features remain the same.¡±

    Li Lang chuckled at the mention of his big head. His body¡¯s growth had caught up, so it was now only considered slightly larger than average. Still, he was surprised so many people recognized him like Elder Cao.

    ¡°Senior Tai, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll come formally greet you another day. I have to hurry today, as some people are waiting for me.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, could you spare a few minutes? The reason I¡¯ve come to find you today is because I¡¯ve got an important message to relay to you.¡±

    What? He didn¡¯t accidentally stumble upon me and was searching for me?

    Seeing Li Lang silent, Tai Xilun continued.

    ¡°We can¡¯t exactly delay it. It¡¯s an official missive from Nightmoon Valley.¡±

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 Chapter 190: Official Missive

    Li Lang followed the man in red and black robes as he mulled over the situation. He had just been shopping for Qi beasts when Tai Xilun approached him with a message from Nightmoon Valley that completely bewildered him.

    He had no idea what the reason behind this missive was. In the grand scheme of things, he was just the tiniest of fish within the pond that was known as the Violet Isles. He believed there was nothing remarkable about him that could¡¯ve drawn the attention of the de facto leader of the demonic cultivators.

    He may have been friends with Sima Xue who had tremendous standing within Nightmoon Valley, but this premier organization should¡¯ve been professional enough to keep their member¡¯s personal life away from official business.

    A missive sounds too formal. It shouldn¡¯t be from Sima Xue, but then who? The only other person I am acquainted with is Jian Beiyun, but this doesn¡¯t seem like something he¡¯d do either.

    Tai Xilun continued to guide the young man without knowing his actions had caused him to fret. He walked facing forward, always with perfect posture. The two soon made their way out of the public area of the bazaar and into the private area of the Bloodwave Conclave. The two separate zones were divided by a small security checkpoint manned by a Foundation Establishment disciple of the conclave.

    ¡°Senior Tai,¡± the guard called out and nodded respectfully. He only gave Li Lang a cursory glance before standing back at attention. He knew better than to question their head disciple about his guests.

    Bloodwave Conclave¡¯s base was built inside the walls on the edge of Emberglow City. It was essentially an underground base with low ceilings, but every few paces hung a chandelier with the same orange crystal seen outside to illuminate the corridors.

    Once they stepped further in, the ground was even adorned with velvet red carpets that looked brand new.

    ¡°So, I heard you ventured into Polarity City recently. How was it?¡± Tai Xilun asked without looking back.

    ¡°Um, it was my first time attending an auction, so there were a lot of things I¡¯d never seen before.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I still remember my first time there. It felt weird peacefully sitting around those righteous hypocrites, but it was also eye-opening. It¡¯s a necessary experience for young people like you.¡±

    ¡°Then¡ªif I may ask. How come Huang Si and other disciples of the Bloodwave Conclave weren¡¯t there? I may have missed them with so many people, but I didn¡¯t see a single person wearing your conclave¡¯s robes.¡±

    ¡°Huang Si has been there before. I¡¯m not clear as to why the others didn¡¯t attend, as that is their respective master¡¯s business, but I assume most of them are still digesting their gains from the pocket realm. There are many things one needs to do both before and after breaking into the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, any particulars I should know about? My friend, Long Yi, had just broken through recently.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    This prompt response caused Li Lang to slow down his steps. Long Yi had just broken through before they immediately headed here. There was no way news traveled that fast, even if his students leaked the news. That left him with the possibility that people had been monitoring them.

    Sensing Li Lang lagging behind, Tai Xilun turned around but didn¡¯t say anything. It was as if he knew what was going to come out of Li Lang¡¯s mouth next and was only waiting for it.

    ¡°Senior¡ªWhere did you hear the news?¡±

    ¡°Before your thoughts wander, just know that a breakthrough is a very special occasion for any cultivator. Such a huge event would naturally alert everyone within several miles if you didn¡¯t set up a formation ahead of time to contain it. I presume every organization based in the city knows about the recent breakthrough. Then it would only take a little investigating to know who it was.¡±

    His words made Li Lang think back at the time his acquaintances had experienced their breakthroughs back in the pocket realm. Tai Xilun had been correct. Back then, their respective organizations guarded them outside and had erected a barrier around them. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Li Lang had thought it was just a part of their security measure against any nefarious parties who wanted to interrupt the breakthrough. Evidently, there was more to it.

    We should be more mindful next time. We need to start considering the possibility of someone monitoring us. Better safe than sorry.

    The trio hadn¡¯t thought they had done anything to draw that much attention aside from those assailants who had ambushed them. Even then, they believed they would be focusing on their actual targets from the Eroding March Pavillion and not them.

    ¡°You can think about it later,¡± Tai Xilun called out. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You have people waiting for you, right?¡±

    Ushered by the stoic expert, the two resumed their journey. They passed by several other onlookers who curiously glanced at Li Lang, but they didn¡¯t take any detours. They soon arrived inside a grand hall where three figures stood.

    Li Lang expected them to be elders of the Bloodwave Conclave because a missive from a large organization would likely be treated seriously. However, contrary to his expectation, he soon realized the three people there had youthful complexions. The skin was smooth and full of collagen.

    Tai Xilun didn¡¯t bother to wait for Li Lang¡¯s analysis and approached the three cultivators. He clasped his fist toward them politely.

    ¡°Elders, I¡¯ve brought Li Lang.¡±

    Right. Experts can control their appearance. No¡ªto be more precise, Foundational Establishment Realm experts maintain the appearance they had when they had broken through. But these elders should at least be in the Violet Core Realm. Does that mean cultivators in that realm can control their looks?

    I know too little about this realm. Li Lang sighed.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± the elder in the middle asked with a kind smile.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m honored to be invited by your esteemed conclave. My name is Li Lang.¡±

    ¡°I know you young people are always in a rush, so we¡¯ll cut to the chase. We¡¯re here to give you a formal invitation from Nightmoon Valley.¡±

    A letter suddenly appeared in the elder¡¯s hand. He gently flicked it toward Li Lang, causing the piece of paper to float over to him with precision.

    ¡°An invitation?¡± Li Lang parroted.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. You¡¯ve been invited to visit their Nightshade Valley, and we¡¯ve agreed to take you there. You can read the details from the missive if you want, but we would appreciate it if you could give us a date when you could set off as soon as possible.¡±

    Li Lang quickly read over the letter in question, skimming past the flowery words of greetings. It was only a page, so he finished in no time, but he didn¡¯t learn anything new. It didn¡¯t include the reason for the invitation and just included instructions on how to reach their valley.

    It caused Li Lang to wear a troubled face.

    ¡°Speak your mind, child. Things often resolve much faster that way.¡±

    ¡°Umm, do any of you happen to know the reason for this invite? The missive doesn¡¯t say anything about that.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not sure either,¡± the female elder to the left replied. ¡°But we do have our suspicions. The timing coincides with your friend¡¯s breakthrough, so it may have something to do with that.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t say for sure, though,¡± Tai Xilun chimed in. ¡°We¡¯re just the messengers here. We created the missive word for word, so we don¡¯t know much more than you do. You¡¯ll have to find out from Nightmoon Valley yourself.¡±

    Long Yi¡¯s breakthrough has caused me specifically to be invited? How can this be?

    ¡°Just to be clear. Only I am invited?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± the central elder replied.

    Well, it¡¯s not like I can bring Long Yi anyway. Otherwise, we¡¯d have to bring all the kids and there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to do that. Long Yi will have to look after them. But still, why can¡¯t people just leave me alone? I¡¯d like to focus on my cultivation for once.

    ¡°I assume declining isn¡¯t an option, right?¡±

    Tai Xilun snorted. ¡°You¡¯re free to do as you see fit, but realize that this is Nightmoon Valley courteously inviting you. If they¡¯re persistent in seeing you, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you when they take a more forceful approach.¡±

    ¡°Now, now, Xilun. No need to scare our guest here,¡± the female elder placated before turning to Li Lang. ¡°Forgive him for exaggerating a little, but I advise you to accept the offer. Nightmoon Valley is renowned for its integrity. If you¡¯ve done nothing wrong, there¡¯s nothing to fear from them.¡±

    While Li Lang was familiar with how Nightmoon Valley was seen as the peacekeepers of the Luminescent Domain, he was still reluctant to be summoned at their whims. However, for the sake of his peaceful life, he slowly nodded.

    ¡°How long will the trip take?¡±

    ¡°With my Skyrunner, it¡¯ll only take half a day,¡± Tai Xilun answered.

    ¡°Very well, we can leave¡ªtomorrow morning, then. I want to get this over with.¡±

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 Chapter 191: Nightshade Valley

    Chapter 191: Nightshade ValleyThe next day, Li Lang headed out of Emberglow City with Tai Xilun, leaving Long Yi and the kids behind.

    Traveling with the stoic head disciple of Bloodwave Conclave, Li Lang passed the time with Ruby instead.

    ¡°I wonder if there are any artifacts that can take photos or something,¡± Li Lang muttered. ¡°I wanted to take a picture of Long Yi¡¯s face when I told him I would be leaving the next day. He¡¯s now a high and mighty Foundation Establishment cultivator, but he¡¯s still the same. I had almost expected he would mature a little.¡±

    ¡°Why would you think that, Master?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, all those experts usually act all stoic and serious. In the back of my mind, I suspected it was the influence of cultivation. Just like how demonic cultivators are influenced, but in a more subtle manner.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be able to tell yourself, Master?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s hard to say. Haven¡¯t you read my memories? A few studies say people are bad at noticing the influence power can have over their own behavior and perception. They have reduced empathy and interpersonal sensitivity but don¡¯t even notice it. I wouldn¡¯t say observation of one¡¯s own behavior is the most accurate.¡±

    ¡°I only skimmed the relevant part of your memories, Master. I wouldn¡¯t dare go through everything without your permission.¡±

    The conversation between the cultivator and artifact spirit broached many subjects. They discussed many random things in between reading the results from the auto-analyzer. It was something Li Lang rarely did unless he was traveling.

    While on a journey, he needed to stay alert and exit the space at any time. This was especially so when traveling with others. After all, they had no idea about the existence of Ruby.

    That deterred him from getting into any serious sessions of crafts and experiments.

    Like that, half a day went by without exchanging a word with Tai Xilun. He only broke his silence to declare their arrival.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    It prompted Li Lang to stick his head out of the window to glance down at the scene.

    Nightshade Valley was the home of Nightmoon Valley. Their similar names were easily confused, but upon looking down at the place in person, Li Lang could only say it was a fitting name.

    The wide valley could almost be said to be a basin. With the sun still up, it should be brightly illuminated, but for some reason, none of the natural light reached its depths. It was as if there was an invisible barrier, blocking the light from reaching everything between the two mountains.

    It looked as if there was a shadow monster engulfing the area up to the peaks.

    Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but do a double-take at the crudely drawn map included in the missive. They were just east of Emberglow, which meant they were still somewhat close to the border with the righteous sects.

    ¡°Nightshade Valley really lives up to its name. Is Nightmoon Valley¡¯s headquarters somewhere down there?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s just the city. Nightmoon Valley is at the peaks of the two mountains that form the valley. However, we¡¯ll have to land first. The only safe way into the Valley is through the entrances at ground level.¡±

    ¡°What would happen if we tried approaching from the skies?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say, a fate worse than death.¡±

    His words only made Li Lang more curious. A strange phenomenon was only begging for him to investigate. The urge was only averted when Li Lang channeled his desire to finish the artifact projects.

    Now that Long Yi had broken through, his need for an artifact had only risen. While he could only craft Mortal-grade artifacts for now, it was still better than being bare-handed. At the strength of Foundation Establishment cultivators, mundane weapons were no different from being unarmed. They simply can''t support the full strength they can exert.

    Before Li Lang could deliberate what type of tests would be effective and how to convince Long Yi to participate, his vehicle pulled down and came up to a colossal stone wall. It was spherical, aligning itself with the darkness of the valley behind it. It was impossible to tell how high it reached as the darkness hid it.

    The wide-open gates had a healthy amount of traffic, but Tai Xilun disregarded it and flew right over the line. He only landed once they were at the base of the gate.

    One of the guards immediately came up to greet him.

    ¡°Which esteemed master from Bloodwave Conclave has graciously come to visit us?¡±

    ¡°I am Tai Xilun. Head Disciple of the conclave. Here to fulfill a request from your valley.¡±

    The man materialized some paper and scribbled down a few things before waving us forward.

    ¡°Enjoy your stay, Head Disciple.¡±

    Going through the gates, they found themselves crossing a tunnel. Following the line ahead, it took the Skyrunner a full minute before they exited out on the other side.

    Despite the view from outside, the city behind the wall wasn¡¯t consumed by total darkness. Instead, it appeared as if it was dusk. The muted lights made Li Lang look up to search for the sun.

    The sky looked as if it was completely covered in clouds, with the soft orange glow of dusk being spread out across the horizon.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much to see from down here. Try again when we arrive at the peaks,¡± Tai Xilun commented.

    With nothing holding them down, their vehicle took to the skies once more. Once they were past the gates, it appeared it was safe to gain some elevation. It made Li Lang feel as if they had entered a dome of some sort.

    Very soon, they climbed up the mountain and found a large resplendent building stretching across half the mountain, while the other half was blocked off by the hazy cloud wall that marked the border of the dome.

    They landed at the entrance of this colossal building where two guards were standing guard. One of them naturally approached as the two visitors disembarked.

    ¡°You are Tai Xilun and Li Lang, correct?¡±

    The two nodded and were guided into the building. It only stood two stories tall, but the area it spanned was enormous. After many twists and turns, they were eventually led into a large circular chamber. They walked straight into the middle, entering the center stage of the empty room. Elevated seats surrounded them, reminding Li Lang of ancient amphitheaters, except it wasn¡¯t constructed of marble but wood.

    Li Lang thought he would be meeting someone important in such a grand room, but was quickly corrected. Their guide just paused momentarily before continuing to guide them into a small tunnel beside one of the elevated seats. They were soon led to a light brown door that was wide enough to fit four Skyrunners side by side easily.

    As they approached, it automatically opened, but nothing could be seen behind it except a wall of dark clouds. The guard appeared calm, as if this was normal, and turned to Tai Xilun.

    ¡°This is as far as we can go. Only Li Lang can continue onward.¡±

    The head disciple of the Bloodwave Conclave didn¡¯t complain and just nodded. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go visit Brother Jian in the meantime. Come find me when you¡¯re ready to leave.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Please give Senior Jian my regards.¡±

    Li Lang was soon forced to part ways with his two guides and ventured into the wall of clouds. The moment he stepped through, he found himself in a small cozy office, reminiscent of the one room belonging to The Orchid Covenant¡¯s headmaster.

    It had a decorated wooden desk with bookshelves flanking the room. Behind the desk was a fireplace.

    There was only one person in the study, a middle-aged man with a clean-shaven face. He had his head down, focused on some paperwork before him.

    ¡°Feel free to sit down. I¡¯ll be done in just a minute,¡± his voice loudly proclaimed.

    Li Lang knew the figure before him was someone of considerable authority. He didn¡¯t ask any questions and complied. He approached the finely carved desk and sat in one of the two open seats on the other side of the man.

    He spent his time surveying the room, particularly curious about the huge collection of books in the room. He wondered if they contained the advanced cultivation knowledge he had been missing. Those that contained techniques of the Violet Core Realm, Spirit Divide Realm, or even the Heaven Link Realm.

    ¡°Curious about my collection here? You can go take a look if you want.¡±

    Looking at the speaker, Li Lang found the man¡¯s full attention was on him now. He awkwardly cleared his throat and greeted him.

    ¡°This junior wouldn¡¯t dare. I am already honored to be personally invited to the famed Nightmoon Valley.¡±

    The man chuckled at his reply.

    ¡°Li Lang was it? I am serious. All the books here are part of my proud collection of stories and folktales I collected over my lifetime. The joy of having such a collection is naturally to share them with others.¡±

    Li Lang was stunned for a moment, searching for how to decline. He couldn¡¯t exactly say he was too busy to be wasting time here, straight to the man¡¯s face. He quickly settled on pushing the blame onto Tai Xilun.

    ¡°Maybe next time when time allows. For today, I have the senior who brought me here waiting for me. I wouldn¡¯t want to take advantage of their kindness.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, very well. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have more opportunities in the future. Anyway, I believe I have yet to introduce myself. I am Sima Yueling, the current head of Nightmoon Valley. I believe you are on good terms with my daughter, Sima Xue?¡±

    Being questioned so directly, Li Lang could only nervously nod. He had heard Sima Xue being hailed as a princess for years, but he thought it just meant she was one of the rising stars among their disciples.

 Chapter 192: Meeting with the Valley Master

    Chapter 192: Meeting with the Valley Master¡°Relax,¡± the head of Nightmoon Valley comforted. ¡°My daughter has told me a lot about you, but I have no intentions of involving myself with matters among you young people.¡±

    Li Lang slowly nodded again before directing a question of his own.

    ¡°If that is so, then why did you summon me here? I do not believe I¡¯ve done anything that warrants Nightmoon Valley¡¯s attention, not to mention that of the esteemed Valley Master.¡±

    The middle-aged man before Li Lang simply grinned at him in response. The look clearly screamed, ¡°Do you really think so?¡±

    ¡°Umm, Valley Master Sima?¡±

    ¡°You can just call me senior. We¡¯re not an organization that places much importance on formality.¡±

    ¡°Then Senior Sima, about my question¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you know the answer deep down inside?¡±

    Various things suddenly flashed across Li Lang¡¯s mind. His heart started beating faster upon thinking of the possibility that Nightmoon Valley had discovered his role in the events in the pocket realm.

    ¡°Umm, is this about the incident where Sima Xue got ambushed? I¡¯m sorry about that. We never meant to get involved in another organization¡¯s business.¡±

    ¡°No. That matter has already been addressed. It was just some political ploy by some reckless elements within the Drenched Earth Sect to earn favor from the Eroding March Pavilion. You don¡¯t need to worry about it anymore.¡±

    His words caused Li Lang to think of the incident of two elders who visited him upon the completion of his first artifact. He remembered that one of the elders was from the Drenched Earth Sect and the other from the Eroding March Pavilion. The former had been trying to get into favor with the latter, but he never expected it was related to the ambush he suffered.

    ¡°Umm, I really don¡¯t know what I¡¯m here for, then,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    This caused Valley Master Sima Yueling to reveal a smile, but that smile only sent chills down Li Lang¡¯s spine.

    ¡°I did mention my daughter has told me much about you, correct? That means I am quite familiar with you and your little group.¡±

    ¡°That¡ªDon¡¯t tell me you sent your daughter to befriend us only to spy on us?¡±

    ¡°Spying is too strong of a word. I would say it¡¯s more of a keeping tabs situation.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Li Lang cried out in alarm. ¡°We¡¯re just nobodies.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read enough stories to know many notable people started from just nobodies.¡± The Valley Master opened his arms wide, gesturing toward all the books in the room. ¡°You just happened to catch my interest when my disciple Jiang Beiyun mentioned about three strange boys from the righteous sects. I still remember his passionate retelling about the youngest alchemist he had ever met.¡±

    Having realized he had been monitored the moment he set foot within the Luminsecent Domain, Li Lang began to worry. Worried about what the other party knew and what their intentions were. He felt like he had been unknowingly trapped all along, at the mercy of others.

    Still, he refused to reveal anything. He shifted his objective from finishing the conversation quickly to figuring out just what the other party knew.

    ¡°What do you want from us?!¡±

    ¡°Calm down. I mean you no harm. We¡¯ve indeed kept our eyes on you, but that is true for everything throughout the Luminescent Domain. It¡¯s our duty to keep the peace here. It just so happens your little stunt in the pocket realm has ruffled some feathers, and we want to make an offer with you to keep things in order.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to put on a show. We¡¯ve investigated every single participant in the pocket realm and our divinators have looked thoroughly into it. We know it has something to do with you. And based on our ancestor¡¯s experience, the phenomenon that caused the pocket realm to deviate from its usual routine is similar to a powerful artifact submitting to a new master. I¡¯ve got to say, I didn¡¯t expect The Great Trial of the Water Crest to be an artifact.¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°I question the accuracy of your investigation. When did you even manage to obtain something from me to use divination?¡±

    ¡°Young man, you¡¯re still in the Mortal Realm. It¡¯s a given that you wouldn¡¯t notice someone more powerful, like my disciple Jian, taking action.¡±

    Li Lang took a moment to breathe in deeply and compose himself. He told himself that at least the party who had uncovered one of his secrets was Nightmoon Valley. They shouldn¡¯t be bad people and could be reasoned with.

    Seeing how hard the young man was trying to process his words, Sima Yueling continued.

    ¡°Our intentions are simple. We want to protect you from the other organizations who have also suspected something since the incident. We have worked to contain the news about you, so we should be the only organization that knows you have control of the pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°Protect me how?¡±

    ¡°I know you do not have any intentions of joining us, or any group for that matter. My daughter has even said you plan on leaving The Orchid Covenant soon. That is too dangerous if someone finds out about the pocket realm you own. I intend for you to disguise yourself as a member of our organization so we can announce to the world it is our Nightmoon Valley that has taken control of the realm.¡±

    ¡°You want to take the blame on our behalf? How in the world would that benefit you?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? On the surface, we¡¯d control the quotas of who gets to enter. We just need your cooperation in the matter.¡±

    ¡°You¡ªIsn¡¯t it simpler to just take it by force if that¡¯s what you¡¯re after?¡±

    This caused the Valley Master¡¯s kind smile to disappear.

    ¡°We¡¯re not thieves,¡± he sternly remarked. ¡°Besides, the pocket realm is a powerful Spirit-grade artifact, correct? That¡¯s not something many people on the Violet Isles can forcefully take away. For those who could, it¡¯s not worth it. It only contains inheritances left behind by someone who¡¯s reached the peak of Spirit Divide at the most. We¡¯d rather peacefully deal with the rightful owner now that it has one.¡±

    Li Lang sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a choice, right?¡±

    ¡°You do. It would just be very dangerous for you and your friends if this matter gets revealed. And trust me, it won¡¯t take long for the other organization to connect the dots once you try to make use of the pocket realm with those kids you¡¯ve recruited. The entrance of the pocket realm is carefully monitored. Partnering with us is the safest way for you to make use of it.¡±

    Realizing he had underestimated the various organizations¡¯ intelligence-gathering capabilities, Li Lang slowly nodded. He was determined to be a lot more careful from now on. Especially if he was planning on going independent.

    From his talks just now, he believed Nightmoon Valley only summoned him for the matter about the pocket realm. It seemed Sima Xue didn¡¯t spread any rumors about their practice of orthodox techniques and the existence of something that could help them speedily progress in their cultivation.

    After spending so much time with them, it was likely she noticed a few things, but he wasn¡¯t certain. He planned to confront her about it next time, but for now, that wasn¡¯t something he should be dwelling on.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Li Lang finally blurted out. ¡°How should we proceed? We will be signing a binding contract or something?¡±

    ¡°If you would like, sure. I don¡¯t mind either way. Oh, and I don¡¯t plan to make this a one-sided deal either. We can offer resources like Foundation Pills in exchange for your cooperation.¡±

    Li Lang immediately nodded, as he knew he didn¡¯t have a lot of leverage in the negotiations. He would take what he was given, but then a thought suddenly struck his mind. The mention of the Foundation Pills reminded him of his research into reaching the next realm. In order to carry out this research, he remembered the existence of yet another type of pill that helped people step into the next major realm.

    ¡°Umm, in that case, I¡¯ll take you up on it. Also, if you can, can you provide me with some Ascension Pills as well?¡±

    His strange request caught even the Valley Master of the premier faction within the Luminescent Domain off-guard.

    ¡°What?! Ascension Pills? Why in the world would you need that?¡±

 Chapter 193: Eight Demon Pillars

    Chapter 193: Eight Demon Pillars¡°Umm, I¡¯ve always taken an interest in Ascension Pills from the moment I learned about them. Back when I lived in Yellow Qilin, you should know that I was assessed with grade one aptitude. Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯ve always longed for them,¡± Li Lang said. ¡°That¡¯s why I want to learn how to refine Ascension Pills. I want to help those who were like me, talentless, but still desired to become a cultivator.¡±

    ¡°I see. You should know that those who take Ascension Pills don¡¯t become like normal cultivators, right?¡± Sima Yueling asked.

    Li Lang nodded.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard. Even then, it¡¯s better than languishing as mortals their entire lives.¡±

    ¡°But they can simply practice demonic techniques. As long as they have enough determination, it is the better alternative.¡±

    ¡°That¡ªas the leader of Nightmoon Valley, you should know what people living under the righteous sects think of demonic cultivation. I want to help those people too. Plus, even in the Luminescent Domain, numerous people give up due to the lack of resources.¡±

    The clean-shaven man furrowed his brows as he stared down at his desk.

    ¡°You want to help those in the righteous sects¡¯ territories?¡±

    His tone made Li Lang realize he may have blundered. He was spewing words to the leader of one faction about helping those under the opposing faction. His mind raced to find a way to justify his words.

    ¡°Umm¡ªyes. Maybe then, people of different character will start joining the ranks of the orthodox sects. It is my hope that will change their ways for the better. After all, I believe they are currently so¡ª because most orthodox cultivators believe themselves to be the chosen ones. Those who weren¡¯t born with a silver spoon in their mouths should have better dispositions.¡±

    Sima Yueling didn¡¯t say anything. He fell completely silent with a thoughtful look. It was apparent he was dwelling on Li Lang¡¯s words. After a few minutes, he finally shifted his gaze back to the young man before him.

    ¡°While there are some truths to your words, just handing out Ascension Pills around their territory will do nothing. Even if the sects don¡¯t take action to line their own pockets, the cultivators who broke through using the pills won¡¯t be able to stand on equal footing with the others. Their combat ability would be non-existent.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s better than being treated as disposable mortals,¡± Li Lang argued. ¡°Besides, do they truly have zero combat potential? Maybe with some targeted training, they would be able to exert their cultivation.¡±

    His words caused the head of Nightmoon Valley to shake his head.

    ¡°Enough. You won¡¯t understand until you come across someone who had used Ascension Pills yourself. There¡¯s no way for them to practice combat techniques like we do.¡±

    ¡°Umm, but can I still get some Ascension Pills? I¡¯d love both some samples and its pill recipe.¡±

    ¡°I see that you¡¯re a talented alchemist. If that¡¯s what you want to study, then it¡¯s not my place to stop you. I¡¯ve said my piece. I¡¯ll let little Beiyun know, and he can bring you to our Pill Hall. If you want to sign a binding contract regarding the matter with the pocket realm, let him know as well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Senior Sima!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve taken enough of your time. I believe you said your chauffeur was waiting for you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Senior. Thank you so much for being so accommodating.¡±

    The powerful senior simply nodded and gestured for Li Lang to exit by himself. Li Lang clasped his fist toward him before walking away. He only made it a few steps before he abruptly turned back.

    ¡°Oh, one more thing. If you don¡¯t mind me asking. Why did you choose to invite me at this time? If you wanted to talk about the pocket realm, shouldn¡¯t you invite me when we had just exited from it?¡±

    The Valley Master continued looking over the paperwork on his desk and answered without looking up.

    ¡°Our investigation wasn¡¯t complete then, and there¡¯s no rush. We judged you were more likely to take action and approach the pocket realm once your group started breaking through. Your friend¡¯s breakthrough was also a good excuse to invite you without arousing too much suspicion from the other organizations.¡±

    ¡°Even Nightmoon Valley has to tread so carefully around all the other organizations?¡±

    ¡°Human relationships are never simple and are ever-changing. However, it isn¡¯t the job of you young people like you to worry about the politics among organizations. Go on now. You¡¯ll find Beiyun outside.¡±

    Being blatantly asked to leave, Li Lang could only do as asked.

    He walked back through the door that was covered in clouds and found himself in an unfamiliar cave. It caught him off-guard as he thought he would return to the same chamber where he previously parted ways with Tai Xilun. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Before his thoughts could wander further, the sound of movement caught his attention. It came from the only corridor present. With the giant door closed shut to his back, he simply stood there and waited for whoever it was to approach. It didn¡¯t take long before the shadow of two figures could be seen.

    ¡°Li Lang, come on out with us. There¡¯s not much to see in here, right?¡±

    The young man immediately clasped his fist toward the newcomers.

    ¡°Senior Jian, you¡¯re here. With Senior Tai as well.¡±

    ¡°My master sent for me to pick you up. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll show you around.¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, Jian Beiyun turned around to lead the way out of the cave. Upon exiting, Li Lang found that he had been transported to the halfway point of one of the mountains that looked down on the rest of Nightshade Valley.

    Residences were built all over the mountain incline, and Jian Beiyun went straight into one of them nearby.

    ¡°This here is my humble abode.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t need a tour and could see all there was to the small house from the entrance. It only had a fireplace in the center with a pot over it, while the rest of the room was devoid of any furniture. Instead of chairs, the floors were covered by rattan mats.

    ¡°Senior Jian, is this where the pills are?¡±

    ¡°Oh right, Master did mention that. We¡¯ll go after. I thought you could get something to eat after your long day of traveling and meeting. Am I right? Or should we go to the Pill Hall right away?¡±

    Li Lang took a peek at Tai Xilun. He didn¡¯t react at all.

    ¡°Umm¡ªno, it¡¯s fine. Thank you for your consideration. I¡¯ll happily take you up on your offer.¡±

    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll have something ready real soon."

    The head disciple of Nightmoon Valley proceeded to open the pot and began stirring its contents. He then materialized some extra ingredients from his space ring and threw it in. He tasted the results and continued to add to the pot.

    He was completely absorbed in cooking and appeared no different from a typical gourmet.

    Seeing him in his own little world, Li Lang chose to talk to Tai Xilun instead.

    ¡°Were you just here the entire time, talking to Senior Jian?¡±

    The man in red and black robes simply nodded.

    ¡°Should we spend the night here before returning?¡±

    ¡°No need to be considerate of me. A measly day or two of traveling won¡¯t take a toll on Foundation Establishment cultivators.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I guess you¡¯re right. You must have better things to do than to babysit me. Regardless, thank you for taking the time to accompany me.¡±

    ¡°As if that workaholic has anything better to do,¡± Jian Beiyun chimed in as he continued to stir the pot. ¡°If you leave him be, he¡¯ll end up just training or patrolling the streets. He¡¯s too serious for his own good.¡±

    ¡°I simply carry out my duty.¡±

    ¡°Right. See what I mean, Li Lang? It¡¯s both his best and worst quality.¡±

    ¡°Jian Beiyun, I think it¡¯d be good if took things more seriously once in a while,¡± Tai Xilun retorted. ¡°The Dark Sea Arena will be taking place again in three years. There¡¯s not much time left. As head disciple of Nightmoon Valley, you can¡¯t afford to tarnish your name as one of the Eight Demon Pillars.¡±

    ¡°I could say the same to you. If you settled into an unchanging routine, I fear your cultivation could stagnate. Please don¡¯t let that happen and let one of those annoying brats take your title.¡±

    The tension in the room was rising to the helplessness of Li Lang. He slowly steered clear of the argument, as even he realized the banter was heating up. After all, with Tai Xilun becoming more talkative, even the most socially inept person could notice his agitation.

    The exchange between the two Foundation Establishment cultivators lasted for some time before Li Lang tried to defuse the situation.

    ¡°Umm, is the food ready yet?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, it should be ready. It¡¯s my special porridge recipe. Feel free to take some yourself. As for you,¡± he said, turning back to Tai Xilun, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go for that spar we were talking about?¡±

    Without a word, the Bloodwave Conclave disciple stormed out of the house, with Jian Beiyun following close behind. Li Lang watched the scene and shook his head. He then went over to the pot and poured himself a bowl.

    The steaming porridge let out an appetizing aroma that made his stomach grumble. It made him realize how famished he was.

    ¡°Ahh, this is good,¡± he loudly exclaimed.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if Jian Beiyun had heard him, but he thought it was necessary to give compliments to the chef.

    As Li Lang mused to himself, the sound of metal clashing could be heard outside.

 Chapter 194: Touring Nightmoon Valley

    chapter 194: touring nightmoon valleyafter savoring his food for several minutes, li lang politely washed the dishes with the bucket of water next to the pot and cleaned himself up. hearing how the two seniors who were supposed to accompany him around nightmoon valley¡¯s grounds were still sparring outside, he exited the modest house to rejoin them.

    he knew exactly where they were due to the sound of their clashes. they hadn¡¯t stopped fighting the entire time he was eating. he could see them right away upon leaving the house, as they were level with him, but they weren¡¯t standing on any solid ground. instead, they were hovering in the air, circling around each other on their own skyswords.

    ¡°senior jian, senior tai!¡± li lang shouted. ¡°how much longer will you two be?¡±

    his words made the two cultivators come to a stop mid-swing. they didn¡¯t break eye contact with each other for some time, while frozen stiff in the air.

    ¡°sorry about that, li lang,¡± jian beiyun said as he adjusted his robes. ¡°we got carried away. i can bring you to the pill hall now if you¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°yes, please. i¡¯d like to complete everything while there¡¯s still light out.¡±

    ¡°follow me, then.¡±

    the head disciple of nightmoon valley quickly descended, followed by tai xilun. s§×arch* the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    jian beiyun was at the lead, bringing the two visitors through the mountainside residence of his organization while waving at the occasional cultivator they came across. during the other moments, he chatted leisurely with his guests.

    ¡°so, how was my porridge? was it to your liking?¡±

    ¡°honestly, yeah. it¡¯s way better than what the inns serve, or our new cooks for that matter.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯d be embarrassing if my food was worse than mortal food when i used earth-grade ingredients. still, i don¡¯t doubt my skill in the culinary department. sima xue could attest to that. i basically fed her growing up.¡±

    ¡°that was made using earth-grade ingredients?!¡± li lang raised his voice a level higher than before. ¡°i didn¡¯t know. you didn¡¯t have to use something so valuable on me.¡±

    ¡°nonsense. you¡¯re our guests. a bit of earth-grade food is nothing. it¡¯ll do you some good if you got used to eating it too.¡±

    li lang frowned upon hearing those words. for him, good food was to be appreciated, but it wasn¡¯t worth spending a chunk of his wealth on. he¡¯d rather save it to buy something needed for cultivation or research.

    ¡°i know what you¡¯re thinking. it¡¯s expensive, but that¡¯s only relative to your income right now. your friend, long yi, will be able to easily afford it just by doing a few odd jobs or collecting ingredients from areas that he can now access as a foundation establishment cultivator.¡±

    ¡°senior, i don¡¯t think it¡¯s a matter of whether we can afford it or not. i heard rumors it is useful in cultivation, but nothing specific about its effects. is it really useful?¡±

    ¡°haha, yes, the age-old question. every senior around here seems to agree that it can only be beneficial, but i can¡¯t say exactly why that is true. all i¡¯ve been told is that it primes your body for cultivation.¡±

    ¡°does that mean all the disciples from big organizations eat these high-quality foods from an early age?¡±

    ¡°only those that the elders like, i guess. how is it in the bloodwave conclave?¡± jian beiyun asked.

    ¡°about the same.¡±

    ¡°hmm, sounds about right. all those banquets i¡¯m invited to wherever i go are always filled with even saint-grade foodstuff. those esteemed gentlemen in the violet core realm don¡¯t even need to eat to sustain themselves, but they still gorge themselves all the time.¡±

    as they casually chatted, they soon found themselves before a wooden fence that surrounded a small plot of land and a house. jian beiyun opened the gate without a thought and strode toward the house. the two visitors followed him while gazing at the various herbs and grains planted in the field.

    ¡°elder kun, are you here?¡± jian beiyun shouted from ahead.

    no reply came, so the two guests tactfully busied themselves with enjoying the view of the field.

    ¡°hmm, they¡¯re probably busy. let¡¯s head inside to wait, you two.¡±

    walking into the wooden house, the heavy smell of herbs attacked the newcomers. there were large wooden cabinets against the walls of the entire room, each with dozens of compartments. there were even a few teenagers using a grinding stone to crush some plants. they were all entirely focused on their job, paying the trio no mind.

    jian beiyun looked at the scene as if it was normal, sat down in the corner, and began brewing some tea using the pot at the table.

    ¡°shouldn¡¯t be too long. elder kun would never let those freshly ground herbs sit out in the open for long.¡±

    jian beiyun was right. not too long after they sat down, elder kun really did make his presence be known. however, he didn¡¯t do it through any ordinary method. instead, he announced himself by setting off an ear-piercing explosion that shook the two guests.

    tai xilun even shot up from his seat and drew his blade from his space ring while li lang turned toward the origin of the ruckus. only jian beiyun and the other disciples of nightmoon valley remained unperturbed.

    not long after the explosion, an elder wearing robes stained with soot walked out from one of the corridors.

    he didn¡¯t care how messy his attire was and went straight to the teenagers. to be more precise, to the herbs.

    ¡°elder kun, you¡¯re here,¡± jian beiyun stood up and greeted. ¡°i¡¯ve got orders from the valley master to give our guests here a few pills. i¡¯ll need to trouble you to fetch them for us.¡±

    the old man with a gray mustache carefully sniffed the herbs in his hand before answering.

    ¡°which pills?¡±

    ¡°foundation pills and ascension pills.¡±

    no reaction could be seen on the elder¡¯s face upon hearing those names. he simply strode toward one of the cabinets, floated up toward one of the compartments near the top, and opened it.

    just as li lang wondered why jian beiyun couldn¡¯t have asked one of the disciples working here instead of waiting for the old man to fetch the pills, the cabinet the old man touched began to shine with bright yellow light. the compartment only opened after the light dimmed.

    two bottles could be seen in elder kun¡¯s hand. he popped each one open to take a sniff of it before throwing them over to jian beiyun. then, he returned to the herbs his subordinates were working on without a care in the world.

    ¡°umm, senior jian,¡± li lang whispered. ¡°i also wanted the pill recipes for these pills.¡±

    ¡°understood,¡± he said as he turned back to the elder. ¡°elder kun, could you provide the pill recipe for these two pills as well?¡±

    ¡°hah? you can find that out at the guild or something. it¡¯s not like it¡¯s a secret or anything.¡±

    ¡°elder, please. it¡¯s part of the valley master¡¯s orders.¡±

    the man sighed and swiftly tore a piece of paper from one of the tables and scribbled a few things down. when he was done, he tossed it toward jian beiyun before bringing his attention back to the herbs without a second of delay.

    ¡°let¡¯s go before elder kun gets annoyed at our presence,¡± jian beiyun advised.

    under his guidance, the group quickly exited out of the pill hall.

    ¡°here are the pills, li lang. got anywhere else you want to visit? i can give you some recommendations if you like.¡±

    ¡°hmm, just a brief tour on our way out is fine. i want to make it back to emberglow tonight. oh, and maybe we can visit sima xue while i¡¯m here. she¡¯ll probably make me buy her tofu pudding if i don¡¯t at least greet her while i¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°ha, about time someone else has to take on that responsibility. unfortunately, she¡¯s under master¡¯s orders to stay within a meditation chamber until she¡¯s successfully comprehended the technique she¡¯s learning. i don¡¯t think she¡¯s coming out any time soon.¡±

    ¡°then¡ªremember to give her my regards once she¡¯s out.¡±

    ¡°no problem.¡±

    ¡°so i guess we can take a quick look around on senior tai¡¯s skyrunner before we leave. what do you say, senior tai? do you have anything else you need to do here or down in nightshade valley?¡±

    ¡°no. that¡¯s fine.¡±

    with nothing binding either of the two visitors, the party of three took a spin around the two peaks that made up nightmoon valley before they took their leave. they exited out the same way they came, passing through the tunnel on the ground level.

    as soon as they made their way out back into the open world, li lang couldn¡¯t help but shield his eyes from the bright lights of the sun.

 Chapter 195: Time Flies

    chapter 195: time fliesamidst a vibrant forest of trees adorned with crimson leaves, a lone man wearing a strange wooden mask was currently sitting on a boulder. he sat with his legs crossed and was deep in meditation.

    the atmosphere in the air was tranquil as only the sound of the wind rustling the leaves could be heard. like that, the sun shifted across the horizon until the orangey glow made the entire forest of rest a mesmerizing sight.

    however, as the light dimmed, the tranquil scene quickly changed.

    the sound of insects buzzing around filled the entire area, and the scent of death followed.

    the young man wearing the mask remained unperturbed, deep in meditation until a swarm of insects approached. as the buzzing grew louder, wei ping finally decided to take action.

    he revealed the claws fitted to his hands and quickly swung them around. each time he did so, a sharp gust of wind was emitted from them, slicing through the air toward the insects. the attack turned a portion of them into a mist of blood, but the insects continued their way, undaunted.

    before wei ping could strike again, the insects suddenly spread out. as a cultivator now at the peak of energy gathering, his acute senses could see that it wasn¡¯t so simple. the insects weren¡¯t just spreading out, but were multiplying, as if they could clone themselves in an instant.

    they swarmed toward the lone man without fear, causing wei ping to quickly escape. taking advantage of his nimbleness and speed, he used the numerous trees in the forest as footholds. he jumped from tree to tree without pause, occasionally sending out a few attacks to hold the swarm at bay.

    he did this for half the night until he was finally out of the forest.

    he sighed to himself while looking back into the treeline. eventually, he stopped and made his way back toward the nearby town on the edge of the forest.

    the town wasn¡¯t large, but it still had proper walls erected around the city. however, it was apparent it wasn¡¯t a wealthy place, as many beggars could be seen throughout the entire settlement.

    wei ping walked briskly through the narrow streets, navigating through them like a local. his destination turned out to be a dirty alleyway on the side of the main road. many people walked by without caring about the messy beggar lying sprawled on the ground there. everyone except for wei ping.

    the man seemed to ignore him until he blocked his view of the main streets. s~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°you again? get out of my way already. i already did what you want, right?¡±

    ¡°i-i¡¯m still struggling with it. can y-you please show me again?¡±

    ¡°look kid, if it was so easy then it wouldn¡¯t be worth much, right?¡±

    ¡°but senior, i¡¯ve spent h-half a year on it but to no avail.¡±

    ¡°i told you it¡¯s not something a mortal should be able to grasp. now get out of the way. if you want to bother someone about it, try turning to yongjun.¡±

    seeing how the stubborn old man didn¡¯t seem to budge in the slightest, wei ping could only give up and walk away. as the beggar had suggested, he went to search for the next best person who could help him.

    he went through the busy streets until he came upon a large manor near the center of the town. they had a set of splendid wooden gates with a large sign that indicated it was the property of the wang family.

    wei ping knocked on the gates without hesitation and waited for some time. eventually, an old man peeked out of the door, wearing a dark green robe that shone with a silky texture.

    ¡°caretaker he, i¡¯ve c-come to find your master. is h-he home?¡±

    ¡°you again. i thought i told you to try not to come if you can help it. is it important?¡±

    ¡°umm¡ªit is i-important to me. please. i k-know your master is busy with his training, but i¡¯ll o-only take a few moments of his time.¡±

    the old man sighed, but suddenly, a voice could be heard, carried by the wind.

    ¡°invite him in,¡± it whispered.

    hearing this, the old man¡¯s demeanor changed, and respectfully welcomed wei ping into the estate. they walked by the carefully maintained garden and a small pond filled with colorful fishes. they only stopped on the other side of the house, where a young man could be seen in a small grassy clearing. he was moving with slow and deliberate movements, going from one martial stance to another.

    ¡°sorry f-for bothering you, honorable whispering half saint. but i n-need guidance in mastering the lingering impact technique.¡±

    ¡°no need to be so formal. although that old man never officially takes on disciples, since he decided to teach you, we can be considered half-disciples.¡±

    the young man, who was apparently the master of the wang family, proceeded to warmly welcome wei ping. it wasn¡¯t their first meeting, as the old beggar had once sent wei ping to beg for money from this family. this was all done to satisfy the eccentric expert who passed the time acting as a beggar, so wei ping never regretted it.

    he believed the technique he had inadvertently learned about was vital for his future, and also something that could push him through the final bottleneck of the energy gathering realm.

    he believed that once he had mastered it, it would be time for him to return to his friends.

    back in emberglow city, two full years had passed since li lang¡¯s trip to nightshade valley.

    the training with the students li lang accepted had proceeded well, with each showing amazing progress. this was especially so for the few who had grade two aptitude.

    the children were made to forgo many techniques of both martial and qi nature. they were tasked with solely focusing on their cultivation, which resulted in them almost catching up with their mentors!

    while the gap in their cultivation narrowed, the difference in strength was still vast.

    on the clearing inside their modest estate within the southern dark spot of emberglow, li lang was currently deflecting every blow from three attackers. all three of them were in the late stages of energy gathering, but they were being toyed around with like they were powerless children.

    ¡°teacher li, i can¡¯t go on any longer. please go easy on us,¡± xiao dong, an earnest and straightforward boy, declared without any shame.

    ¡°you¡¯ll have to learn to persist even when you¡¯re exhausted. a real enemy wouldn¡¯t care about your condition.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m sure if i¡¯m locked in a life-and-death situation with an opponent, i may be able to tough out this burning feeling in my lungs. but right now, i feel like if i did that, my lungs would definitely burn!¡±

    ¡°if you can¡¯t do it in training, what makes you think you can do it in a real situation? i can tell you that in a real fight, you¡¯ll only be able to perform up to a portion of your abilities in training. the nerves usually make you perform worse.¡±

    ¡°that¡ªi understand we¡¯ll have to go face these challenges ourselves sooner or later, but still. give me a break for today.¡±

    li lang could only shake his head upon seeing his student keel over. the other two, shi yan and chu qinghe, seemed to be in a similar condition, but they didn¡¯t complain. they silently tried to catch their breath off to the side.

    ¡°fine. take a minute or two if you want. just know that the next time you venture outside, neither long yi nor i will accompany you. you¡¯ll be responsible for your own safety.¡±

    after a moment of thinking it through, xiao dong pathetically tried to get to his feet. after a few stumbles, he succeeded and began to charge at li lang again.

    this was a common scene throughout the year. peaceful training was never an option. it bred too much complacency. cultivators needed to exercise their abilities in order to stimulate growth. li lang had to occasionally send out his students to fight real battles against qi beasts for that reason.

    what he was doing now was just preparing them as best he could.

    his motive, however, wasn¡¯t so simple. he not only wanted what was best for his students, he was also impatiently waiting for them to catch up to him in cultivation. it was because he needed more samples to study how one broke through to the foundation establishment realm.

    throughout the past year, li lang had tried to break through himself a total of three times. every single time, it ended in failure, wasting three foundation pills in the process.

    two years ago, he had gotten some inspiration in a research direction that could help people with low aptitude like him break through. it was the result of observing the mechanics of the ascension pill, but he needed subjects to test his methods first.

    he would¡¯ve done it himself if he had it his way, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be possible to make an objective assessment that way. a sample size of one was too small to be useful, anyway.

    that was why he planned to wait for his students to catch up to serve as his subjects!

    with that in mind, he couldn¡¯t help but revisit his memories about the time he experimented with the ascension pills.

 Chapter 196: Study of Ascension Pill

    chapter 196: study of ascension pillback when li lang had just returned from his visit to nightshade valley, he immediately got back into his routine of training his students and more.

    having gotten his hands on foundation pills and ascension pills, there was no way to keep him from studying both pills.

    he first started with the ascension pills to familiarize himself with the process of breakthrough and what it entailed. he was also curious to see how it differed from a traditional breakthrough.

    to start his study, he let ruby consume a pill without hesitation. the auto-analyzer told him about its composition while nightmoon valley had given the recipe, which included the steps of refining both pills.

    these things weren¡¯t a secret, especially in the luminescent domain. they were pills that the orthodox sects had created and were either unnecessary or made with orthodox cultivators in mind.

    the tricky part of li lang¡¯s research was finding willing participants. most people living in emberglow city worshipped demonic cultivation. while demonic cultivation didn¡¯t rely on aptitude, it required its own type of talent. the various organizations within the domain deemed numerous people not to have the correct talent or character to be recruited. after all, resources were limited, so they couldn¡¯t waste their time on those who likely wouldn¡¯t make it far.

    even then, those who weren¡¯t recruited still refused to partake in orthodox cultivation. it made the ascension pill unpopular as it would turn them into a useless orthodox cultivator.

    however, that was just on the surface. many people still made use of it. that was because everyone valued their lives. by consuming ascension pills and breaking through, they would effectively increase their lifespan. foundation establishment cultivators were said to be able to live up to five hundred years! it was six or seven times more than the average mortal.

    to secure test subjects, li lang just had to tactfully appeal to the interested parties. he found several well-off people who were up there in age but weren¡¯t exactly wealthy enough to outright buy what they wanted. then he began his experiments.

    ascension pills were continuously taken over time, allowing its users to grow in cultivation until they reached the foundation establishment realm.

    li lang carefully monitored his selected test subjects before and after they took the pill. he then got long yi plus several students with good observation skills to join him. they carefully inspected how the pill brought changes to its user, but there was only so much of what was happening within the subject¡¯s body that they could observe. it caused them to each have their own theories.

    ¡°i think it¡¯s similar to the foundation pill in that it creates a barrier to contain qi within the body,¡± wu san muttered. ¡°it¡¯s just that it also has a function to help its consumer gather the ambient qi as well.¡±

    he looked at his two mentors for approval. long yi stepped forward to give his own opinion.

    ¡°hmm, i don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything that complicated. instead, it¡¯s probably more accurate to say it¡¯s a special type of barrier. a barrier that allows qi to pass through one way.¡±

    ¡°but that doesn¡¯t explain why one could consume multiple pills to increase their speed. if what you said was true, the people taking the pill would all have to wait the same amount of time to allow the qi to gather,¡± shi yan interjected. ¡°i think each pill is imbued with a large amount of qi that settles in whoever consumes it.¡±

    ¡°as the teachers say, each person is unique. it¡¯s not surprising everyone needs a varying amount of pills. i don¡¯t think it¡¯s the pill that is supplying the qi for cultivation, though. eating additional pills only increases the speed slightly. the diminishing return is too severe for that to be true.¡±

    ¡°the truth shouldn¡¯t be far from all of your predictions,¡± li lang declared. ¡°looking at only the objective facts, we know that the ascension pill causes its consumer¡¯s body to accumulate qi. once it hits a saturation point, the qi is then concentrated in the navel area, triggering the breakthrough process. it is not only forcefully started and completed, it is done without needing the user to do anything at all.¡±

    ¡°they may be able to break through, but they¡¯re barely able to even use their qi to do simple things like seeing in the dark, not to talk about doing anything useful,¡± long yi added.

    ¡°yes, but remember? they can still practice various crafts, so they must be able to train their qi manipulation to a degree.¡±

    this type of discussion occasionally happened, as li lang slowly accumulated more data. he refined his theory with the information slowly but surely, until one day, he appeared confident with what he had.

    despite being confident about getting a handle on the root cause of why it was more difficult for people like him to break through, li lang still had to find plausible solutions and test them.

    the solution wasn¡¯t as simple as just strengthening your few spiritual roots, so they could absorb more qi. that was part of what cultivation did. just increasing the number of spiritual roots was something easier to be said than done, too. li lang had a gut feeling spiritual roots weren¡¯t something people should casually mess with. he hadn¡¯t even an inkling of how to interact with the enigmatic existence. even if he could, he believed one wrong move could cripple someone for life.

    instead, the data he collected from his students¡¯ everyday training gave him a clue as to how to proceed. s§×arch* the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    while he had made them hyperfocus on cultivation only, forgoing martial and qi arts, they still practiced one or two techniques. the time he had brought them to the bloodwave conclave bazaar was just one instance where they got to browse through various techniques.

    when his students practiced these techniques, he made them learn his tracing origin art first. then, they could show him how their energy flowed when using their techniques.

    this allowed him to build a budding library of how techniques affected the flow of qi within the meridians. it let him learn that numerous techniques couldn¡¯t be used concurrently because they may cause this flow of energy to conflict, jamming their channels.

    this train of thought caused li lang to be completely focused on the meridians and how techniques caused qi to move as his main research topic.

    cultivation techniques allowed cultivators to draw in ambient qi. martial and qi arts then taught how to control this energy to produce various effects. what he was aiming to do was similar to martial arts, in that it only manipulated the internal energy without ever releasing it outward. the only difference was that he was trying to get all that energy to forcefully converge on one point.

    the result was painful and required a lot of determination and willpower. it was what every cultivator pursuing foundation establishment realm had to go through. developing a technique to accomplish the task offered the same advantages that inspired the creation of various martial and qi arts¡ªproviding structured methods to achieve efficiency, mastery, and adaptability.

    it simplified the movements, so it didn¡¯t require constant conscious control. instead of just freestyling, the cultivator could practice the same movement a thousand times, drilling into them how to masterfully execute them.

    after two years of researching various techniques and studying his students¡¯ meridians, all that was left was for them to reach the peak of energy gathering. then, he could put the fruits of his labor to the test.

 Chapter 197: Rough Waters

    chapter 197: rough waterswhile li lang waited for his students to reach the peak of energy gathering, he used his time wisely on creating artifacts.

    for the past two years, he had been practicing on and off within ruby¡¯s artifact space after consuming each type of beast core.

    now that he had completed his printer artifact, he naturally set his sights on weapons and armor that a typical cultivator would have. however, it was a far more challenging endeavor than he thought. he hadn¡¯t succeeded a single time throughout the years.

    for the printer artifact, li lang used a mimeograph machine as a base and customized it to fit in with a beast core, along with using materials that conducted qi in the right way. that way, the exotic energy could power the machine to move as the creator intended. then, he used programming knowledge as a base to repurpose the beast core¡¯s remnant spirit into a working . s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    the same process didn¡¯t translate well when it came to weapons and armor. at first, one may conclude it should be significantly easier, as cold weapons were simply chunks of sharpened metals. unfortunately, that simplicity was what made it so challenging.

    there was no direction to program the artifact¡¯s spirit, which meant there was no will or goal for the artifact¡¯s spirit to focus on. li lang suspected that normally this wasn¡¯t a problem, as artificers used the remnant spirit of the beast core. it could grow freely, as all life did. his method just happened to not be suitable for it.

    to verify if his programming method did indeed do anything, he even used a few of the remaining neutral affinity beast cores to recreate more printer artifacts. they never succeeded if left to the traditional method of taming the remnant spirit, but did once he programmed their spirit into existence. when he tried with a blade, the elementary ai he programmed never worked. he surmised the lack of direction disqualified it from being deemed an artifact spirit.

    with that figured out, the obvious solution was to create a more sophisticated weapon with a theme in mind, but that proved to be an even bigger hurdle. with the printer artifact, it wasn¡¯t meant to be wielded in combat, which meant it didn¡¯t need to take into account weight and wieldiness.

    if he tried to make his custom spear into an artifact, the lack of cohesiveness and structural integrity due to the hidden compartments made it fail every time. after all, artifact weapons were supposed to be durable. those that didn¡¯t meet this requirement would never be able to become an artifact.

    li lang¡¯s success with his first artifact was largely owed to the few restrictions imposed. it could be as big as he desired, whatever form he desired. for weapons, the forms were less flexible. on the limited platform of a sword or spear, he had to finely engineer it so that both its spiritual aspects and physical aspects were extraordinary and synergized. it was like inscribing a talisman, but on a tiny piece of paper.

    all this caused li lang to take the time to slowly improve his artificing skills so that he could practice how to create a true artifact despite these stringent requirements.

    today, he would be making his first attempt in reality.

    he had practiced numerous times with the water-affinity beast core and achieved success before within his lab. ruby couldn¡¯t simulate the interaction with the remnant spirit of the core, but the other processes appeared to be sound.

    he accomplished this by moving the hidden compartments where the poisons were stored, toward the exterior of the spear and under the tip.

    the artificing session began without any special fanfare. he dove straight into it one afternoon, inside his room.

    he fetched some materials from his space ring and used his artificer techniques to manipulate the metal to conform to his desired shape. it was a lot more convenient than using a forge. it was also the easy part.

    the challenge came when it was time to install the beast core. that was when the remnant spirit would act out aggressively at him. he would either have to tame it, as the traditional artificer did, or a new spirit to control the artifact. of course, li lang chose the latter method.

    the basic ai he had in mind was focused on injecting the poison into its intended targets. it wasn¡¯t hard to program but tedious. basic ais weren¡¯t sentient but were a comprehensive database that had numerous pre-saved responses to various stimuli. li lang believed this would be enough to qualify as a mortal-grade artifact like his printer artifact did.

    after waiting for the remnant spirit to die out, li lang began implementing his artificial spirit. it took half the day and made him wear a frown all day.

    when it was done, the nascent spear instantly began to glow. however, it only lasted a few seconds before it disintegrated into tiny pieces.

    ¡°it failed¡ª¡±

    li lang knew it wasn¡¯t likely to succeed on the first try every time, but deep down somewhere, he believed he would.

    he didn¡¯t let it bring him down and quickly recorded the process before letting ruby consume the debris, so the auto-analyzer could examine the remains.

    ¡°hmm, it didn¡¯t have a good success rate in my lab here either, so maybe there is some flaw in my design,¡± li lang muttered.

    ¡°master, it¡¯s too soon to say that already. artifact creation is not easy for a reason. give it a few more tries first.¡±

    ¡°you¡¯re right. just let me record everything from the previous tests first.¡±

    like that, li lang attempted again, despite knowing he had a limited supply of beast cores. of the ones with water affinity specifically, there were only eight left. he had to make each attempt count.

    he spent the entire night studying the matter before trying again the next morning.

    again, it ended in failure.

    the same happened the day after that, too.

    after experiencing three consecutive days of failure, li lang finally decided to take a break to digest the results. he wanted to see if he could identify exactly what the reason for failure was. each beast core was unique in that the remnant spirit of the beast was different, but other than that, all the variables remained the same. his programming method shouldn¡¯t have been affected too much by it.

    with much filling his mind, li lang went to breakfast again like any other day. except today, he wouldn¡¯t be in such a rush due to deciding to take a break.

    ¡°what¡¯s with the long face?¡± long yi asked upon seeing his friend sit down.

    ¡°nothing serious. just some roadblocks in my artificing. doesn¡¯t seem like i¡¯ll be able to make you an artifact anytime soon as i promised.¡±

    ¡°ha, that¡¯s fine. if i really wanted one, i could try to buy one or just wait until you break through, too. i¡¯d rather you make me an earth-grade artifact, anyway.¡±

    ¡°hmm, i¡¯m not sure how long that¡¯ll take either. i need one of the kids to reach the peak of energy gathering, so i can start testing how to improve the success rate of breakthroughs. it¡¯s better than to fail again, wasting yet another foundation pill.¡±

    li lang had tried a few times over the years to break through already. he didn¡¯t use any of the techniques back then, as they were untested, and he wanted to try out the traditional method first. every time he tried to accumulate enough qi in his navel area, he would soon lose control of it.

    he knew each spiritual root acted as that manipulated qi as well, thus, with his low number of spiritual roots, he was too weak to hold it together.

    he needed the children to reach the same stage, so he could verify if his theories were correct. he could monitor each one, and observe their results based on the number of spiritual roots they had, and then test if his techniques that purposefully induced the qi to flow in certain ways would work.

    the wait had been excruciating and hadn¡¯t gotten any better as time passed. failure upon failure piled up, and it seemed like nothing was going well for li lang. everything except for the flavored nourishment pills he was developing.

    after more than a year of testing the pill, he verified it was safe to consume over the long term, and the shelf life was deemed stable. li lang finally went to sell it during his routine trip to the orchid covenant¡¯s headquarters.

    ¡°the usual?¡± the clerk asked.

    ¡°no, i have new variants of nourishment pills i would like to sell.¡±

    ¡°new variants? please give me a moment. i¡¯ll get someone from the alchemy hall, then.¡±

    with li lang selling to his organization on a regular basis, his usual transaction could be done with only the clerk. now that he planned to sell a new pill, they needed to get someone more knowledgeable to assess the product.

    it didn¡¯t take the clerk long to summon someone. the person who came startled li lang for a moment because he knew the man with the full beard that stretched down to his chest. it was zhao longwei, li lang¡¯s own alchemy mentor. as a member of the orchid covenant, it was naturally possible he would be working on behalf of the organization.

    however, of all the possibilities, li lang didn¡¯t expect his own mentor to show up. he hadn¡¯t visited zhao longwei often in recent times, but even he knew the man usually left most mundane matters to his students or subordinates.

    he was one of the more transactional mentors he had. he previously only agreed to teach him in exchange for the knowledge he learned in the pocket realm.

    ¡°li lang, i heard you brought a variant of some pill. come up and show me. it¡¯s been some time, after all.¡±

 Chapter 198: Preparation

    chapter 198: preparationli lang found himself inside the alchemy hall within the orchid covenant in no time.

    facing him was his alchemy mentor, zhao longwei. he was currently scrutinizing the pill in between his fingers. then he brought it closer to his face and sniffed it. he even then proceeded to lick it.

    ¡°this¡ªis a candied layer?¡± he asked, turning to li lang with a frown.

    ¡°that¡¯s correct, senior. i¡¯ve only made minimal changes to the pill recipe to ensure it stabilized with this layer so that the whole pill won¡¯t go bad.¡±

    ¡°that can hardly be called a variant pill, li lang. i¡¯m not sure if we can buy this. why don¡¯t you just refine normal nourishment pills? they¡¯re tried and true.¡±

    ¡°senior zhao, normal nourishment pills work perfectly fine, but their taste¡ªis hard to be satisfied with. i believe these flavored nourishment pills are much more palatable.¡±

    ¡°while i don¡¯t doubt your claim, cultivators like us have no need to care about such details. if we wanted good food, we would eat real food, not pills. everyone knows what they¡¯re getting into when they take nourishment pills.¡±

    ¡°senior, cultivators are still human. they can¡¯t possibly complain that the taste of their pills got better.¡±

    ¡°nonsense! the pain of cultivation is a thousand times harder to bear, and yet we do so anyway. these little tricks you employed are for children, not serious cultivators.¡±

    ¡°the sense of taste is something people of all ages have. there are also plenty of children among the younger disciples. i¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be a demand for these nourishment pills once people have tried it.¡±

    zhao longwei sighed upon realizing how persistent his student was. he was a traditional man who dedicated a great portion of his life to the pursuit of alchemy. he expected like him to be advancing their great craft together. he thought it was blasphemous to waste time, creating a variant of an existing pill that only improved something that didn¡¯t matter.

    many cultivators were like him, proud of their dedication and their ability to endure hardship.

    ¡°senior, surely you can see that we can sell these nourishment pills with no problem. if you still doubt them, i can take them to the alchemist guild as well, so they can officially examine them for you.¡±

    li lang¡¯s words effectively made zhao longwei stop in his train of thoughts. while he didn¡¯t personally care for the flavored nourishment pills, he couldn¡¯t stand a member of their organization choosing to do business with the guild instead of them.

    ¡°fine. i¡¯ll accept them. they¡¯ll be at the standard price of nourishment pills of one qi stone per three pills.¡±

    the elder didn¡¯t say much after that. he grabbed the bottle of pills, gave li lang some money, and walked away in a rush.

    it was out of li lang¡¯s hands now, so he too took his leave shortly after.

    as he walked by, he couldn¡¯t help but vent to ruby.

    ¡°are the older cultivators really that stubborn? they only care about practicality and nothing else?¡±

    ¡°master, i¡¯m sure it¡¯s not everyone, but there should be quite a few who only care about results.¡±

    ¡°well¡ªyeah, if they¡¯re competing for scarce resources, i can see that they wouldn¡¯t want to be wasteful, but this is different. i¡¯m not wasting any qi herbs or any other valuable resources.¡±

    ¡°at least he accepted master¡¯s pills in the end. give it some time. i¡¯m sure it¡¯ll become popular soon enough!¡±

    ¡°hopefully. i made these pills with the intention of using them for ourselves in the first place, so i guess i shouldn¡¯t complain. anyway, sorry for always complaining to you.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s no problem¡ªno problem at all, master!¡±

    sometimes, li lang wanted to ask if ruby could simulate things, couldn¡¯t they materialize themselves in an avatar of some sort? he wanted to speak to them face to face. he almost thought of them as his mascot character. all that was missing was the visual element.

    with his errand complete, li lang soon made it back home in the southern dark spot of emberglow.

    when he returned, he found the main hall and the outdoor field completely empty. that was a sight he¡¯d never seen before since he moved in. there was always someone around, training or doing chores.

    he quickly listened carefully, searching for any clues while also being careful of any threats. soon, his ears picked up the sound of conversation from the distance. he approached carefully until he realized it was coming out of one of the small houses his students lived in. he saw an entire crowd of them standing just outside.

    the confusion cleared up the closer he got. once he was able to hear what they were saying, the mystery was solved.

    ¡°teacher long, are you sure xiao dong is okay? he wasn¡¯t moving at all and was deathly pale!¡±

    ¡°everyone, i said he¡¯d wake up shortly, but that doesn¡¯t mean you should all crowd around him. please go back to your training. i¡¯ll spread the news once he wakes up.¡±

    his words caused a few of the children to take a few steps back, but it didn¡¯t seem they would vacate the area. worried expressions could be seen on their face as an awkward moment of silence ensued as no one listened to long yi¡¯s instructions.

    ¡°teacher long, are you sure this isn¡¯t due to the side effect of that mysterious pill that helps with our cultivation?¡± one of the students asked, referring to the cleansing drug that had now been turned into pill form by li lang.

    ¡°of course not. it¡¯s not that uncommon for cultivators to become so fatigued to the point of being unable to move when breaking through to the later stages of energy gathering. just sit tight and relax.¡±

    li lang chose this exact moment to interject.

    ¡°what happened? you said someone broke through?¡±

    the entire crowd went deathly silent upon realizing the arrival of li lang. only long yi was unfazed.

    ¡°yeah. probably broke through in the morning. his roommates found him unmoving in bed.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯ll go check on him, then.¡±

    no one dared stop him as li lang zealously strode into the abode. he was eager to collect samples from his students, and also at the prospect of someone finally catching up to him.

    he didn¡¯t even care at all that one of his students now had the same cultivation as him. he wouldn¡¯t either, even if they were stronger than him. in fact, it would be a plus in his eyes, as he would have more people to study. that was why he didn¡¯t only recruit students with grade one aptitude, but grade two as well. he knew they had the best chance of surpassing him, guiding the way for him.

    stepping into the room, he found two students inside. one was lying still on a bed while the other was cultivating right next to them. he recognized the one who was unconscious to be xiao dong, while the one overlooking his companion was wu san.

    wu san was one of the more polite kids with grade-one aptitude. he had the making of a scholar.

    xiao dong, on the other hand, was more forthright. he was the kid who had been an orphan in the remote mu xia village. li lang had even accepted his little brother along, but since he was too young to be cultivating, they simply lived together. he spent the time helping out with the kitchen staff they hired or frolicking, befitting his age.

    ¡°how is his condition?¡± li lang asked.

    the young man cultivating, slowly opened his eyes and shook his head.

    ¡°still no response. teacher long had already taken his pulse and said he was fine. he just needs some rest.¡±

    hearing this, li lang couldn¡¯t help but immediately examine the boy himself. he trusted the evaluation of a foundation establishment cultivator, but he just wanted to see for himself.

    he found his body undamaged, and his energy vigorous. it likely had improved since long yi last inspected him, so he proceeded to lightly shake his shoulders.

    after a few tries, it succeeded. the boy woke up, rubbing both his eyes while breathing in deeply.

    ¡°xiao dong. how do you feel? do you remember what happened?¡±

    ¡°hmm? yeah¡ªi broke through, but got tired right after, so i slept.¡±

    ¡°congratulations, you¡¯re at the peak of energy gathering now!¡±

    ¡°well, when you put it that way, it feels surreal. i fully know that i¡¯m an incomplete cultivator, though. i barely practiced anything cultivator-like.¡±

    ¡°we¡¯ll remedy that in good time. for now, just stabilize your cultivation. in the next few days, we¡¯ll start trying out a few things.¡±

    ¡°wait, is that the breakthrough method to foundation establishment realm you were talking about before?¡±

    ¡°yes. don¡¯t worry. i¡¯m pretty confident it doesn¡¯t require any more accumulation in the final stage of energy gathering. you just need the right method along with foundation pills.¡±

    ¡°umm, that¡¯s not what i¡¯m worried about, teach. isn¡¯t the process particularly painful? plus, i¡¯ll be the first to use your new method¡ªi know i agreed to this before, but when i hear it¡¯s going to happen so soon, i don¡¯t feel mentally prepared.¡±

    li lang put on a thoughtful look as he glanced down. a few seconds later, he shook his head vigorously.

    ¡°this is all voluntary. i won¡¯t try to convince you to do something you don¡¯t want. just tell me if you want to stop at any point, and i will.¡±

    ¡°oh, no, teacher li. i didn¡¯t mean it like that. just give me half a day to wake up and prepare. i am fully aware that cultivation could cost me my life. i fully believe the risks are worth it. i just need my heart to be on the same wavelength as my mind.¡±

    ¡°then i won¡¯t bother you any longer. wu san, take care of him.¡±

    giving the two boys one last look, li lang left the building and headed straight for his own house. he was going to make the preparations to begin his experiments. now that one student had broken through, it was inevitable several others would soon follow. he wasn¡¯t afraid xiao dong would not participate. his thoughts were entirely focused on trying to make the experiment as safe as possible. s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    cultivation wasn¡¯t something he could test on animals. he couldn¡¯t get them to invoke the techniques he was testing. it meant this test was going to be particularly risky, as it was in unknown territory.

    a part of him was reprimanding himself for making younger children take the risks for him, but he kept pushing on. he needed to keep progressing. while he wanted to brave this danger himself, he knew the head researcher himself couldn¡¯t be a test subject. it was impossible for him to remain objective and unbiased toward his own hypothesis. he also wouldn¡¯t be able to accurately observe the situation without remaining a spectator, as he could fall unconscious or have his mind clouded or preoccupied.

    he justified his actions by telling himself these people he¡¯s taken in would¡¯ve given up on cultivating seriously and languished in the early stages of energy gathering if it wasn¡¯t for him.

    he wasn¡¯t a saint. this was a give-and-take relationship. he provided them with resources to cultivate, while they provided themselves as test subjects.

    he could only do his best to prepare and hope the worst never comes.

 Chapter 199: Converging Streams

    chapter 199: converging streamsearly one morning, knocking could be heard at li lang¡¯s door. he opened the doors to find xiao dong there.

    ¡°have you stabilized your cultivation?¡±

    ¡°yes, teacher, but i don¡¯t feel that i have the accumulation to break through, yet. didn¡¯t teacher long accumulate over a year?¡±

    ¡°from what i observed, his qi capacity didn¡¯t increase from the time he reached the peak of energy gathering to when he began his breakthrough. neither did mine throughout all this time. i believe everyone in the ninth stage is capable of breaking through.¡±

    ¡°believe?¡±

    ¡°unfortunately, it¡¯s not so easy to say with certainty regarding any matter. your participation now will help with that, but enough about that. come in.¡±

    xiao dong took in a deep breath to renew his determination as he stepped inside. he found the interior more spacious than he expected. it was due to the lack of furnishing li lang had added, despite having one of the four large houses to himself. compared to the students¡¯ dorm where they had to share a smaller house, the contrast was stark.

    another factor may be due to the lack of servants in the house. a traditional rich merchant household would employ many such servants to cater to their needs. however, li lang¡¯s manor only hired cooks to address their nutritional needs, while the other tasks were left to the inhabitants themselves.

    this was because the group decided they had too many secrets to involve too many outsiders. cooks could be confined to the kitchen area, but regular servants would frequent the entire estate. they couldn¡¯t afford one of them accidentally overhearing something they wanted to keep hidden.

    after all, there were numerous unknown cultivator techniques to make mortals talk. it was the height of foolishness to believe a mortal could keep secrets from a determined cultivator.

    li lang led his student toward a wooden platform he used for cultivation. it was like a low coffee table, but large enough for both of them to sit on it with some room to spare.

    ¡°i¡¯ll cut to the chase,¡± li lang said. ¡°what i¡¯ll have you do starting today is to create a certain technique that is customized to you alone. the goal of this technique is to aid you in breaking through, which means directing the flow of qi to your dantian. to give you a refresher, here is a sketch of what your meridian channels look like based on our previous tests.¡±

    li lang picked out the sheet of paper with xiao dong¡¯s name on it and handed it to him. through the usual training, he had gotten each of his students to practice the tracing origin art and mapped out their meridians. it was a complex three-dimensional mess, but having it drawn made it much easier to understand.

    ¡°anything i should be worried about?¡±

    ¡°hmm, to be honest, i have no idea. it¡¯s one of the reasons why i haven¡¯t tried going through with it myself. i¡¯ve only tried sections of the technique separately.¡±

    this caused xiao dong to visibly gulp.

    ¡°if anything happens to me, i want to be buried¡ª¡±

    ¡°woah, woah. calm down there. let¡¯s not become too pessimistic right away. i¡¯ve made ample preparation to deal with any situation. still, here¡¯s a contract i drafted with everything laid out neatly. read it over. let me know if there are any parts you can¡¯t understand. remember, you don¡¯t have to proceed if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    xiao dong had previously not known how to read or write at all. since he had been recruited, he had quickly learned. it only took him a few moments to read over the risks and terms listed. he signed it and handed it over back to li lang.

    it was just a formality, as the piece of paper wasn¡¯t any sort of binding contract. li lang only created it to remind the participants of the risks and test their determination. once everything was settled, li lang began going over the technique.

    ¡°so you have grade two aptitude with thirty-two spiritual roots. that means there are a lot more entryways to your meridians, and the network is also more complex. there¡¯s a total of eight pathways that converge to your dantian.¡±

    ¡°does everyone¡¯s meridian network converge in the dantian?¡± xiao dong curiously asked.

    ¡°i can¡¯t say for sure, but i assume that is true except for the rarest of cases. it¡¯s why every cultivator talks about this crucial area of the body where qi resides. from what i can tell, a breakthrough happens when enough of this energy is packed into this dantian, causing a qualitative change. this is our goal.¡±

    li lang proceeded to explain a set of martial arts techniques to invoke specific movements in the flow of qi. with each person¡¯s meridian channels being unique, they had to test out each move one by one to see how it reacted to xiao dong.

    that took the two a full week to finish.

    once they knew the type of reaction each move created, they could then put together a choreographed sequence of movements to guide all the qi in the body to converge. it sounded easy and straightforward, but what they were essentially doing was not far off from imploding their meridians. li lang didn¡¯t know how this could affect something as intangible as the meridians. the risks were very real.

    ¡°okay, xiao dong. let¡¯s give it a try. we¡¯ll start off easy and try to converge just two pathways with each other in your hand, here.¡± li lang pointed toward the web in the hand, between the thumb and index finger.

    he then jotted down the correct sequence of movements for xiao dong to follow and began observing attentively. in the background, even long yi was there.

    receiving the new sequence of instructions like a musician getting a new score, xiao dong carefully played out the moves in his mind. after seeing nothing wrong, he proceeded to execute the stances.

    he jumped and twirled, stretched his leg high into the sky, and consecutively made several eccentric poses. if one wasn¡¯t aware of what they were doing, they may have concluded xiao dong to have lost a bet and was made to perform a strange dance.

    despite the eccentric outer appearance, what truly mattered was what was going on within him. only he knew the situation, as others couldn¡¯t use the tracing origin art on someone else¡¯s qi within their bodies.

    jumping left and right around the room before coming to a squat, xiao dong soon approached the last few moves.

    unsurprisingly, he could feel his energy stir and begin to flow more rapidly. he could clearly sense two different streams of energy on a head-on collision course around his arm. he shut his eyes tightly and prayed everything would work out for him.

    without waiting for him, the two flows clashed, and a brief moment of sharp pain made xiao dong flinch.

    ¡°ouch, that hurt!¡±

    ¡°hold it in. i need to examine it first!¡±

    li lang rushed to examine his student¡¯s arm. he found nothing wrong except the sudden sense of pain, so the test continued.

    the next target, he picked somewhere along the meridian channels where three passages converged.

    this time, the pain was even more intense and lasted longer.

    seeing how there hadn¡¯t been any physical damage so far, they trekked on.

    their little tests quickly escalated, until all that was left to test were all eight passageways, which had the potential to kickstart xiao dong¡¯s breakthrough.

    ¡°xiao dong, are you okay? do you need a break?¡±

    no answer came as the student in question continued to breathe normally. he was evidently lost in thought, but he managed to squeeze out a few words.

    ¡°i¡¯m fine. don¡¯t worry about it. let¡¯s continue.¡±

    the final moment of truth finally arrived after some setup time. xiao dong was to test converging all eight of his qi passageways toward his dantian. it made li lang slightly jealous of how good xiao dong had it.

    in comparison, li lang¡¯s five spiritual roots resulted in a much simpler layout, with only three passageways converging at the dantian.

    having gotten used to the technique, xiao dong swiftly reached the critical point of his breakthrough. the ambient energy around him swirled and his skin began to pulse with light. just as the eight streams of qi started converging, they each tried their best to exert their dominance. the flow of qi violently picked up, causing xiao dong to fear for the worse.

    the different streams of qi became more dangerous as they closed the distance.

    this time, it didn¡¯t end with just some phantom pain, but xiao dong was sent back flying. he remained on the ground and a pool of blood began to form underneath him.

    the scene made li lang freeze for a moment at the sudden carnage. loads of blood were constantly leaking from his orifices. there were tiny holes everywhere leaking out blood. xiao dong himself was unconscious.

    quickly snapping out of it, li lang rushed to his student¡¯s side and took out a pill bottle. he didn¡¯t hesitate to put a recovery pill into xiao dong¡¯s mouth and made him swallow it. it made the wound he sustained heal in real-time. li lang watched as the holes mended themselves before carrying xiao dong off to a bed.

    there was only one word that rang out in his mind.

    s§×ar?h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 200: Various Cultivation Techniques

    Chapter 200: Various Cultivation Techniques¡°The test for the new technique is put on hold for now until I figure out why it caused you to bleed all over. For now, I want you to focus on breaking through the traditional way.¡±

    ¡°But it was only my first attempt! I¡¯m sure if I get to make another attempt, I¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough. This isn¡¯t up for discussion. Go back and stabilize your cultivation. You trying to break through the traditional way is still able to provide us with a lot of insight by identifying the differences in your experiences.¡±

    The boy could only accept his mentor¡¯s words, not being able to rebuke him. He shook his head and walked out of the room, leaving only Li Lang and Long Yi remaining. Seeing how Li Lang stubbornly decided to put the test on hold, Long Yi decided to say a few words.

    ¡°You know, no one could¡¯ve expected practicing a technique could cause such harm. You shouldn¡¯t worry too much about it.¡±

    ¡°No, I knew a lot could go wrong. Cultivation mishaps aren¡¯t uncommon, and I failed to see my technique was actively trying to incorporate all the worst practices.¡±

    ¡°Then will you just give up on this direction already?¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°Of course not, but I¡¯ll need to reevaluate it before getting anyone to test it for me.¡±

    ¡°I could do it. As a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Realm, it shouldn¡¯t be too dangerous for me to test it out.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t serve as a good tester. How someone in your realm is able to practice a technique to focus your Qi into your dantian has no meaning in figuring out a way to break through. It¡¯s not the time to research the differences in physique after one has broken through, either.¡±

    ¡°But I can judge how violent the reaction would be. From what I can tell, my meridians haven¡¯t changed since breaking through.¡±

    His words made Li Lang fall into deep thought for a few moments.

    ¡°Hmm, you may be right, but the higher level of power you have access to may also mean the repercussions may even be greater than what Xiao Dong experienced. I have too little knowledge of how to craft cultivation techniques to be able to predict what would happen.¡±

    After saying that, Li Lang blinked blankly before he got up and briskly walked out of the room. Long Yi quickly tailed him despite his confusion.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s knowledge I¡¯m lacking, then I just have to find it. I¡¯m sure there are plenty of experts skilled in creating techniques. If I had a choice, I would consult with the artifact spirits of the Crucible and examine the techniques there, but that will have to wait. Too many organizations have their eyes set on it right now, so I¡¯ll have to settle for other experts.¡±

    Li Lang proceeded to leave their estate behind and headed for The Orchid Covenant¡¯s headquarters. He approached the usual counter and began to inquire about finding someone knowledgeable about cultivation techniques.

    ¡°Umm, all our experts are masters of various techniques. Is there any particular subject you¡¯re looking for?¡±

    ¡°Are there any renowned for having created their own techniques?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±

    Before the clerk could reply, someone appeared behind them and placed their hand on their shoulder.

    ¡°I can take it from here,¡± the old man assured and turned to Li Lang. ¡°Young friend, it¡¯s been some time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Councilor Sheng. I hope you¡¯ve been well.¡±

    The old man nodded with an amiable smile. He was Sheng Zhaoming, one of the senior members of The Orchid Covenant.

    ¡°Yes, yes, no need to mind an old man like me. Instead, let¡¯s talk about what you¡¯re here for. I heard you mentioning something about looking for someone skilled in cultivation techniques? Have you come across an issue in your training? Maybe I can be of some assistance.¡±

    Li Lang was just about to go into detail when he suddenly remembered his meeting with Nightmoon Valley¡¯s leader. He mentioned all the organizations had been investigating the matter with the pocket realm, which was how he concluded it had something to do with him. It made him believe that this Councilman Sheng had appeared in such a timely fashion to get closer to him to fish for more information.

    ¡°Yes, Councilor. I¡¯ve been studying about how cultivation techniques are created. Specially, martial arts. Do you happen to have experience in this subject?¡±

    ¡°Oh, every cultivator that has reached my age has dabbled in trying to create a technique or two. It¡¯s not an easy task, so many give up midway through or create something so inefficient that it has no practical applications. I happen to have gotten lucky and have created half a dozen techniques in my lifetime that I can be proud of.¡±

    ¡°In that case, do you mind sharing your experiences?¡±

    The old man chuckled.

    ¡°Follow me. Let¡¯s go to a more comfortable place where we can sit.¡±

    For the rest of the day, Li Lang relentlessly tried to learn as much as he could with Sheng Zhaoming. He slowly but surely guided the conversation toward conflicting flows of Qi and gained some insight as to what had happened when his student had tried to practice his technique.

    It turned out that what he tried to accomplish was usually what cultivators actively tried to avoid when creating a technique. As he learned more, it started to make more and more sense. It made him regret his arrogance in believing he could create a technique without consulting outside help first. His desire for secrecy had blinded him.

    Typical creators were trying to make a usable move in combat, and having a disruption in the practitioners¡¯ meridians was only a detriment in the midst of battle.

    With his technique attempting to converge all the Qi into one spot in the body, it created an immense pressure that the user couldn¡¯t appropriately control. Normally, during a breakthrough, the cultivator would have honed their Qi manipulation enough to control the flow, but by using a technique to bypass the force one needs to be able to exert to kickstart the breakthrough, it forced the practitioner¡¯s body to face something it wasn¡¯t prepared to handle. The pressure buildup of various streams of Qi clashing was too strong.

    ¡°So, Councilman, does that mean every technique avoids making the streams of Qi converge or go against each other?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, not particularly. Playing it safe is great and all, but sometimes, risks have worthwhile rewards as well. Many hidden techniques that are trump cards of cultivators take these risks. In exchange for some internal injuries, they are able to exert a lot more power.¡±

    ¡°So it inevitably injures the user, then,¡± Li Lang muttered, his eyes downcast.

    ¡°Hmm, most of them, yes. Some techniques made by geniuses may reduce that drawback to the minimum. These techniques are particularly valuable, though. Often part of a family inheritance.¡±

    ¡°How can they accomplish that? They get to have the best of both worlds of power without any costs?¡±

    ¡°Well, these techniques still exhaust the energies of the user and are especially hard to learn. When Qi within one¡¯s channels clash or merges, the cultivator will undoubtedly suffer some damage unless they are in perfect equilibrium. That means they will have to manage their Qi perfectly, which is a colossal ask amid combat.¡±

    Councilman Sheng Zhaoming then explained the intricacies of these powerful secret techniques. It basically boiled down to ensuring the clashing flows of energy were equal in strength so they would cancel each other out.

    Once Li Lang had gotten all his questions answered, he raced back home and locked himself in his room. He quickly reviewed the incident with Xiao Dong the previous day and spotted what had gone wrong.

    By using particular movements chained together like a dance, the different streams of Qi converging in Xiao Dong¡¯s dantian arrived at different times. The imbalance from this delay was where the problem lay.

    Having a challenging problem wasn¡¯t anything to be afraid of for Li Lang. It was not having direction for his research that scared him. Now that he believed he grasped the last piece he had been missing, Li Lang worked relentlessly through the night.

    The next morning, he barged straight into Long Yi¡¯s room without knocking.

    ¡°Wake up! I need you to help me with some tests.¡±

    The sleeping Long Yi slowly opened his eyes in confusion.

    ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°You said yesterday that you¡¯ll help me test out the technique first to verify its safety, right? Let¡¯s get to it!¡±

 Chapter 201: Breakthrough Testing

    Chapter 201: Breakthrough TestingWith the computers in his lab helping him model the flows of Qi in the meridians, Li Lang was able to refine his technique rapidly and precisely. He made a new version of his technique for Long Yi to test out.

    As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Long Yi¡¯s mastery of Qi within his body had reached new levels. Though Li Lang surmised his Qi had undergone a qualitative change, so his tests couldn¡¯t accurately represent what a normal Energy Gatherer would experience, he still deemed the test worthwhile as he could verify the safety of the technique.

    It took no time for Li Lang to teach the particular set of movements to Long Yi at all, and the test soon got underway. Just like in the previous instance, with Xiao Dong, Long Yi slowly transitioned from one martial stance to another. However, this time Li Lang had accounted for the delay between movements and ensured the various Qi channels within his body would converge in his dantian at the same time and with the same strength.

    This meant the critical moment was at the end when the streams of Qi would finally meet.

    ¡°How much of your Qi is being affected by the technique?¡± Li Lang asked his latest test subject.

    ¡°Slightly more than a tenth. It should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Just make sure you stop as soon as you sense something wrong.¡±

    While being occasionally questioned about his experiences, Long Yi was soon able to complete the prescribed set of movements. When he did, nothing particular happened. No discomfort, no pain, or anything to worry about.

    ¡°Is this supposed to happen?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Not sure. The physique of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator may be different. This technique is meant to aid low aptitude Energy Gatherers in breaking through. In the first place, your grade three aptitude means you have enough control over Qi that you don¡¯t need it.¡±

    ¡°So we didn¡¯t learn much from this test?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all. We learned that it should be safe to practice. You may be more powerful, but that would mean any adverse reaction would be even more severe. If nothing happened, I think I can resume testing with Xiao Dong again.¡±

    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll go call him.¡±

    Li Lang looked as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he chose not to interrupt his friend. As Long Yi exited his room to call on their student, Li Lang sighed.

    He was feeling a little guilty after the previous failed experiment. Thoughts of wanting to take the role of the tester resurfaced. He knew it wasn¡¯t proper for the experimenter to take part, as he would be filled with bias toward his hypothesis, but he didn¡¯t want any accidents to befall his students.

    In a way, he admitted he had recruited them to take advantage of them, but that didn¡¯t mean he only saw them as tools. He wanted them to succeed too. Some techniques he would make them test may limit their potential in the future as he searched for an optimal path, but it was still better than languishing as a low-talent Energy Gatherer forever.

    Before he knew it, a knock rang out from the door, with Long Yi returning with Xiao Dong in tow.

    ¡°Teacher, is it true we¡¯ll be resuming the tests already?¡±

    Li Lang looked at him wistfully and nodded.

    Seeing this, Xiao Dong thumped his chest, and he reassured his mentors.

    ¡°Leave it to me, then! I¡¯ll make sure I won¡¯t mess it up this time. And even if I do, it isn¡¯t that big of a deal. Nothing a Recovery Pill can¡¯t fix.¡±

    ¡°Xiao Dong, we believe we¡¯ve addressed the issue that caused you to bleed in the previous attempt,¡± Li Lang clarified. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t happen this time, but the dangers are always present. Have you tried out the traditional breakthrough method yet instead? With your aptitude, it shouldn¡¯t be much of an issue.¡±

    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ve been resting as you instructed, Teacher. But I want to continue with this technique you¡¯re creating. It is what I signed up for, and it¡¯ll make it easier for when the others catch up, right?¡±

    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go over the revised movements.¡±

    Li Lang saw that there was no need to have any second thoughts anymore. He was the one who started everything, so he had to see it through.

    The teachers and students went over the new set of movements once more before the test immediately went underway. Both Li Lang and Long Yi were carefully scrutinizing the condition of this student throughout the test in case something went wrong. Under those two watchful gazes, Xiao Dong soon received the valuable Foundation Pill from his mentors.

    ¡°Take it when you¡¯re ready. If it goes as I intended, it could cause your breakthrough to begin.¡±

    Xiao Dong nodded earnestly before swallowing the pill in one gulp. He then got started with the series of movements right away.

    ¡°How much of your Qi is being affected?¡± Li Lang repeated the same questions he had asked Long Yi.

    He noted down the answers he received. They were similar to Long Yi¡¯s, which assured him somewhat. It made him believe it wouldn¡¯t stray too far from what he had previously observed.

    The session continued and before long, the critical moment near the end arrived. As Xiao Dong finished the last set of movements, the two mentors stood protectively over their students, ready to react to any incidents.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Li Lang asked after a moment with no response from their pupil.

    ¡°Umm, I think I¡¯m almost there. I just need another push and my breakthrough will begin.¡±

    For a moment, Li Lang was tempted to ask his student to immediately repeat the technique. The series of movements acted like a pump to the Qi in their meridians, pushing it in the predetermined directions. It meant it could be repeated to exert more force. However, Li Lang knew he should be satisfied with what he had so far.

    They had successfully carried out the test on a peak Energy Gatherer without any harm coming to their subject. It was better for him to thoroughly examine his test subject¡¯s conditions before getting carried away. Oftentimes, approaching experiments with a slow and meticulous approach was faster than rushing things.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to do anything more, Xiao Dong. Just relax. I¡¯ll just need to collect some samples from you.¡±

    Everyone associated with Li Lang was familiar with this request by now. After having been provided the Cleansing Drug, they had all received a similar request every so often. Li Lang needed to continuously monitor their blood and flesh to confirm the effects and safety of his drug.

    At the same time, it was also his way of monitoring the health of his students. It was to prevent any of his students from being overeager and cultivating beyond their limits. If any of them tried to do that, it would immediately be detected by the tests.

    After thoroughly collecting everything he needed, Li Lang dismissed his student and went to work with his new samples. He spent most of the day going through them as he planned another round of testing.

    Like that, the days passed with Xiao Dong testing out the technique every so often and Li Lang carefully monitoring his condition. The tests slowly escalated until the day finally came when they were determined to have Xiao Dong take on the challenge and attempt a breakthrough.

    ¡°Remember, to keep repeating the technique if you need more Qi to converge in your dantian, but once you start, don¡¯t stop midway.¡±

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry, Teacher Li. It isn¡¯t my first time.¡±

    By now, the dozens of tests had gotten Xiao Dong familiar with the series of movements catered to him. He completed one set of the technique in no time and seamlessly started his second round of it.

    After doing three rounds, his dantian began to light up like he had swallowed a lightbulb. The ambient Qi in the surroundings became more active as he began absorbing more and more of it into his body.

    They were the signs that meant Xiao Dong had begun his breakthrough!

    However, during this critical moment, knocking could be heard.

    Annoyed, Li Lang gave a look to Long Yi that conveyed he would handle it, and that he would leave things here to him before rushing out to reprimand the student or students that had chosen to interrupt them. While Xiao Dong continued without a care, it was still a distraction. Li Lang had told his students countless times not to interrupt them during these sessions.

    When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Wu San, a normally cautious and obedient student of the group. This made him swallow his words, as he knew he shouldn¡¯t have interrupted them without good reason. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°Teacher Li.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Teacher Wei is back!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

 Chapter 202: Breakthrough Testing Pt.2

    Chapter 202: Breakthrough Testing Pt.2Li Lang took one glance back into the room where the current breakthrough was happening before turning back to Wu San.

    ¡°I can¡¯t leave at the moment. Welcome him back on my behalf. If he wants, he can come and join us here. Just tell him to be quiet.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll go tell him that right away!¡±

    The young and serious boy quickly turned around and dashed toward the main building of the estate. With him gone, Li Lang quickly returned to the ongoing breakthrough so he could carefully observe and note down everything.

    This went on for a few minutes before the door softly creaked open, and a young man wearing a strange wooden mask entered. He exchanged nods with the two adults in the room before settling next to Li Lang.

    ¡°He¡¯s a-already attempting to break through to Foundation Establishment? That¡¯s quite f-fast,¡± Wei Ping quietly muttered.

    ¡°Perks of having grade two aptitude along with the Cleansing Drug,¡± Li Lang replied. ¡°But look at you. You¡¯re not far off yourself.¡±

    ¡°R-right. There are some things I w-want to discuss, but it seems we should stay silent for the moment.¡±

    Faced with Xiao Dong¡¯s current predicament, Wei Ping, who had just reunited with his friends after years, chose to keep quiet for the moment.

    The breakthrough continued until a cracking noise could be heard. However, it didn¡¯t lead to the cultivator breaking through their restraints, but instead represented Xiao Dong¡¯s dantian cracking and leaking out Qi.

    It meant failure was imminent!

    ¡°Xiao Dong, keep your mind focused!¡± Li Lang shouted. ¡°You still have a chance. I¡¯ve seen people succeed in their breakthroughs before, even after their dantian had cracked. Your willpower just has to be strong enough. Think about the reason why you want to cultivate, what motivates you to endure all the hardship!¡±

    What Li Lang was describing was the instance with Tang Yulian from the Eternal Wave Sect. As the first breakthrough he had ever witnessed, the experience was embedded deeply into his mind. He could still remember how a similar situation happened during her breakthrough in the pocket realm, but she managed to succeed anyway.

    When he had questioned her about it later, she had told him the importance of one¡¯s willpower during each event. Wishing his student could replicate that success, Li Lang could only hope events could replay themselves.

    Unfortunately, that was not to be.

    A few minutes after his dantian had cracked, Xiao Dong suddenly began coughing. It made him lurch forward until he weakly fell on his side.

    The strong vortex of ambient Qi around him quickly disappeared. In its place, a stream of Qi was constantly leaking from his body.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch him, Long Yi. Just leave him there for now. His energies need to dissipate from his body or it¡¯ll be dangerous when he doesn¡¯t have control and the effects of the Foundation Pill fade.¡±

    ¡°Relax. I¡¯m just putting a blanket on him. Anyway, welcome back, Wei Ping! It¡¯s been quite some time, huh?¡±

    The two who hadn¡¯t seen Wei Ping for over two years regarded him for a moment, examining any changes. Wei Ping was now at the peak of Energy Gathering, accomplishing his goal of getting inspiration by traveling around.

    ¡°While it took quite some time, it looks like your trip worked out for you,¡± Long Yi continued.

    ¡°Yes. It w-was well worth it. I¡¯ve now been at the p-peak of Energy Gathering for over a year and have learned a Qi a-art that is said to help with increasing t-the chances of breakthroughs. I thought it was a g-good time to come share what I learned.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what Li Lang is exactly studying right now!¡±

    The two turned to their friend in question, who rested his chin on his fist while his eyes were closed, deep in thought.

    ¡°Li Lang? You okay?¡± Long Yi inquired.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Wei Ping said he has come back with a Qi art that can help with breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. Were you spacing out?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I had my mind full with going over the test just now. What do you mean by a Qi art that can help with breaking through, Wei Ping?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s c-called the Lingering Impact Technique. I learned it f-from a certain expert when I found out it could i-improve chances of breakthroughs. It w-wasn¡¯t easy to learn, though, which i-is why I took so long.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, as you may have seen, I¡¯m also working on creating a technique that is supposed to do the same thing. I wouldn¡¯t mind examining your Lingering Impact to see if there is anything useful to be gleaned from it, but I can¡¯t say I will focus on researching it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s f-fine. I assume t-that means your technique is g-going well?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it should be safe to practice and accomplish its goal, but we¡¯ve only tested it with Xiao Dong for now. It¡¯ll take some time before we can say anything with certainty.¡±

    ¡°But the test just now proved it successfully triggered the breakthrough, though, right?¡± Long Yi chimed in. ¡°It just so happens Xiao Dong failed it, but it should be marked off as a success!¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean anything. There are still no instances of success attributed to the use of the technique. Even if that did happen, it¡¯s not so easy to say it was due to the technique or just the cultivator¡¯s abilities. There are too many variables at play. We¡¯re going to need to have to form a control group and a test group when the others catch up.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean half of them would be wasting their time? I don¡¯t want to be mean, but the chances of a grade one Energy Gatherer breaking through isn¡¯t that great.¡±

    ¡°We can do crossover testing and allow everyone a chance eventually, but that¡¯ll have to wait until enough of them reach the peak of Energy Gathering first.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see the point in that if Xiao Dong manages to break through with the technique before then! I know you¡¯re trying to prove it works, but there¡¯s no one you need to prove it to. As long as we know it works, then it works.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t how we should operate. If I give in and take the sloppy approach now, then I won¡¯t ever be able to go back. My pride and credibility are at stake as well.¡±

    ¡°Who cares¡ª¡±

    Before the argument could ensue, Wei Ping skillfully stepped between the two.

    ¡°Sorry t-to interrupt, but shouldn¡¯t we c-come up with a name for this new technique first? It¡¯s kind of c-clunky to keep calling it ¡®that technique¡¯ or ¡®n-new technique.¡¯¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t really matter right now,¡± Li Lang retorted, shaking his head. ¡°We don¡¯t even know if it works. We can call it the breakthrough technique, but then what if it turns out it doesn¡¯t work?¡±

    ¡°Names c-can be changed.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t use the breakthrough technique or anything so on the nose,¡± Long Yi added.

    ¡°You guys can decide, then. It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. A creator has to be the one to name their work. It¡¯s an unwritten rule of society!¡±

    ¡°Then just call it Ascension Technique for now.¡±

    ¡°I said not so on the¡ªyou know what, whatever.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t t-that too similar to Ascension Pills?¡±

    Li Lang ignored all comments about the name afterward and began going over the results again. His student, Xiao Dong, managed to successfully converge the Qi to his navel area, prompting the breakthrough. Even though it ended in a failed attempt, it was still a big step forward.

    Li Lang was plagued with this feeling that he had missed something. He had a lot of questions about the effectiveness of his current methods, but no answers. Thankfully, the experiments were done precisely to answer these questions, and Li Lang was eager to proceed with them. As it turned out, his assistant Wei Ping had just returned as well, so things were primed to go more smoothly from hereon.

    ¡°About t-the Lingering Impact Technique, I learned,¡± Wei Ping voice¡¯s interrupted Li Lang¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Hmm, yes, please tell me all about it.¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    With Wei Ping back in the fold, Li Lang regained a helper to help with his research. He even brought back the potential piece of the puzzle he had been missing. Still, they would have to wait for the other students to reach the peak of Energy Gathering before intensifying the tests and adding new variables.

    Days of testing went by that turned to weeks, and then months.

    Every so often, they would have Xiao Dong try again, but perhaps because he hadn¡¯t had enough accumulation in Energy Gathering or because there really was a flaw in the Ascension Technique, he had still failed in every attempt.

    However, not all things were grim. After another six months, many of the other students began catching up! Several more among them with grade two aptitude had begun to reach the peak stage of Energy Gathering. Even some of the students with grade-one aptitude were showing signs of reaching this level.

    It really highlighted how powerful the Cleansing Drug was to be able to reduce the gap between aptitude levels. Normally, the difference between the two levels wouldn¡¯t just be mere months. It would at least be in years. It was unheard of for someone with grade-one aptitude to reach the last stage before they hit twenty.

    Thanks to this previous invention by Li Lang, he soon found himself with more test subjects. He was able to start control groups and test groups and bring the testing to a new level.

 Chapter 203: Breakthrough Testing Pt.3

    Chapter 203: Breakthrough Testing Pt.3A few months after a good portion of Li Lang¡¯s students had reached the peak of Energy Gathering, adequate results were collected. With six of the dozen students actively taking part in the test, the sample size was no longer as pitiful.

    This new round of testing was a lot more complicated than the previous rounds. Not only were there more participants, but there was also more content as well.

    Wei Ping had returned from his travels, bringing back a technique said to be able to aid in a cultivator¡¯s breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Realm. He naturally shared it with Li Lang.

    The contents of the Qi art involved a technique that could allow the user to strike the target twice with one attack. A punch would hit the target and then, a few seconds later, another impact would occur at the same spot. It was called the Lingering Impact Technique for that reason.

    While the contents of this Qi art were straightforward, analyzing how it could contribute to a breakthrough was not. The only thing Wei Ping knew was that many experts in the higher realms agreed learning this technique did indeed improve a cultivator¡¯s chances of breaking through. However, he didn¡¯t know exactly how.

    When Li Lang learned about this Qi art, he quickly incorporated it into his experiments. It added a new variable to the equation, making it more difficult to identify what exactly helped, but he didn¡¯t mind. There was time to figure all that out later. Instead, he prioritized getting his students into the next major realm by trying everything that seemed like it would help.

    There was also another reason he so readily incorporated the Lingering Impact Technique. He believed the secret behind it was the missing piece in the puzzle. So far, his new Ascension Technique helped his students invoke a breakthrough by increasing the concentration of Qi in the dantian to a degree that triggered a qualitative change.

    However, Xiao Dong had failed in all his breakthrough attempts. While this may not be uncommon, he always believed that there should be a way to increase the chances of overcoming that last hurdle if things like the Ascension Pill existed, allowing anyone to reach the next major realm. He surmised that while his students managed to start the breakthrough process, their ability to exert control of their Qi had fallen short.

    Normally, one would remain stuck in the peak of Energy Gathering, training their Qi control until they could converge enough Qi by themselves. Unfortunately, the threshold to be able to do that was too difficult for those with only rank one aptitude. Using the Ascension Technique to bypass that didn¡¯t change the fact that their strength of control over their Qi was lacking.

    After learning about the Lingering Impact Technique, Li Lang believed that this Qi art could remedy that exact issue.

    The technique involved compressing one¡¯s Qi and maintaining control over it. When the practitioner struck a target, they would transfer over some compressed Qi. That compacted energy could then be erupted to create the second impact.

    The act of compressing one¡¯s Qi and maintaining control of it was exactly what was needed to finish the breakthrough process. The technique was a perfect tool to train this ability.

    ¡°I can¡¯t b-believe all six of them managed to learn t-the Lingering Impact Technique already. I s-spent more than a year learning it,¡± Wei Ping muttered as he finished the last of his breakfast.

    Sitting around the small table with him were Li Lang and Long Yi. They were overlooking a much larger table beside them, where all their students sat and ate.

    ¡°Only in training, though,¡± Li Lang replied. ¡°I doubt they could use it in a combat situation like you can. It doesn¡¯t qualify as truly having learned it.¡±

    ¡°Still, y-your Ascension Technique is amazing. It c-can even be used to help learn other techniques.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because it¡¯s not much of a singular technique, but a collection of how your Qi flows in relation to specific sets of movements. They just used that as a basis to master what your Lingering Technique requires.¡±

    Studying The Lingering Impact Technique, Li Lang found that it used surprisingly similar principles that he had been studying. It involved converging streams of Qi together to compress it, which was what his Ascension Technique was all about.

    ¡°Still, I¡¯m surprised you managed to obtain this Qi art. I¡¯ve been told techniques of this quality are usually a cultivator¡¯s trump card or closed inheritances.¡±

    ¡°It t-took a lot of convincing from a certain senior b-before they agreed to teach me. Even then, t-they only showed me the basics.¡±

    ¡°Hey, is this Lingering Impact really that hard? I managed to learn it after a month,¡± Long Yi chimed in.

    ¡°It¡¯s obviously just the first chapter of a more comprehensive technique. I think it is only challenging for Energy Gatherers, too. The skills required to use it should be similar to what one needs to succeed in their breakthrough. You having already accomplished that, naturally means it wouldn¡¯t pose much of a challenge for you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, where can I find this expert?¡± Long Yi turned to ask his masked friend. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind learning the other parts of it. It seems pretty useful in combat.¡±

    Their chat continued throughout the morning before they all got back to work. With the focus now on practicing the Lingering Impact and Ascension Technique, everyone in the estate would gather in Li Lang¡¯s room to cultivate after breakfast.

    The three adults could oversee the tests while they cultivated themselves. They had been proceeding like this for months.

    Today was yet another day where Xiao Dong and his companions would tackle the big bottleneck that separated true cultivators from mortals.

    After training their Qi control for a few hours, they would then move on and consume a Foundation Pill to attempt a breakthrough. The frequent use of Foundation Pills could only be maintained thanks to Li Lang¡¯s secret agreement with Nightmoon Valley.

    As the premier organization in the entirety of the Luminescent Realm, Nightmoon Valley had small branches throughout every major city. That included Emberglow City. Previously, there was little to do there as Li Lang didn¡¯t know anyone from that branch. Now that he had an official agreement with the organization, it was the place where he could stay in touch with his collaborators and reap the benefits of their deal.

    He was supplied with these valuable pills whenever he wanted, but it wasn¡¯t free. Only the first batch was. The subsequent pills required him to buy them, albeit at a discounted price compared to the open markets.

    Thankfully, he had a healthy income from the constant printing of Warding Talismans. The Brushweaver Guild had even established a new deal with the Merchant Guild to supply them with his work. Selling thousands of talismans allowed him to barely keep up with the Foundation Pill expenses for half a dozen people. It made his growing wealth stagnate.

    Like any other day, his students¡¯ dantian began to glow shortly after they consumed the pill. They had begun practicing the specific movements catered to the layout of their meridians and started the breakthrough event.

    It was quite a scene when six people tried to break through together. It prompted Li Lang to buy a barrier talisman to keep the building contained and avoid prying eyes. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    One by one, the ordeal intensified for each student as they furrowed their brows. It was something that happened every few days. Just like always, the students who had stepped into the peak of Energy Gathering more recently failed first. They spewed out blood or slumped over powerlessly as Qi slowly leaked out of their body.

    One of their fellow students would then come to take care of them, but today, everyone in the room suddenly froze. Although some time had passed since starting his breakthrough, Xiao Dong still hadn¡¯t failed!

    It drew everyone¡¯s attention, as they usually only lasted an hour or two.

    ¡°Could it be that he¡¯s actually going to succeed today?¡± Long Yi muttered.

    His words caused even those focused on their training to snap out of it in order to observe the situation.

    Just like with Long Yi¡¯s ordeal, the breakthrough became more strenuous the longer it lasted. Xiao Dong¡¯s robes were soaked, and he wore a painful expression. Only he knew what he was going through.

    Long Yi had recounted his experiences before, but it didn¡¯t make much sense. It was as if they were confronted with a dream that tested their mental resilience.

    As everyone watched on with bated breath, sunset approached. It marked the start of the ambient Qi turning more turbulent as they swirled around Xiao Dong.

    A few of the younger students yelped out in surprise, but it only caused the three adults in the room to get closer to the source of the disturbance. They knew this was the critical part, and they didn¡¯t want to miss a thing!

    By the time the sun fully set, a crashing noise could be heard, followed by a bright light. Li Lang quickly got the weaker students to distance themselves as Long Yi stepped forward protectively.

    Before long, things settled and everyone in the room let out a gasp. That was because Xiao Dong had succeeded and stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm!

 Chapter 204: Proceeding to the Next Phase

    Chapter 204: Proceeding to the Next PhaseOnce the breakthrough had settled, Xiao Dong immediately plopped down to his seat. He had lost consciousness!

    ¡°Help him change into new robes before throwing him into his bed,¡± Li Lang ordered.

    Wu San, one of the closer students to Xiao Dong, complied without a word as the other students began conversing about what they had just witnessed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Xiao Dong finally did it. That¡¯s crazy, he¡¯s still so young!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, he at least had grade-two aptitude. I wonder if it will really work with people like us who have grade-one aptitude.¡±

    Li Lang didn¡¯t mind the ruckus. He had no spare capability to manage the students right now, so he quickly retreated toward his private area, cordoned off by a few dividers. His two companions followed.

    ¡°Give me a moment to process everything.¡±

    Wei Peing shared a quick glance with Long Yi before they both nodded.

    Meanwhile, Li Lang had already entered Ruby¡¯s artifact space. He jumped onto his computer right away. He noted down his observations and plotted the latest set of data.

    ¡°Congratulations, Master! You¡¯ve succeeded!¡±

    ¡°Not yet. This is just one instance where the subject had grade-two aptitude. It¡¯s still too hasty for any conclusions.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ll start practicing the Ascension Technique and Lingering Impact Technique, right? It seems safe so far, and the earlier you practice them, the better!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, you may be right. I can practice them now, and only go through with it once I see how others with the same aptitude react to it,¡± Li Lang muttered as he placed the latest samples into the auto-analyzer.

    ¡°And I can¡¯t wait for Master to reach the next realm! You¡¯ll be able to unlock more of my power by then, I¡¯m sure of it. You¡¯ll also be able to retrieve those three brats from the Crucible, too!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to see¡­¡±

    After noting everything down, Li Lang exited the artifact space to consult with his companions about their next step.

    Now that one of their students has reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, they had to put other parts of their plans into motion.

    ¡°How long do you think we can hide this?¡± Li Lang asked no one in particular.

    ¡°L-likely no more than a few months. If w-what you say about us being under surveillance is true.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll also need to get Xiao Dong and anyone else who subsequently breaks through their Earth-grade cultivation techniques, too. You know how important that is, right?¡± Long Yi chimed in. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to make any progress without one.¡±

    ¡°We were planning to go to the Crucible for that. I may not be able to do anything more than allow people entry into the pocket realm, but our original plan was for me to get closer to breaking through first. Only then can we move the Crucible around with us.¡±

    ¡°But y-you have that agreement w-with Nightmoon Valley. It shouldn¡¯t b-be a problem to make use of the p-pocket realm now.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, let me go talk to them tomorrow. I¡¯ll leave talking to Xiao Dong to you two, then.¡±

    The two nodded, each with a thoughtful expression.

    With an additional Foundation Establishment cultivator, things were no longer the same. Not even considering what impact that had on their little organization, the significance of the news getting around was already hard to comprehend.

    A bunch of young cultivators like them had the audacity to accept students so early on, but those students managed to shed their mortality in such a short time! Even back when the three geniuses of the Luminescent Domain broke through, they were at a similar age to Xiao Dong. While he was deficient when it came to both martial and Qi arts, it couldn¡¯t be denied he was now a full-fledged cultivator.

    Outsiders wouldn¡¯t even know about these details. All they would see was either they had managed to recruit a genius or they chanced upon some incredible treasures.

    According to their plans, they would now move the entire group into the Crucible to keep a lower profile and hide from the world. The pocket realm was an impregnable fortress that had everything they would need to continue their cultivation. The only problem with that was that they wouldn¡¯t be able to enter and leave without being scrutinized.

    Thanks to the deal with Nightmoon Valley, it should no longer be an issue, but that didn¡¯t change the fact Li Lang preferred to have the ability to move the Crucible at will first. To do that, it required him to break through. It was the only way he could gain a little more control of his Spirit-grade artifact.

    The next day, Li Lang headed out for Nightmoon Valley¡¯s branch office in Emberglow City, first thing in the morning.

    The place wasn¡¯t as grand or spacious as one would expect from the premier organization of all demonic cultivators. It was a simple estate, similar to Li Lang¡¯s own. Stationed there were three members of the prestigious organization. Li Lang had come to know all three of them, but today, he saw none of them.

    ¡°Greetings. How may Nightmoon Valley be of assistance to you?¡± a fierce woman valiantly called out.

    Li Lang had been looking confused as he searched for his acquaintances, so she quickly approached him.

    ¡°Oh, my name is Li Lang. I wonder if Senior Yong or Bing is here?¡±

    ¡°Those geezers got rotated out.¡±

    ¡°Did they do something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, no. We regularly get rotated to new locations. I am Zhu Leigong, by the way. The one in charge of the Emberglow branch for now. They told me about you before they left.¡±

    Despite how casual the woman was, she was still a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Li Lang quickly clasped his fist toward her in a formal greeting.

    ¡°Greetings, Senior Zhu.¡±

    ¡°So, how can we help you?¡±

    ¡°Have you been informed of my agreement with your valley?¡±

    ¡°About trading for Foundation and Ascension Pills?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, not quite. Can you contact your Valley Master or Senior Jian for me? You can tell them it¡¯s about my end of the agreement.¡±

    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll attach it to the daily report I¡¯ll be making tonight. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Umm, no. Thank you!¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°Sure, thing. I¡¯ll send you a message should I receive a reply. You¡¯re still living around¡ªthe Southern Dark Spot, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Thank you again for your consideration. I hope you have a good day.¡±

    Unsure if this new woman was privy to his secret deal with Nightmoon Valley or not, Li Lang quickly got out of there without revealing any details. After all, Jian Beiyun had left instructions to contact him should the need arise.

    With the matter settled, Li Lang could only return and patiently await a reply. He didn¡¯t know exactly what method of communication Nightmoon Valley used. He was aware there were transmission jades that could contact their headquarters instantly, but he didn¡¯t know if it would be used in everyday communications.

    That¡¯s why he wasn¡¯t alarmed when no one came to find him, even after two days. If any other method of communication was used, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising for it to take a few days for the message to reach Jian Beiyun.

    In the meantime, he could only continue his training and research, while his students did the same. Their motivation had skyrocketed in recent times after witnessing one of their own reaching the fabled Foundation Establishment Realm. It was something those with grade one aptitude could only dream of. Even in their dreams, they would require the use of Ascension Pills.

    They all looked up to their new role model, Xiao Dong, as he quickly recovered from the fatigue of his breakthrough. He had proven to them that he had become a true cultivator. He had the ability to exert his power, unlike those who consumed the Ascension Pill. With the help of his three mentors, he even procured an Earth-grade cultivation method from the Bloodwave bazaar.

    He was hard at work, trying to address his shortcomings. Even now, in an entirely different realm, it didn¡¯t change the fact he had neglected to practice any martial or Qi arts.

    As the training ramped up for everyone in Li Lang¡¯s estate, a visitor showed up five days after he had contacted Nightmoon Valley. A mischievous visitor who didn¡¯t hesitate to ambush Li Lang when he exited his house for his routine visit to The Orchid Covenant.

    As he walked past the gates to his estate, his vision suddenly grew dim, as if someone had closed the curtains around him.

    ¡°Junior Sister, you can¡¯t do that. No matter how close you are to the person. They may respond with lethal intent to your sudden pranks.¡±

    ¡°Geez, as if Li Lang has the strength to do that yet. Look at him. Still stuck at the peak of Energy Gathering. He really needs to work harder!¡±

    Hearing those familiar voices, Li Lang didn¡¯t even bother to muster up words to retort. He simply sighed.

 Chapter 205: The Dark Sea Arena

    Chapter 205: The Dark Sea ArenaSeeing the arrival of the two Nightmoon Valley disciples, Li Lang did not hesitate to invite them into his estate.

    ¡°Look at you, getting your own place. You¡¯ve sure come up in the world, huh?¡± Sima Xue teased with a grin.

    ¡°In case you haven¡¯t noticed, we¡¯re on the outskirts of town, where the prices are cheap. Most mortals can afford to live around these parts, albeit in a smaller house.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but how many actually do? The dark is more than just an inconvenience in their everyday lives. From what I saw, most of the people here are cultivators.¡±

    Before they could progress their conversation, Jian Beiyun cleared his throat ostentatiously to draw attention to himself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can just change the topic and chat away with Li Lang here. We still haven¡¯t finished our talk about your behavior. You¡¯re not a child anymore, your actions can represent Nightmoon Valley itself. We can¡¯t have you getting into the habit of casting Qi arts randomly on the street, even if it¡¯s on someone you¡¯re well acquainted with.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. There was no harm done. I know how to adapt to the situation. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°You telling me not to worry is exactly why I¡¯m so troubled. Your track record speaks for itself.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, you said it yourself. I¡¯m no longer a child anymore. Stop comparing me to my past.¡±

    As the bickering continued, the three of them soon made their way into the main hall of the estate. There wasn¡¯t a lot there, but Ouyang Jie could be seen sitting inside, reading some notes. He immediately caught sight of the two visitors and waved in a reserved manner.

    ¡°Oh, would you look at that! Is this who I think he is?¡± Sima Xue said as she flashed an amused smile. She exchanged a look with her senior brother, who only shook his head in response as he knew what she was planning.

    The high and mighty Foundation Establishment cultivator from the premier organization of the Luminescent Realm beelined for the young teenager.

    ¡°Hi there, my name is Sima Xue. Are you a student of Li Lang over there?¡±

    The boy was taken aback at the sudden questioning. He didn¡¯t expect one of the guests to engage in a conversation with him. Even if he did expect it, Ouyang Jie was the type to still falter at such social interactions.

    ¡°Umm, y-yes.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh!¡±

    Sima Xue then pressured the poor boy with her sparkling gaze. The fact she said nothing but gave the boy a thorough examination only made it worse.

    Seeing this, Li Lang quickly got in between the two.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you here on official business? Let¡¯s hurry up and get that out of the way first, okay?¡±

    ¡°Ehh, my Senior Brother can deal with all that. I¡¯d rather have a little chat with your cute disciples.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not our disciples. We haven¡¯t formed an organization or sect. We¡¯re simply mentors, much like the relationship between me and my craft teachers.¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re still all your disciple candidates. Who knows when you¡¯ll have a change of heart and take one of them in officially as your disciple?¡±

    In the cultivation world, master and disciple was a relationship akin to parent and child. Some said it was an even closer relationship than that. It was only with such a tight-knit bond that cultivators could entrust the future generation with their secret techniques and a lifetime of experiences.

    In contrast, a mentor and student was a more casual relationship. As important as crafting skills were to cultivators, they still paled in comparison to their core cultivation techniques. Combined with their disciples often having varied interests, this casual relationship was the norm when it came to the crafts. After all, it enabled one to learn more from several teachers if they desired to dabble in more than one profession.

    It was common to have many mentors, but never more than one master.

    Li Lang shrugged off Sima Xue¡¯s curious questions and guided the two to their dining hall. It was only there that they had the furniture to seat the guests.

    ¡°Senior Jian, let me be direct. Did you come here for the message I sent you?¡±

    The man nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. You had something to say regarding that deal you made, right?¡± He snapped his finger and a transparent dome enveloped them. ¡°Then go ahead, let¡¯s talk.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to move ahead of schedule and enter the pocket realm. How soon can we do that?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re in a dire rush? Does it have anything to do with that other cultivator nearby?¡±

    Li Lang paused for a split second before realizing he was referring to Xiao Dong, who was now in the Foundation Establishment Realm. He could be regarded as a threat now, and it was understandable how Jian Beiyun would get suspicious of a mysterious expert living among them. Based on what he knew, Li Lang¡¯s group only had one Foundation Establishment cultivator in Long Yi.

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s nothing close to a life and death situation, but I¡¯d prefer if we could enter it as soon as possible. Within reason, of course.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, in that case, you¡¯re looking at a month at the very best. We¡¯d need to start discussing with the other organizations and explain how we had taken control of the pocket realm. Then, we¡¯ll have to put on a show to demonstrate our control of it. We¡¯ll need your cooperation for that part.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a lot of work. Sorry to spring this on you.¡±

    ¡°No worries. It actually works out better for me. This way, I can focus on preparing for The Dark Sea Arena after settling this matter.¡±

    ¡°I see¡ªin that case, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Judging from your lack of reaction, it looks like you haven¡¯t heard of The Dark Sea Arena before,¡± Sima Xue chimed in. ¡°You should really get more acquainted with upcoming events, at least for the major ones.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not so easy when it seems like there are hundreds of them, each held at different intervals of time between them. I only know that this isn¡¯t an annual event, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s an event for Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Hosting them year by year would be too tedious. Some of them could easily go into closed-door cultivation for several years. It¡¯s why this event is held every five years.¡±

    ¡°Then it sounds like it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with the current me. I¡¯m still a lowly mortal.¡±

    ¡°But what about your friend, Long Yi?¡± Jian Beiyun added. ¡°It should be a good opportunity to polish himself and gain experience against other early-stage Foundation Establishment competitors.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let him know about it and see where it goes from there.¡±

    ¡°No problem. There¡¯s still over half a year until it starts. It¡¯ll take place on Sword Saint Isle, though, so plan for a long trip.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Jian Beiyun then went over some details of the event and how to get there until Sima Xue groaned impatiently.

    ¡°Enough about that. We¡¯ve talked long enough. If you two want to continue, then do so without me. I¡¯m going to go check in on your cute students.¡±

    Seeing Sima Xue storm out of the room, the two men left behind realized the time and decided to call it there. They chased after the little princess, both wanting to ensure she didn¡¯t do anything outrageous.

    Li Lang took this opportunity to give her a tour as well. He believed it was better than allowing her to roam free. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    By the time they were done, the evening had arrived and the two Nightmoon Valley disciples took their leave.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be around for a few more days,¡± Jian Beiyun said as they walked out the front gates. ¡°We¡¯ll come to inform you of the details about the matter we discussed once we¡¯ve finalized it.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Feel free to come over any time.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, see you tomorrow,¡± Sima Xue nonchalantly agreed.

    Once the two were gone from sight, Li Lang finished up his remaining duties to his students, ate dinner, and conversed with Long Yi about the matter of The Dark Sea Arena before retreating back to his research.

    Now that there were two Foundation Establishment cultivators amidst their group, he gained a new perspective to tap into.

    Despite Xiao Dong¡¯s breakthrough, Li Lang couldn¡¯t attribute all the success to his techniques. After all, his student had grade-two aptitude, so there was a chance he broke through even without any additional help.

    Currently, he wasn¡¯t sure if the Lingering Impact Technique Wei Ping had brought back really helped train the that allowed cultivators to compress Qi or if it did anything else. Even if it did, then he also wanted to learn exactly how. From his knowledge, regular cultivation already helped train this aspect. He wondered how one particular technique had a secret ingredient that differed from all the other techniques.

 Chapter 206: Concentration & Willpower

    Chapter 206: Concentration & WillpowerThe next day, Li Lang interviewed his companions and Xiao Dong about his theory of what made The Lingering Impact Technique special.

    ¡°I know you previously told me you were in a dream-like state during the latter parts of your breakthroughs and that you can¡¯t really recall the details of what you dreamed about, but how challenging would you say it was?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, like I said, I don¡¯t really remember. It really was just like a dream where I only have a fleeting memory of it,¡± Long Yi answered. ¡°It¡¯s the same for you, right Xiao Dong?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It became harder and harder to hold myself together the longer it went, so I barely remembered what happened towards the last half.¡±

    ¡°How were you feeling during the days leading up to the breakthrough?¡± Li Lang inquired despite having asked this same question regularly. Previously, Xiao Dong had always answered curtly with an ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± For someone of his age, it was understandable that they would be embarrassed to show any weakness.

    ¡°Um, nothing out of the ordinary, as I had said. Just more focused, as I wanted to live up to expectations.¡±

    ¡°I see. I assume it was frustrating having failed for the previous few months?¡±

    Xiao Dong carefully nodded.

    ¡°Well, everything turned out fine in the end,¡± Long Yi added. ¡°Told you not to stress about it. Are you done with the questions, Li Lang?¡±

    Li Lang gave a dismissive shrug to Long Yi before turning to regard his student more carefully.

    ¡°Sorry about the redundant questioning, but I need to ensure I have collected accurate information. I currently believe that the reason you have succeeded is that you managed to polish your willpower and concentration over the course of all the failed attempts you made. Does this sound accurate to you?¡±

    ¡°Umm, I don¡¯t know. Maybe?¡±

    As much as Li Lang wanted to groan about the unreliable response, he couldn¡¯t exactly blame his student. Intangible things like willpower and concentration weren¡¯t something people could accurately gauge, especially when it came to themselves. It was like asking if they noticed their own personality changing. A third-party observer in that case would have an easier time noticing it. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°No worries. I know it¡¯s not an easy question to answer. Instead, I would like the two of you to do a few tests for me to set a benchmark for your willpower and concentration.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? How are you going to test those things? You¡¯re going to torture us with your poison like you did in the entrance tests before?¡±

    ¡°That is an option, but I don¡¯t have access to anything that would be effective against a Foundation Establishment cultivator right now. It would just drain your Qi reserves as your body cleanses away the foreign substance, right?¡±

    ¡°From the few tests you did, yeah. I¡¯ve seen several cultivation techniques at the bazaar that are more efficient at defending against poison, but my body already reflexively reacts to harmful substances.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I have a few other types of tests in mind.¡±

    Throughout the history of Li Lang¡¯s old world, there had been many studies related to a person¡¯s concentration. One of the oldest ones he knew of was called the Stroop Test, where participants were shown color words printed in various hues of ink. They were then asked to name the color of the ink rather than reading the word itself. There were numerous other studies over the years that Li Lang could refer to as well.

    As for willpower, Li Lang had just the thing for it. He had developed flavored Nourishment Pills some time ago that had been increasingly growing in popularity. Throughout his tests to make a more economical version, he found several inferior formulas that didn¡¯t address the hunger one felt despite providing the necessary nutrients.

    He planned to measure his students¡¯ willpower by making them take this flawed Nourishment Pill while he presented freshly cooked food before their eyes every meal. By measuring how long they could endure, he could get a sense of where their willpower stood. Of course, it wasn¡¯t one hundred percent accurate. Some people were more gluttonous than others, while some reveled in other pleasures. Unfortunately, when it came to intangibles like willpower, he had to make a compromise or he would never get anywhere.

    Like that, his students were doomed to endure another type of torture amidst their busy training schedules.

    The only saving grace was that Li Lang and Wei Ping would endure the same trials as them. After seeing the success of Xiao Dong, the two decided to begin practicing the Ascension Technique and Lingering Impact Technique as well. They didn¡¯t make any attempts at the breakthrough yet, but mainly familiarized themselves with the various aspects of the technique. Having one of their students surpass them, they were both eager to catch up.

    The next few days peacefully passed by as Sima Xue came to visit during the afternoons and they busied themselves with the new tests during the other times. It was only when Jian Beiyun showed up a week later that they had to plan their future schedule.

    In three weeks¡¯ time, they were invited to venture back out to where the Great Trial of Watercrest was in order to show the world Nightmoon Valley¡¯s control of the pocket realm. Then, Long Yi and Xiao Dong decided to participate in The Dark Sea Arena at the Sword Saint Isle in half a year¡¯s time.

    The former was fine as everyone would be going together, but as for the latter, it had to be planned around. Heading to a foreign place to attend a tournament was both exciting and dangerous due to the long-distance trip. Despite many of them wanting to attend, they had to sort out who would go and who would stay behind in the pocket realm. Thankfully, they had half a year to decide. They had plenty of time to deliberate while they continued their routine.

    Unfortunately, before they faced the future, they had to endure being starved.

    ¡°Umm, Li Lang, do you really have to feed me these bland-tasting Nourishment Pills when you can refine better-tasting ones? I prefer the original candied ones you sell to the guild, you know?¡±

    ¡°What are you whining about in front of all the students? You¡¯re a Foundation Establishment cultivator, for goodness¡¯ sake. Lead us by example. You agreed to help with this test, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡ª¡± Long Yi was speechless, unable to retort. He cast his gaze downward, crestfallen, and bit the bullet¡ªor in this case, the Nourishment Pill. This all happened as the aroma of freshly cooked food assaulted his nose. Some of the kids, particularly the ones who hadn¡¯t begun cultivating yet, happily stuffed their mouths as envious gazes assaulted them.

    Even after eating the pill, his stomach still growled. As a few of the other students began picking up their chopsticks to eat the hearty meal, Long Yi could only tightly shut his eyes and focus on other thoughts.

    For better or worse, this was just the beginning. Many others would soon follow in Long Yi¡¯s foot steps.

    -----

    One month passed by in a flash.

    Li Lang¡¯s entire group prepared to leave one morning for the Crucible, or otherwise more commonly known as The Great Trial of Water Crest.

    During this one month, a lot of progress was made. This was especially true not just in the areas of cultivation, but in crafts as well. Having the power of the Foundation Establishment Realm, Long Yi dove back into his studies in artificing along with Li Lang during his spare time.

    This was in part fueled by Long Yi¡¯s desire for a weapon that could unleash his potential. Li Lang had stalled on refining the artifact weapon he had promised as he got carried away with the research into breaking through. As he had taken up the profession already, Long Yi saw fit to continue on with it.

    Thanks to his new powers, it wasn¡¯t long before he became familiar with the process of creating an artifact! However, he still needed more practice and had yet to succeed in any attempts. They also didn¡¯t have unlimited beast cores to practice on. Still, it didn¡¯t deter Long Yi from trying, and he happened to make an attempt on the morning of their departure.

    ¡°Long Yi!¡± Wei Ping called out as he knocked on his door. ¡°W-we¡¯re leaving soon. Come o-out already!¡±

    No response came, so Wei Ping decided to barge in to fetch his friend. When he stepped inside, he found Long Yi still snoring away. All four of his limbs were wrapped around a pillow. However, upon casting his blanket aside, he found what he was snuggling up to wasn¡¯t a pillow, but in fact, a large jade-green broadsword.

 Chapter 207: Declaring Ownership

    Chapter 207: Declaring OwnershipSeeing Long Yi still sleeping despite having taken away his blanket, Wei Ping proceeded to shake him awake. But before he could grab him, Long Yi turned to his side at just the right moment to dodge his grasp.

    ¡°Give me a few more minutes,¡± Long Yi mumbled.

    Having shed his mortality, a Foundation Establishment cultivator naturally wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard so easily, even in their sleep. It wasn¡¯t a surprise that Long Yi had detected his presence already. To be precise, he had long detected Wei Ping before he even opened the door to his room.

    ¡°If y-you¡¯re aware enough to talk, then wake up! We have to g-get going!¡±

    ¡°You guys can take off without me. I¡¯ll catch up later.¡±

    ¡°We barely h-have enough room after buying a third Skyrunner. We can¡¯t s-spare one for you. Do you think you can catch up without o-one? Your Qi will d-dry up long before you see our s-shadow.¡±

    The giant man in the bed exhaled forcefully as he roused from his slumber. He slowly sat as he stretched his back. Just as he was standing up, a third person entered the room.

    ¡°What are you guys doing? Everyone is waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°B-Boss, Long Yi just woke up.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. My bad.¡±

    ¡°What in the world were you doing? You knew that we were¡ªwait, is that what you were doing?¡± Li Lang¡¯s eyes widened as they turned to the jade-green broadsword lying on the bed.

    ¡°Yeah. I tried making an artifact on a whim last night using the last of the materials you gave me for practice. It seems like I succeeded.¡±

    ¡°You just happen to succeed? To think you said you had no talent in the crafts.¡±

    ¡°Well, Teacher Tie Qian did say it is easier to work on artifacts in a grade that is a realm lower than my cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Is t-that a thing?¡± Wei Ping asked. ¡°Then they s-should dedicate more time to producing a-artifacts of a lower level to increase the supply.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not without good reason they don¡¯t do that often in any craft,¡± Long Yi continued. ¡°They say it stifles development if one dedicates too much time on lower grade items. Something about getting complacent while you instead need to keep taking on new challenges to progress.¡±

    ¡°We can save this conversation for the trip to the pocket realm,¡± Li Lang interrupted. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    With that said, the trio reunited with their students waiting outside and began their journey towards the pocket realm. Their convoy of three Skyrunners could only travel as fast as their weakest link. That meant their journey would take days, if not an entire week.

    Li Lang used this time to teach the kids what to expect when they arrived at the pocket realm. After all, he planned to have the majority of them reside there for the foreseeable future while he was still debating if he should keep someone stationed in their estate in Emberglow City as their public face.

    ¡°You will be faced with trials where your every move will be monitored. The reward for completing these trials will be based on your actions, often complementing what you have shown. Every day, if the realm deems your progress lacking, it will incur a point penalty, so be sure to plan your schedule carefully.¡±

    His explanations were no different from those of various organizations educating their new generation¡¯s first foray into the pocket realm. They also didn¡¯t want to reveal too many details about their relationship with the realm. Even the trial points would be reinstated when they entered because it created a sense of urgency that spurred progress.

    There was a colossal difference in motivation when a time limit was imposed. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean blindly adding pressure on people was correct. There was a balance in all things. Straying off to either side would only stagger their students¡¯ growth. They believed the system the pocket realm¡¯s previous creator left behind had gotten the right balance.

    While Li Lang wasn¡¯t too worried about his students¡¯ progress in cultivation techniques once they entered, crafts were another story. He didn¡¯t oversee their training in that area, so he tried his best to gauge where they currently were and gave them some advice.

    Filled with preparations to be made and training to be done, a week was only a brief period of time for a cultivator.

    They soon spotted the four towering stone pillars that represented the entrance to The Great Trial of Water Crest and a teahouse nearby. They were surprised to find the place bustling with activity.

    The group had expected the place to only have an elder or two from various factions, plus some people from Nightmoon Valley. However, reality was different. The entire place was as lively as their previous visit when each organization had brought along hundreds of disciples. Though there was one stark difference. The crowd didn¡¯t consist of young disciples who were new to the journey of cultivation, but older ladies and gentlemen. It was hard to tell their exact age, but one could tell at a glance that they were all experts to a degree. Few were below the Foundation Establishment Realm.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Is this going to be a big event?¡± Long Yi muttered to no one in particular.

    ¡°Hmm, Senior Jian did say they had to notify all parties about their possession of the pocket realm, but I didn¡¯t expect so many people to show up¡ª¡±

    ¡°Boss, look c-carefully. Their clothes a-are varied. The majority of them are independent cultivators!¡±

    Everyone, including their students, craned their necks down to get a second look at the crowd. They swiftly realized Wei Ping had been right! The mismatched and scattered attire indicated they didn¡¯t come from a few large groups, but from a gathering of individuals.

    This led the group to wonder about their purpose here, instead. It was a curious sight.

    They didn¡¯t get lost in their musing for long as they had to land. They had no trouble finding the area belonging to Nightmoon Valley and disembarked near their towering tent. As if having predicted their arrival, Jian Beiyun suddenly emerged to welcome them. Naturally, Sima Xue tagged along as well.

    ¡°Welcome, welcome. Everything is ready. Just come with us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Senior Brother has been working really hard! He even skipped out on his regular gatherings at the Alchemy Guild.¡±

    The group chatted as they walked into the tent, away from prying eyes. There were numerous Nightmoon Valley disciples present, all wearing the same beige robes. Very soon, Li Lang and his companions were handed sets of the same attire along with a small pouch.

    Inside, they found a translucent brown amulet. Jian Beiyun quickly informed them of its purpose.

    ¡°It¡¯s to conceal you from all the experts who will be carefully watching. Make sure you wear it. You can hang it on your waist, wrist, ankle, or anything, really.¡±

    After ensuring all their students were dressed, they were then guided outside, toward the teahouse that was surrounded by cultivators.

    ¡°There sure are a lot of independent cultivators around,¡± Li Lang commented.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure one of the organizations here today purposefully leaked the news in order to put pressure on us,¡± Jian Beiyun replied.

    ¡°They sure are something to have the guts to apply pressure to an organization as big as yours.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re used to it. It happens all the time as long as there are benefits to fight for. It¡¯s their way of warning us not to monopolize the pocket realm. Not that we would. Anyway, leave the politicking to us. You have your own role to carry out today.¡±

    Li Lang nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else. He glanced out at the crowd of cultivators, waiting for the start of the rowdy event that his allies had planned. He was destined not to be in the spotlight, as the entire goal was to have Nightmoon Valley draw all the attention.

    Despite thousands upon thousands of cultivators present, everyone knew to keep quiet when a young woman flew up toward the roof of the teahouse. Her robes marked her as a member of Nightmoon Valley, commanding respect from the crowd.

    ¡°Greetings everyone!¡± She yelled as she clasped her fist toward her audience. ¡°Thank you for coming today, where our Nightmoon Valley will be officially announcing our ownership of the pocket realm known as The Great Trial of Water Crest!¡±

    The crowd cheered, so the woman allowed them a few seconds to get it out of their system.  S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°Now, this doesn¡¯t mean our Nightmoon Valley plans to monopolize this wonderful realm. It can help produce many generations of young heroes and heroines, so we plan to proceed with as few changes as possible.¡±

    ¡°If you control it, doesn¡¯t that mean you can expand the number of people allowed in? Or even open the realm more often. You saying you plan to keep things the same just means you¡¯ll monopolize all these new opportunities, right?¡±

    ¡°This friend in the crowd, I hope you¡¯ll not look down on our valley¡¯s integrity. We have no such schemes in mind.¡±

    ¡°Still, for the sake of fairness, you should continue to allow the various organizations to post their people here to monitor the situation.¡±

    The woman hovering in the air simply smiled pleasantly at the proposal and patiently explained how it wasn¡¯t appropriate for outsiders to be stationed near their property. Despite the calmness the Nightmoon Valley Elder had, Li Lang noticed his companion didn¡¯t share the same composure. Sima Xue glared at the troublesome member of the audience with hostility.

    ¡°How dare that guy disrespect Elder Yun like that,¡± Sima Xue muttered.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± the elder Nightmoon Valley disciple placated. ¡°The elder knows how to handle the situation. And stop releasing your killing intent on that man. It¡¯s not him you should be angry towards. He¡¯s just a puppet.¡±

    The Elder Yun patiently explained the plans her organization had for the pocket realm, while various members of the crowd continued to fire off multiple questions. Still, these independent cultivators had limited influence, so they weren¡¯t able to pressure the experienced elder at all. That was until a member of one of the established organizations stepped out to join in.

    ¡°I am Elder Ji from the Drenched Earth Sect. I ask that Nightmoon Valley reconsider the proposal to allow members of other organizations to station their people here.¡±

    The crowd instantly quieted down as they sensed the drama about to unfold. There was a huge difference between an independent cultivator questioning Nightmoon Valley and a member of a large organization doing it. Everyone was excited to see how this would play out.

 Chapter 208: Instigator

    Chapter 208: InstigatorElder Yun, an esteemed member of Nightmoon Valley, stared at her counterpart from the Drenched Earth sect with a pleasant smile on her face.

    ¡°Elder Ji, I understand your concerns and how your Drenched Earth Sect may have gotten used to overseeing the pocket realm, but things have changed. The Great Trial of Water Crest is now under my valley¡¯s control. We owe you nothing. Nevertheless, we have decided to continue sharing the benefits of the pocket realm with you. Please do not mistake our kindness for submissiveness.¡±

    ¡°I apologize,¡± the Drenched Earth Sect elder said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to come across as being ungrateful. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m particularly concerned about what¡¯s good for the entire Luminescent Domain. You must understand that there are numerous diamonds in the rough hiding all around. Gui Tianzi from the Eroding March Pavillion is exactly one such case in recent times. I believe that allowing various organizations to station observers here can keep things transparent, preventing things like nepotism from festering.¡±

    Elder Ji made no attempts to hide his scheme of inciting the crowd to be on his side. He wanted to stoke the fear of Nightmoon Valley monopolizing the pocket realm, and thus depriving them of benefits.

    ¡°You can say what you want, but our valley has already made a decision. If you want to protest that, then please head to Nightshade Valley to speak with our Valley Master.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Hearing those words, Elder Ji didn¡¯t react at all and simply looked on with a casual demeanor. The reason for that quickly unfolded as a young man appeared by Elder Ji¡¯s side.

    ¡°If you esteemed seniors are done talking, then please allow me to indulge in a casual sparring session. I, Xin Dou, of the Drenched Earth Sect, would like to challenge Lady Sima Xue to a friendly duel!¡±

    The abrupt change in topic caused the crowd to be taken aback. This was doubly so for Li Lang¡¯s group, as the person who had been called out was standing right next to them.

    ¡°That brat dares to challenge us with force after failing to get their way?¡± Sima Xue cried out. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to teach him a lesson.¡±

    ¡°Now, now, Junior Sister. You can hardly call him a brat. He¡¯s a full generation older than you. Just let Elder Yun handle this.¡±

    ¡°Senior Jian, you¡¯re the one that¡¯s been saying a few years is no longer significant after having reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. This Xin Dou can hardly be regarded as my senior."

    ¡°That¡ª¡±

    Not able to find the words to stop his junior sister, Jian Beiyun watched on as Sima Xue flew over to answer the challenge. Despite there being many demerits for someone of her calibre to be seen fighting so publicly, it also had its upsides as well.

    As one of the most famous cultivators within Nightmoon Valley, being able to display her power was good for both her and the organization overall. Cultivators only listened to those with strength. The less you exercised it, the easier it was for people to start getting ideas.

    In the end, Jian Beiyun relented and chose not to intervene.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll just let her go fight in the duel?¡± Li Lang asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just doing what they want?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but this experience will allow my junior sister to receive some much-needed tempering. She is still too green when it comes to real combat. It¡¯ll do her good to fight earnestly with someone in the same realm as her. Otherwise, things will only get harder for her when it comes time for the Dark Sea Arena.¡±

    The young Nightmoon Valley prodigy soon arrived before Elder Yun and came face to face with her challenger.

    Xin Dou grinned upon seeing her.

    ¡°Thank you for accepting my challenge, Lady Sima. I¡¯ve been wanting to fight you ever since I heard about your breakthrough. To think you¡¯ve grown up so much since our last meeting.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember you at all, nor am I interested in holding a conversation with you. You called me out to fight, not to talk, so let¡¯s fight.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate, but there¡¯s no need to be in such a hurry, Lady Sima. What fun will it be if we just began like that?¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°How about a wager to spice up the fight some more? If I win, I would like a few extra quotas for the pocket realm if that¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°And if you lose?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you all my belongings within my space ring. I happen to just have gotten some valuable Earth-grade and even some Saint-grade materials.¡±

    Sima Xue never cared about the details of the bet. To her, it was a win that the duel was happening at all. It gave her an excuse to put the person antagonizing her organization in their place. That was all she needed.

    ¡°Hmph, very well, then. If you¡¯re that eager to give me free things, I won¡¯t stop you.¡±

    With that, the two demonic cultivators flew higher to create enough space between their battle and the spectators.

    The two stared at each other while hovering high in the skies. It was as if they were waiting for a signal to start the duel, but one would never come. Informal duels didn¡¯t have referees or any arbiter, as it was no different from a life-and-death battle out in the wild. The only thing they needed were witnesses, and of that they had plenty. The fight had already begun the moment they acknowledged each other.

    While their standoff seemed boring, all the experts in the crowd watched in amusement. It was during these brief moments during the beginning of duels that was especially telling about the cultivators.

    The way they shifted their body, positioned their hands, or even how much distance they kept, all contributed toward painting the larger picture. To most cultivators, it was these details that they tried to perfect. It allowed them to start the fight in a more advantageous position or force it to progress in a certain way of their choosing. It could be compared to chess openings that chess players studied.

    However, all these high-level combat concepts completely went over Li Lang¡¯s head. As someone who wasn¡¯t interested in combat, Li Lang wasn¡¯t too mindful about these details. His priority of concerns went from surviving to possible retreat routes, and then to ways to make his opponent¡¯s life harder. Only after that came ways to defeat his foes unless something related to his research was on the line.

    He had none of the thirst to vanquish strong foes and prove himself powerful to anyone.

    As he craned his neck up to spectate the battle, he couldn¡¯t help but glance over toward the Crucible. He was excited to return after such a long time to visit the three artifact spirits. It was the perfect place to cultivate undisturbed, so he planned to challenge his breakthrough there. His students could all do the same. After all, people would sooner or later find out all his students had progressed at blazing speeds. Moving forward, they needed the protection and privacy of the pocket realm.

    Suddenly, a bright flash of light drew his attention back to the duel. He glanced up to find Sima Xue had drawn her sword, and that sword was glowing brightly, like a star!

    One moment, they were hovering in the air. The next moment, Sima Xue charged in with her bright sword drawn. Then, the surroundings seemed to have changed abruptly as the light vanished. A large chunk of space above the teahouse has been enveloped by a dome of darkness!

    Before Li Lang could make sense of what happened, he heard Jian Beiyun sigh wistfully behind him.

    ¡°That girl. How can she be this inconsiderate with so many people here? She has forced Elder Yun¡¯s hand,¡± the Nightmoon Valley disciple said, as he shook his head in disapproval.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Li Lang asked. ¡°What¡¯s happening up there?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Our elder simply cast a Qi art to isolate them from the rest of us. ¡°

    ¡°But then we won¡¯t be able to see anything,¡± Li Lang said with a frown.

    He was looking forward to spectating more fights at the Foundation Establishment Realm. He had too little information about combat at that level. While he had experienced such ordeals before, it became the exact reason he wanted to learn more about such high-level combat. It would prepare him for the future, so he wouldn¡¯t have to struggle as much the next time.

    ¡°That¡¯s the point. That girl went ahead and used one of the techniques our organization would rather not openly display, and it just happens there are numerous independent cultivators here. Once anything becomes known to them, who knows how far they¡¯ll spread that information?¡±

    ¡°Well, many of them travelers, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Forget about this silly fight. Let us go prepare for what is to come. Elder Yun and Little Xue can handle the rest.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

 Chapter 209: Once Again

    Chapter 209: Once AgainLeaving the duel behind them, Jian Beiyun led Li Lang and his companions toward a group of Nightmoon Valley disciples. They gathered near their tent, in an outdoor area that was partitioned off, warding off any prying eyes.

    The disciples were young, all in their teens. No words needed to be exchanged for Li Lang to understand they had been selected to enter the pocket realm.

    ¡°Remember everyone, don¡¯t take off your hats until you¡¯re inside the pocket realm,¡± Jian Beiyun instructed.

    On a table nearby, there were dozens of straw hats that had a white cloth hanging from the rim. It covered the wearers¡¯ faces and, combined with the amulet that guarded against Qi senses, the spectators would have a hard time identifying anyone within their group.

    Jian Beiyun then recited some instructions to the group, letting them know what to take note of. While he had a lot of say, the event wouldn¡¯t last that long. Nightmoon Valley simply needed them to enter the realm and return back to prove that they had access to The Great Trial of Water Crest.

    ¡°Can we not stay to challenge just one trial while we¡¯re in there?¡± one of the young cultivators bravely asked.

    ¡°That is a matter for another day. We can¡¯t have our guests wait because of your wants.¡±

    Seeing the dejected boy¡¯s face, Li Lang intervened.

    ¡°Well, we only need to show we can enter and exit the realm. Not all of us have to come out right away.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jian Beiyun sternly replied. ¡°Our instructions are clear. We can¡¯t afford to deviate from it at all. Our Valley Master has many plans in place. Any changes would ruin the negotiations we had painstakingly worked for.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll follow your instructions, then.¡±

    Thinking it through, Li Lang believed his words to be correct. Nightmoon Valley could¡¯ve come up with some reason to limit the use of the pocket realm. If he allowed people to arbitrarily come and go as they pleased, the others would pressure Nightmoon Valley to open up the realm to even more people.

    The worst part was that Li Lang had yet to inquire about the quantity and frequency of visitors that the Crucible could support. Nothing was limitless. There had to be some consumption in running the trials, whether it be the Qi beasts that are part of the tests or the materials used in various crafts.

    Li Lang had to have a thorough talk with the three artifact spirits first before hashing out the details. It was at the top of his priority list because if there were some problems, the Valley Master had to be informed right away. Otherwise, it could jeopardize his dealings with the various organizations of the Luminescent Domain.

    With the matter clarified, Li Lang¡¯s group blended in with the other Nightmoon Valley disciples to enter the pocket realm. Almost a hundred people in beige robes and straw hats emerged. It caught the attention of the crowd, who had gotten bored from not being able to spectate the duel above.

    ¡°Look, Nightmoon Valley is making a move! They¡¯re sending people toward the pocket realm!¡±

    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s true? They really took control of it?¡±

    ¡°When has Nightmoon Valley ever lied?¡±

    ¡°I mean, they are powerful and resourceful alright, but why did they suddenly gain control of it? If it were to happen, I would have thought the Eroding March Pavilion would¡¯ve claimed it instead. After all, their disciple was the last to leave the realm during the last opening. He should¡¯ve been selected by the realm itself.¡±

    The gossiping never stopped as Li Lang cut across the crowd. Thankfully, everyone knew to steer out of the way, allowing them to soon come into view of the tower that represented the pocket realm. To be precise, there were four tightly packed towers, and the gap between them was where the entrance lay.

    Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, the leading members entered into the gaps. Everyone was anticipating them disappearing at any moment, but even when they reached the most central part of the four pillars, nothing happened.

    Seeing this, Li Lang closed his eyes and called out to the three artifact spirits through the connection between artifact and owner. He could only do so now due to the physical contact he was making with the artifact.

    ¡°Orange, Green, Blue, are you there?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What can we do to serve you?¡± a feminine voice replied.

    ¡°Blue, let me and everyone around me in.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, Master? There are a lot of people watching. While you are absolutely safe inside our territory, that won¡¯t be the case when you leave.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already got all the details sorted out. Please let us in.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡±

    With that, the group of young cultivators vanished from sight. It elicited a cry of excitement from the audience.

    ¡°They¡¯re gone! They really took control of it!¡±

    Their absence wasn¡¯t long. A few moments later, all of them reappeared in the same spot.

    ¡°Everyone!¡± Elder Yun of Nightmoon Valley shouted. ¡°As you can see, we have total control of who enters and leaves the pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you allow more people to enter? Even if the space inside is limited, you can open the realm every year instead.¡±

    ¡°As I previously explained, that won¡¯t be possible. The pocket realm is not the key to limitless resources. It can only accommodate so many people every so often. Moving on, our Valley asked that everyone leave this area by the end of the day. It is now under our management, effective immediately. Those who are interested in the quotas to enter the realm can contact us later.¡±

    The people in the crowd shared glances, waiting for others to stand up to the premier organization of their domain. Having verified the pocket realm was indeed controllable, many salivated with greed. They wanted to get Nightmoon Valley to give up more slots to the public, but no one dared to voice their request. These cowards waited on others to ask for them.

    They knew speaking up now would jeopardize their relationship with their protectors. Unfortunately for these opportunists, the others weren¡¯t stupid. Anyone could see the scheme at hand. No one wanted to fall for the first-mover disadvantage¡ªor so they thought.

    Fortunately for them, someone was brave enough to speak out. It was none other than Elder Ji from the Drenched Earth Sect. It shouldn¡¯t be too much of a surprise to the crowd, as even now, a member of his sect was fighting a duel up in the air. They had already picked a fight with Nightmoon Valley, so there was no difference if they continued to do the same.

    ¡°Elder Yun, surely your eminent organization can be a little more accommodating. How about giving us all a tour of the pocket realm? I¡¯m sure many old folks here, including me, never had the chance to witness the wonders of The Great Trial of Water Crest. We had already been too old back when it was discovered. Please let us fulfill this regret.¡±

    ¡°Elder Ji, I thought you were confident about your disciple¡¯s abilities?¡± the Nightmoon Valley elder dryly pointed out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait for your disciple to win the duel and make the request, then?¡±

    ¡°Our sect doesn¡¯t micromanage every aspect of our members. Xin Dou¡¯s business is his own, while my business with you is separate.¡±

    ¡°Well, my answer remains the same. Our valley has made a decision, and we will not change our minds. I ask that our guests leave at their earliest convenience.¡±

    The two elders held their gaze at each other for several tense moments before some quick-minded members of various organizations started to mobilize. They complied with the demands and began evacuating from the area.  sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    After many years, the post of observer of the pocket realm within many organizations would finally be abolished. Some were quite sentimental about this fact. They lamented that their organization wasn¡¯t the one to gain ownership of the place in the end. While others were gleeful at the news. They no longer had to spare any resources for this place anymore. They could reassign them to more urgent areas, or allow them to focus on their cultivation.

    As numerous cultivators left the area, the dark sphere hovering in the sky disappeared. It did not do so quietly.

    The violent sound of impact followed as the earth trembled. It was caused by a figure being slammed into the ground. The force was enough to create a small crater.

    As the dust settled, the spectators were able to see who had been sent flying. Laying on the ground was a young man, wearing light brown robes. It was Xin Dou. Realizing this, everyone quickly looked up to confirm with their eyes who the victor of the duel was. What they saw made several people nod in appreciation.

    Sima Xue was hovering in the air, riding on a skysword. What was most remarkable about the sight was that she was in pristine condition. Her robes remained untouched, her complexion was still healthy. All signs indicated she barely broke a sweat.

    She had undoubtedly defeated her opponent. Many found it a pity they weren¡¯t able to witness the fight. They sighed as they got into their Skyrunners while wistfully looking back.

    The scene made even Elder Ji of the Drenched Earth Sect speechless. He felt the tides turning against him and ceased his squabbling with Elder Yun. He swiftly reappeared beside the fallen Xin Dou and inspected his condition before carrying him away without a word.

    With the troublemakers out of the picture, Li Lang¡¯s group was quickly led back into Nightmoon Valley¡¯s tent. They got to take off their disguise and prepare for the next part.

 Chapter 210: Back into the Realm

    Chapter 210: Back into the Realm¡°Li Lang, we¡¯ve tried our best to negotiate, but after a discussion among our leaders, it¡¯s been decided that they¡¯ll be sending a select group of disciples next month into the pocket realm. It¡¯s only a small number of elites as they agreed to delay a large opening to next year,¡± the head disciple of Nightmoon Valley calmly explained.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t show any reaction despite being saddled with the responsibility of hosting these disciples. He expected this would be the natural turn of events the moment he had decided to work with another party.

    In fact, he welcomed it because he managed to strike a deal with Nightmoon Valley. He would receive a cut of the fees others paid to gain access to the pocket realm. It would fuel his expenses and more. The funds more than paid for his expenses while in the pocket realm. It was a welcome windfall, as there were no guilds nearby to sell his crafts. He could instead fully dedicate himself to breaking through during this time.

    ¡°I understand. It shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡±

    ¡°About the number of people¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t speak on that yet,¡± Li Lang interrupted. ¡°I haven¡¯t taken stock of the situation inside yet. I¡¯ll give you an answer once I¡¯ve had some time to look into it.¡±

    ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll have people stationed here, so you can have them relay the information to us. Just make sure to do it as soon as you can. The other organizations will continue pressuring us until we can give them an exact quota.¡±

    Having said his piece, Jian Beiyun exited from the tent, dragging Sima Xue along.

    ¡°Senior Brother, wait! I still don¡¯t want to go¡ª¡±

    ¡°Say what you want, but we have many tasks to do. There¡¯s no time for you to be playing around.¡±

    The two swiftly flew away on their Skyrunner. As Jian Beiyun was someone who was in charge of various day-to-day activities for such a large organization, he had little time to spare. With their departure, various other Nightmoon Valley disciples also scattered.

    These disciples, who were only brought along for the demonstrations, slowly left in their own vessels, leaving the once lively tent desolate. Only Li Lang¡¯s group remained, along with a few cultivators stationed there. One of them was smiling gently as they stared at their guests.

    As much as Li Lang wanted to leave and head straight into the pocket realm, he wasn¡¯t rude enough to ignore the elder. He signaled for Wei Ping and Long Yi with his eyes to join him in greeting the elder.

    ¡°Thank you, Elder Yun, for taking up the task of dealing with the various envoys and spectators.¡±

    ¡°No need to thank me,¡± the elder replied. ¡°I¡¯m just doing as instructed.¡±

    ¡°Regardless, you handled all these members from various organizations and lied for our sake. We juniors may not have anything valuable in your eyes, so the least we can do is show our gratitude.¡±

    The elder¡¯s smile widened.

    ¡°If you want to thank me, then satisfying my curiosity will do.¡±

    ¡°Please ask away. I can¡¯t promise I can answer everything with my limited knowledge, but I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    ¡°In that case, how did you manage to subdue a Spirit-grade artifact like the pocket realm? As far as I know, this is the only artificial pocket realm I know of, so there are no prior instances of something like this before. Especially not by an Energy Gatherer.¡±

    ¡°That¡ªI do not know. Perhaps the artifact spirit took a liking to me, but I don¡¯t believe I gained control of the realm with my own merit. Has there really been no past cases where a cultivator has taken ownership of an artifact that is much stronger?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, maybe on the main continent, but not here. Those mainlanders like boasting about their long and storied history. You¡¯ll have to ask the few mainlanders that do visit us if you want to know.¡±

    ¡°Maybe if I chance upon them. I doubt I will come across any mainlanders in the short term, though. Even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t recognize them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re correct. When they do visit, they only stay within the grounds of the organization that hosts them.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like something I¡¯ll be involved with, then. Do you have any other questions, Senior? Otherwise, I¡¯d like to enter the pocket realm before it gets dark.¡±

    ¡°No, I have no more questions. Farewell, Junior. I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll meet again, but I¡¯ll share what I learn from a mainlander if the opportunity arises.¡±

    The two both nodded to each other to affirm this agreement while also signaling that the discussion was over.

    Without needing to be told, Wei Ping caught their students¡¯ attention and got them ready to set out.

    When the group exited the tent, they noticed the place had become a lot more barren than before. Nightmoon Valley had successfully gotten all the other organizations to recall the people they had stationed here. They even erected a barrier around the entire area. It dimmed all the light entering by a small degree.

    ¡°Do you think this barrier blocks people from looking in?¡± Long Yi asked.

    ¡°Most likely. I¡¯ve been told they took measures to secure our privacy, so we should be safe from any prying eyes. We can enter the pocket realm without worry.¡±

    ¡°Except for the Nightmoon Valley personnel on the lookout.¡±

    ¡°That c-can¡¯t be helped,¡± Wei Ping chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s better than n-not being able to use the realm again a-at all.¡±

    With nothing tying them down anymore, the group arrived before the four pillars that represented the Crucible in no time. They walked into gaps just as they had done in the morning and quickly found themselves transported inside.

    They were brought to the main hall, which was the central hub of the place. It had tall ceilings with massive red support beams every few paces. The place was so large that their eyes could barely see from one end of the lobby to the other. However, having lived in the pocket realm for years before, the trio expertly guided their students toward the living area and began explaining some rules.

    Li Lang left that mostly to his friends while he silently slipped off elsewhere by himself. Once he was away from everyone, he called out a name.

    ¡°Blue. Take me to the core.¡±

    In the blink of an eye, Li Lang suddenly found himself at the peak of the mountain. He momentarily looked up at the purple sky and yellow clouds before directing his gaze to a nearby shabby hut. He didn¡¯t hesitate to walk straight into it and his scenery changed again. He was brought to a place where the yellow clouds stretched beneath him, replacing the ground, while an open violet sky loomed across the horizon.

    In the distance, three orbs of light drifted toward him. Once they got close enough, they transformed into three young humans. The three politely greeted Li Lang with a bow.

    ¡°Welcome back, Master!¡± the three shouted in unison.

    ¡°It¡¯s been some time, so let¡¯s have a nice chat to catch up, shall we?¡±

    -----

    Having settled into the pocket realm, it only took a week for Li Lang¡¯s students to get used to their new living environment. Their life there wasn¡¯t that different from before. They would dedicate it to cultivating.

    However, the students weren¡¯t permitted to make use of the trials yet. They were still focused on achieving the breakthrough to the next realm instead of any fancy techniques that could help them express their power. The only exceptions were the two in the Foundation Establishment Realm. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Now that they had an opportunity to obtain a cultivation technique that the artifact spirits thought suited them, they wouldn¡¯t forgo it.

    Earth-grade cultivation techniques were an entirely different beast compared to the ones they used to practice in the lower realm. The entire mechanics behind it had changed, so the techniques had to be different. As cultivators went up in major realms, the techniques they practiced would become more sophisticated. It would slow down their progress, but that was the price one had to pay for attaining greater power.

    ¡°Li Lang, I received the Obsidian Edge technique. Hurry and memorize it,¡± Long Yi called out as he barged into Li Lang¡¯s room.

    Without a word, he snatched the book from the giant and gestured for him to wait outside. He then began recording everything on the computer inside his lab. He had done the same when Xiao Dong had come the previous day and when Long Yi came with his artificer textbook.

    Cultivation techniques in the Foundation Establishment Realm were not cheap. So far, he had less than five of them in his database. Two from the bazaar that his companions bought and the two he received in the past few days from the Crucible.

    As he transcribed the manual, he thought of what type of technique he would get when the time came for him.

    He didn¡¯t need to think hard to know why Long Yi was given the Obsidian Edge technique. His giant friend specialized in techniques with an affinity toward the earth element. This Obsidian Edge technique was exactly that.

    It allowed its practitioner to absorb Qi of the earth element by transforming their spiritual roots. With an abundance of earth energies, their martial and Qi arts of the same affinity could become more devastating. That was because spiritual roots didn¡¯t only absorb energy, they also acted as the that manipulated these energies as well.

    If Long Yi practiced this technique, all his earth-based techniques would become stronger. The Obsidian Edge would allow the earth he conjured to be reinforced, allowing it to hit harder and to defend better. His signature Terra Moon Slash would definitely become a lot more powerful and he would be able to use it with less strain.

    It trumped the general earth-based technique he got at the bazaar by a mile. The previous technique he practiced only gave him general gains related to earth Qi instead of tempering the things he conjured.

    Li Lang was so tempted to dive deeper into unraveling how these techniques worked, but he couldn¡¯t afford to yet. He needed to break through himself first, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t get a head start by noting down his observations.

 Chapter 211: Observing the Guests

    Chapter 211: Observing the GuestsA month passed by in no time.

    After Li Lang¡¯s group had disappeared into the pocket realm, the area outside had been quiet throughout this time. That was until today when a small group of elite cultivators were allowed to enter into the pocket realm.

    Due to the machinations of Li Lang, these newcomers all shared a similar trait. Any discerning eye would be able to notice it right away. That was because all these young geniuses from various organizations of the Luminescent Domain were all at the peak of Energy Gathering! sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    While their age varied slightly, they were all teenagers. They had an arrogant demeanor to them, as many of them believed themselves to be the most talented person there. They all thought they would become the next Gui Tianzi by the time they exited the pocket realm, revealing their talents to the world.

    Only a small group among these young cultivators was different. They all wore the same beige robes that betrayed their identity as members of Nightmoon Valley. One of them, who seemed to be one of the older disciples, suddenly floated up into the air and spoke with a projected voice, catching everyone else¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Greetings everyone. I am a lowly disciple of Nightmoon Valley who will be your guide during your time in the pocket realm.¡±

    His audience said nothing and listened attentively. This normally wouldn¡¯t happen despite him having the same cultivation as them. That was because he was a few years older! In their eyes, someone of his age still stuck in the first realm was a nobody. Still, no one dared to disrespect him or challenge his authority. It was due to his identity as a member of the prestigious Nightmoon Valley!

    The elders who had sent these people didn¡¯t need to remind them for them to know that they should show respect to members of the most powerful group in their domain. That¡¯s why no one interrupted the young man as he spoke.

    ¡°Many of you should have learned about your predecessors¡¯ experiences with The Great Trial of Water Crest, but since it has come under my valley¡¯s control, things will be a little different this time.¡±

    The young Nightmoon Valley guide paused to see if anyone would pose a question, but all he got in return was silence, so he continued.

    ¡°Because the pocket realm had just been opened not too long ago, we can¡¯t have you all take the trials whenever you want. You must schedule the trials with one of our staff beforehand or you simply won¡¯t be allowed to undergo them. Members of my valley will be able to give you a more thorough explanation while you make the appointments, so please go find one of us who is wearing a red armband once you enter.¡±

    The quiet crowd of elite cultivators was soon led into the pocket realm, as no one voiced any questions. They had all been hand-picked by their respective organizations, so only the best had been chosen. They were all intelligent people. No troublemakers were among them, so everything proceeded smoothly.

    As instructed, they went to find one of these Nightmoon Valley disciples stationed inside to make their bookings while their guide watched on in the corner. Very quickly, the first group was led to the trials they had signed up for.

    ¡°Master, everything is ready. Do you want to spectate?¡± a feminine voice called out to the guide.

    ¡°No need, just make sure to withhold their rewards if my students mess up with keeping them in line. I need them to complete their trial according to our schedule.¡±

    The reason for that was that Li Lang, as the owner of the artifact, could direct their rewards to himself momentarily. It wasn¡¯t exactly taking their reward, but more along the lines of retrieving it so he could reward the challengers personally. Of course, he would then change his mind and have Blue transport their reward after copying it to his database.

    At the same time, he could also spy on these young cultivators as they tried to make their breakthrough. The three artifact spirits could observe everything happening on their turf. They could transmit live footage of what happened in any place within the pocket realm.

    Due to this ability, he had informed his allies in the Nightmoon Valley to limit the people entering to those at the peak of Energy Gathering. That way, he could observe their breakthrough attempts and use them as materials for his research.

    All the organizations were only too happy to play along with the request. The pocket realm was the perfect place to break through, as it restricted people from harming each other. It prevented malicious parties from interrupting the breakthrough. While that may be no longer true, as Nightmoon Valley had wrestled control of the place, everyone trusted in their integrity. After all, Nightmoon Valley was the organization that kept the peace.

    Like that, Li Lang was able to observe dozens of geniuses cultivate and learn new techniques. Naturally, with a gathering of top geniuses, the breakthrough rate would be high. He was able to observe more and more successful breakthroughs and the subsequent Earth-grade techniques they would receive.

    It helped Li Lang tremendously in expanding his repository of techniques.

    Day by day, Li Lang continued to observe these young talents. Even if he wasn¡¯t paying attention, his artifact spirit would come to alert him whenever something interesting happened. Still, that didn¡¯t make him lazy. He still dedicated some time each day just to observe various geniuses.

    During the downtime between cultivation, they naturally would make conversation with their peers or eat together. It was one of the few chances they had to make connections with people from other sects. Li Lang knew it was exactly in these mundane conversations that a lot of information could be gleaned.

    ¡°Hey, do you have any chrysanthemum-flavored Nourishment Pills left? I¡¯ll trade you twice the amount in original flavored ones or Qi stones, if you prefer.¡±

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t sell anything but the original in the cities near our Conclave. You¡¯re lucky that you have flavors to choose from.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that lucky, considering it¡¯s cutting into my savings. Due to that, I had to beg my master for weeks before they agreed to get me a bottle of Foundation Pills. It came with a long lecture, too.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I plan to journey around the Luminescent Domain as soon as this is over with. Do you think you can show me around Frostcloud Summit when I¡ª¡±

    Before Li Lang could eavesdrop further, Blue suddenly materialized next to him.

    ¡°Master, look at this! Something is going on with the boy from the Wail Thorn Sect.¡±

    As if having mastered holographic projection technology, she waved her hand to conjure a screen for Li Lang to see. It showed a boy sitting in the lotus position on his bed, bent over in pain. He was violently pulling on his own hair and screaming.

    The most disturbing part was that his hair quickly grew longer and longer. Not only that, his black hair was slowly turning brown, and the texture became rougher.

    Not able to take it anymore, the boy charged out of his room while yelling at the top of his lungs. This caught the attention of many people who peered out of their rooms to see what was going on, only to quickly retreat into their rooms. However, those who were on their way back to their residence weren¡¯t so lucky.

    The screaming young man spotted them right away and charged toward them. His hair, which had been dragging along the ground, suddenly came alive and started lunging ahead of its owner by itself. It was as if he had become Medusa, and his hair had become vicious snakes.

    His eyes turned red as his hair attacked the innocent bystanders.

    ¡°Cultivation deviation! Someone call one of the other disciples from Wail Thorn,¡± a girl shouted as she dodged the vine-like hair from impaling her. ¡°They should know the method to handle one of their fellow disciples.¡±

    Thankfully, as everyone in the pocket realm was a capable genius, no one got hurt except the boy who suffered from cultivation deviation. He was contained by his fellow disciples but failed to rein himself in. His body continued to use up his Qi to produce the vine-like hair until he was exhausted and succumbed.

    This incident reminded Li Lang how volatile demonic cultivation could be. He feared what would happen if one of his students was nearby. They would surely get seriously injured, or worse. There was a reason the majority of the cultivator community shunned demonic cultivators. They were literally ticking time bombs! As reasonable as some of them appeared, you never knew when that would change.

    Nevertheless, these incidents provided even more data for Li Lang. As helpful as all these new data were, all good things came to an end. He couldn¡¯t afford to have these strangers around in their new base for too long or they wouldn''t be able to continue with their own matters.

    With absolute control over who came and went in his artifact, it was too easy to come up with an excuse, such as insufficient power in the artifact to sustain a prolonged stay. After a month inside, all the were promptly kicked out.

 Chapter 212: Ascension Technique Attempt

    Chapter 212: Ascension Technique AttemptThe rowdy scene within the pocket realm soon became history. All the visitors were transported out and only Li Lang¡¯s group remained. Things became quieter as they immersed themselves back into their training.

    Li Lang was currently organizing everything he had learned from the event before he attempted to break through again. It wasn¡¯t his first time. He had tried previously, albeit using the traditional method. It was only now that he was prepared to use his Ascension Technique for another try.

    It was sparked by the successful case of Xiao Dong. While this one-off instance of success didn¡¯t prove his Ascension Technique worked, it showed that a breakthrough was still possible when one practiced it.

    At the same time, all his other students were also motivated by Xiao Dong. They strived to replicate his success, and so far, there hadn¡¯t been any particular accidents or successes.

    The old Li Lang would¡¯ve been appalled to employ such methods that had barely been tested on himself. It went against everything he had been taught. However, he also knew that it was no longer possible to adhere to such strict standards and cautious approaches. The best he could do was carry out empirical studies. Even so, he didn¡¯t have all the time in the world.

    There was no greater scientific community to support his work. He was at it all alone. If he wanted to follow the same standards he had previously used, he would likely die of old age before he made significant progress. To Li Lang, the urgency of his current situation was akin to that of total war. Everything had to be accelerated in the name of survival. It was the reason why technology often progressed so fast during times of turmoil.

    The high stakes made many researchers throw caution to the wind. While resource allocation to critical research topics would increase significantly during such events, at the end of the day, it was the people who carried out the studies. They were the ones who would redraw the line that marked what risks were acceptable.

    ¡°Master!¡± Ruby cheerfully called out. ¡°The auto-analyzer has finished!¡±

    Hearing this, Li Lang paused his typing to look over at the technological marvel that enabled him to analyze the material composition of anything. This time, he had put Long Yi¡¯s flesh in for analysis.

    This wasn¡¯t the first time he had done so, as he often monitored his Qi toxin levels back when Long Yi was still in the Energy Gathering stage. However, the reason he did so this time was because he had sensed that Earth-grade cultivation techniques had changed Long Yi¡¯s body.

    As Long Yi was in a realm higher than his, the auto-analyzer couldn¡¯t register any Qi signatures, but he had other avenues to examine that. By using his Vein Flow Calculation Method, he learned that Long Yi¡¯s body was becoming more and more attuned to Qi belonging to the earth element. It made Li Lang wonder if there would be any material changes as well.

    The answer he got was that his flesh now had higher traces of minerals, trace metals, and silicon! It wasn¡¯t at an alarmingly high quantity yet, but it definitely surpassed the realm of what was considered healthy.

    ¡°Hmm, interesting,¡± Li Lang muttered. ¡°I wonder if these effects are reversible or how it would change if he started practicing a different technique with an affinity with another element.¡±

    These little findings weren¡¯t immediately helpful, but often had a long-lasting influence on a cultivator¡¯s future. Li Lang had to consider if he would be comfortable specializing in one particular element and if there were any adverse effects of doing so. He would hate to practice a fire element technique, only to realize he could no longer come into contact with large bodies of water.

    After going through the results, he didn¡¯t hesitate to put Xiao Dong¡¯s flesh into the analyzer next. He then quickly set the matter aside because the auto-analyzer would take at least weeks when it worked on specimens that contained the power of a higher realm than him.

    He finished logging the rest of his data and exited from Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    When he opened his eyes, he found himself inside a dark cave. It was the same one he had ventured to in order to observe the first-ever breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment Realm. The only difference was that none of the Eternal Wave Sects people or Sima Xue was present. Only Wei Ping and Long Yi could be seen in the distance. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    The two had agreed to stand watch over him for his next attempt, so they spent their time cultivating by the only entrance to his cave.

    Preparation had already been done. The last piece was simply Li Lang himself.

    Before he began, he reviewed everything he knew about the breakthrough process.

    Having laid a clear roadmap in his mind, Li Lang no longer hesitated and plopped a Foundation Pill into his mouth. He found it amusing that the once precious pill that was almost impossible for him to find could now be obtained in large quantities.

    It didn¡¯t mean Foundation Pills were easy to get, but just that his accomplishments and connections he had made so far had led him a long way forward from where he previously was.

    Before he could dwell on the topic any longer, he soon felt a powerful energy coursing through his body. It twirled around until it transformed into a perfect sphere shape, centered around his navel area.

    Taking this as his cue, he began invoking his unique set of Ascension Techniques. It was one of a kind, meant to only be used by him and his physique. It had been carefully calibrated so that the multiple streams of Qi would collide at his dantian at the same time.

    Now that he was experiencing the wonders of his technique himself, he didn¡¯t forget to employ the Tracing Origin Art to monitor everything happening within his meridians.

    Everything seemed to go smoothly as the energies moved as he predicted. Nothing was amiss, but that wasn¡¯t surprising. The moment of truth was when the Qi collided.

    As someone with only grade-one aptitude, Li Lang only had five spiritual roots. That meant that not only did he have fewer entryways for Qi, but also that he lacked the that manipulated Qi. In turn, this meant the layout of his meridians was much simpler compared to someone like Long Yi, who had a total of forty-one spiritual roots!

    Very soon, three streams of Qi collided in the area just below his belly button. If he had made any mistakes, he would be feeling it by now, but thankfully, things remained peaceful. His calculations were correct, and the force of the impact was canceled out. The three streams of energy merged together into a spherical globe of energy.

    To Li Lang, it felt like he had somehow swallowed a small ping-pong ball. Something was lodged inside of him. It made him feel bloated and uncomfortable, but he didn¡¯t mind. Throughout all his previous attempts, he had never gotten this far!

    His previous weak control of Qi prevented his energies from taking on any shape. It simply made his flow of Qi stop, as if there was a traffic jam in his meridian channels.

    Now, he could feel a constant flow of Qi being delivered to his precious dantian, and the energy was properly condensing. It sucked in more energy from the rest of his body to fuel its growth. It slowly grew from the size of a ping-pong ball to that of a tennis ball!

    The discomfort increased, but Li Lang ignored it. He continued to practice the Ascension Technique to more fuel into his dantian. His once-filled body was emptied of its reserves, causing it to begin absorbing the ambient Qi!

    A vortex of energy was formed with him at the epicenter. His spiritual roots were working overtime as they tried to absorb as much Qi as possible to replenish his used stock. This caused more and more energy to converge into his body.

    If Li Lang hadn¡¯t taken the Foundation Pill, he would be feeling quite nervous right now. The amount of energy within him was dangerous. It wasn¡¯t something he was confident in controlling. He had to use every ounce of his focus to keep his expanding core from going berserk.

    The process was gradual, but it didn¡¯t make it any easier. What once felt like driving a well-maintained car began to feel like bull riding.

 Chapter 213: Ascension Technique Attempt Pt.2

    Chapter 213: Ascension Technique Attempt Pt.2Many of Li Lang¡¯s students were now also in the peak stage of Energy Gathering. However, only Xiao Dong managed to take the step into the next realm.

    For those who had grade one aptitude, it was attributed to their lack of accumulation. While Li Lang had observed that the level of Qi didn¡¯t change from the moment they entered the ninth stage, the accumulation he speculated about referred to the degree of strength a cultivator could exert on their Qi. The only way to improve this was through simple training, but the Lingering Impact Technique Wei Ping had brought back was a particularly effective way to train this Qi strength.

    Nevertheless, Li Lang still had cultivated for a lot longer than any of the other kids. It would stand to reason that he was the furthest ahead.

    As Li Lang¡¯s breakthrough attempt continued, he could feel the increasing pressure. It felt like he was hanging from a pole, holding on to dear life. If he fell, his goal of reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm would be over. Every second sapped his strength. It did so slowly, which made the ordeal even more tortuous.

    Hours passed, and the event had taken a toll on Li Lang, both physically and mentally. It made his thoughts start going astray.

    Li Lang took a moment to recollect his thoughts. He thought hard about what motivated him.

    He had suddenly found himself in this world when his new body of his supposed reincarnation had reached a point where it could handle his adult consciousness. Immediately, he had been enamored by the existence of something as fantastical as cultivation that could make someone immortal. After all, it had been what he was researching toward, up until the moment of his death.

    Forced to accept his circumstances, he made do with what he had to study this interesting new phenomenon. However, before he could even properly start on that, tragedy had befallen the Zi family who had been taking care of him.

    He wasn¡¯t fully conscious over the first ten years of his childhood, but he had the memories of their love and care for him. If it was within his abilities, he was determined to help save his two childhood friends who had been kidnapped.

    Having thought of the incident with the Abductress, a burst of anger stimulated Li Lang¡¯s mind. It jolted him, allowing him to regain some of his focus.

    The infamous demonic cultivator was the goal he had set for himself in the short term. He wanted to acquire the power to confront her, whether it be through his own strength or borrowing another¡¯s. She was an expert in the Spirit Divide Realm, and not even the largest sects on Violet Isle dared to openly antagonize her.

    Reaffirming his resolve, Li Lang redoubled his efforts to cram all the Qi in his body into his dantian. It got harder as the concentration of energy rose, but he didn¡¯t stop practicing the Ascension Technique to figuratively pump more Qi toward his navel area.

    The discomfort eventually grew into pain and his body became damp from all the sweat.

    Wei Ping and Long Yi could only watch Li Lang suffer. Long Yi in particular knew exactly how difficult it was owing to first-hand experience, but they had to keep a close eye on him in case any accidents occurred.

    Thankfully, nothing happened so far, and hours passed by.

    Li Lang¡¯s clarity of mind once again eroded over the long hours. He held on with only one thought in mind: to compress his Qi. His consciousness slowly but surely drifted away.

    -----

    ¡°Wake up, Langley!¡± a woman¡¯s voice called out. ¡°Goodness gracious, why are you always such a slob? Alfred, when was the last time Professor Langley left this lab?¡±

    The question was strangely directed toward the ceiling of the laboratory, where the speakers embedded into the walls answered.

    ¡°The last recorded instance of the professor leaving was thirty-six hours, seven minutes, and twelve seconds ago. Professor Langley was gone for two hours and ten minutes before returning.¡±

    The woman then proceeded to shake Langley, who was still slumped over his desk, a few more times before the professor finally showed signs of rousing.

    ¡°Debra, five more minutes, please.¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    In response to his pleas, the woman slammed a tablet into the back of his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not your mom. You better get yourself together¡ª¡±

    ¡°Or I¡¯ll regret it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. When the federation cuts your budget, don¡¯t come crying to me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll do what you tell me. I still haven¡¯t forgotten about that in-person meeting for next Thursday.¡±

    ¡°Langley¡ªThat meeting is for today. It¡¯s Thursday already. How can someone as brilliant as you have trouble with something as simple as keeping track of the date?¡±

    As if to dodge the question, the professor swiftly got up from his seat and rubbed his eyes. He searched around the mess around his desk and took a swig out of a tumbler before turning his attention to the computer before him.

    Seeing this, Debra sighed as she slowly moved behind him. She rested her two elbows on his shoulders and watched him work.

    ¡°You can¡¯t keep torturing yourself like this. You¡¯re a researcher, not a soldier on the frontline who has to push themselves to survive. Humans work better when fully rested.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but we each have limited time in a day. Despite what others may say, I know I¡¯m not a genius. Only by putting in the extra hours will I be able to stay on top and keep the funds coming.¡±

    ¡°But is that really all you want? To do¡ªmore research?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, if I get rich enough, retiring early doesn¡¯t sound bad. I get to start my own lab and decide how things are run.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re hopeless.¡±

    After that, the two remained in the same position without exchanging any words. The only sound that could be heard was the keyboard Langley was typing away on.

    On the surface, Langley continued as normal, but internally, he had begun to question what he wanted in life. He had passed on starting a family ever since his university days were over. He found no meaning in following his primal urges to reproduce. He refused to be controlled by the chemicals in his body. He believed he was above that. Only animals blindly followed their urges.

    The two¡¯s time in the lab was soon interrupted by a group of armed men waiting at the door. One of them walked in and saluted toward the two scientists.

    ¡°I am Sergeant Nicota Earl. Professors, it is time to depart!¡±

    ¡°Thank you for escorting us, Sergeant,¡± Debra said with a smile. ¡°We¡¯ll come right away.¡±

    Just as she made a move to follow the sergeant, the clicky sounds of the keyboard continued to resonate throughout the room. It made her do a quick one-eighty before she forcefully dragged the middle-aged man up from his seat.

    ¡°Langley, let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, fine.¡±

    The soldiers outside watched on in amusement as they escorted the eccentric professor out of the lab area. They went into a large elevator that could fit a dozen cars and began to ascend. The ride lasted several minutes, showing how deep underground they were.

    They blew past hundreds of floors until they were above ground level, but even then, they continued ascending. Only when they were two hundred floors off the ground did they come to a stop. They were then led through a maze of corridors until they arrived inside a grand office.

    Inside, only one person was there. A lone woman with a confident demeanor watched them enter.

    ¡°President Dekel, good day to you,¡± Debra immediately greeted. She then discreetly elbowed Langley, urging him to do the same. It only caused Langley to unenthusiastically parrot her words.

    ¡°Good day, President,¡±

    ¡°Thank you, professors. I¡¯m sure we¡¯re all busy people, so I¡¯ll make this quick. Your team has requested an increase in your budget again, so it has come to my attention. I¡¯m here to ask about your research.¡±

    The eyes in the room were all drawn to Langley, as he was nominally the person responsible for their team. Even if he left most of the paperwork to others, he was the one who had to answer to their boss during these moments.

    ¡°It¡¯s to safely carry out our research, of course. We need the money to set up various safety precautions for our new round of testing. We¡¯ll also be taking on ten times the number of test subjects as well.¡±

    The president closed her eyes for a few moments while resting her chin on a fist.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I don¡¯t exactly care about the budget increase. My aides would¡¯ve taken note of any issues regarding those details. I¡¯ve only recently gone over the files regarding your studies since I¡¯ve just come into office. The records say that you¡¯re researching permanent life-prolonging treatment. What I want to ask is if this is truly what you want to pursue and your opinion if this is a research topic worth pursuing.¡±

    ¡°Umm, why would you want to know that?¡±

    Debra opened her eyes wide at the direct question her coworker posed. She wanted to reprimand Langley for being so difficult. Why couldn¡¯t he just answer the question? Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t dare interrupt.

    In response, President Dekel spoke frankly, not caring about any etiquette expected of high government officials at all.

    ¡°It is our first time meeting, Professor. Many things are new to me. I want to know if increasing our investment in your team is worth it. To do that, I look at people. I¡¯ll ask again. Is permanent life-prolonging treatment what you really want to pursue?¡±

    Being struck by such a direct question, Li Lang could feel his mind jolted. He sensed something amiss, as if he had forgotten something important.

 Chapter 214: Ascension Technique Attempt Pt.3

    Chapter 214: Ascension Technique Attempt Pt.3President Dekel stared at Langley unflinchingly as the man appeared to be frozen in place. He was lost in thought, trying to formulate an answer to the president¡¯s question. For some reason, the more he thought about it, the more his feeling of unease grew.

    He was sure there was no other research topic he would pursue other than the one he was currently working on. After all, his very life depended on it. And if he succeeded, it could benefit quadrillions of people across the Federation of Humanity.

    However, a seed of doubt began to sprout deep in his mind. He wondered if his lifelong goal was essentially just trying to survive. This doubt had shaken his resolve.

    Drudging up some old memories, Langley couldn¡¯t avoid thinking about his mom and her last words. She was the one who encouraged him in everything he did. She taught him not to fear failure, as it was worse to be afraid of trying at all.

    The experience of losing his mother while he could only powerlessly sit by her deathbed was what caused his obsession with life-prolonging research. He didn¡¯t want that to ever happen again.

    It may be illogical, considering it was already too late, but he didn¡¯t care. Humans weren¡¯t machines. Their each and every action wasn¡¯t always logical.

    ¡°Professor Langley?¡± the president finally urged him for an answer after some time.

    ¡°Umm, do you mind if I ask what you are pursuing first?¡±

    ¡°That is quite¡­political of you, making me set an example so you can find a safe way out. Well, I don¡¯t mind. My actions are constantly being scrutinized by millions of analysts at every moment. What I am pursuing as the President of the Federation of Humanity is simple. To do my best for the people, so that we can live through the years peacefully. During my term, at least.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Langley was at a loss for what to say.

    Reading his expression, the president continued.

    ¡°It is quite plain, I know.¡±

    ¡°That is one way to put it. I can¡¯t say I expected that answer.¡±

    Hearing this, the president smiled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate high-minded goals. People who tout them often don¡¯t mean it. I don¡¯t mind openly admitting that I want my term to go smoothly, so the future generation would come to respect my efforts rather than laugh at my failed policies. That is enough to keep me going while I work. Besides that, I¡¯ll look forward to the cushy retirement life once my term ends.¡±

    As President Dekel spoke, her tone became more casual as she broached subjects unrelated to her work. It relaxed the mood and also reminded Langley of his childhood dream.

    While his friends at school wanted to become firefighters, soldiers, bankers, or just wanted to get rich, Langley¡¯s goals were much simpler. He wanted to have a family of his own and live out his life quietly. He didn¡¯t have any dreams for a flashy job. It was quite a mature dream for an elementary student, but that meant he wouldn¡¯t easily outgrow it.

    The more Langley explored this idea, the more attractive it became to him. Having a loving family to enjoy longevity with soon became his goal.

    Blinking rapidly, Langley¡¯s mind suddenly raced at maximum speed as some memories resurfaced. He realized what he saw before him wasn¡¯t reality!

    Before Langley¡ªor Li Lang, to be precise, could dwell on it, he felt himself waking up from the dream. He opened his eyes and confirmed his surroundings. The familiar walls and the figure of his two friends reassured him that he hadn¡¯t been kidnapped or anything. He was still inside a cave within the Crucible.

    Before he could relax, he felt the ambient Qi violently swirling toward him. It wasn¡¯t anything new, but the intensity grew stronger than before. When he glanced down, he found a small spherical area within his lower stomach glowing!

    The sudden discovery caught him off guard. He almost immediately fumbled his control of the energies accumulating within his body. Realizing he was in the critical moment of his breakthrough, he quickly expunged all idle thoughts and focused.

    None of these events escaped the notice of the Foundation Establishment cultivator nearby, who was tasked with watching over his friend.

    ¡°Wei Ping, look. He¡¯s entering the final stage!¡±

    ¡°Be p-prepared. It¡¯s also the most d-dangerous part.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it should be fine! I¡¯m sure of it. He¡¯s been waiting so patiently at the peak of Energy Gathering for so long. He is more than prepared for this.¡±

    Wei Ping gave him a look and said nothing. He knew Long Yi was just comforting himself. No one could be sure if the breakthrough would succeed, especially when it involved someone with grade-one aptitude using an unproven technique. However, he knew it was pointless to call him out on it.

    Both of them wanted Li Lang to succeed. This was especially so for Wei Ping, as it would show this path was feasible for him. Despite being the first to learn the Lingering Impact Technique, Wei Ping had failed at every breakthrough attempt. Now that he learned the Ascension Technique, he was excited to try again.

    Li Lang had gone first, but if he succeeded, his excitement would only multiply.

    All this caused Wei Ping to grip his hands tightly. He had a feeling that succeeding today would have a significant impact on their future.

    Of course, even if they failed, he trusted Li Lang to continue improving his methods until he succeeded, but that took a lot of time. Time was a non-renewable resource. Once spent, it was gone.

    Having embarked on the path of cultivation, Wei Ping could sense that speed mattered. That didn¡¯t mean he thought cultivators should rush through their training. He had an inkling that each major realm was only going to get exponentially harder the longer one waited.

    While each new major realm came with the benefit of prolonging a cultivator¡¯s lifespan, the time one had to reach the next realm was barely enough for most people.

    Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators had a lifespan of approximately five hundred years. From what he learned from all the experts he had met, only top geniuses broke into the Violet Core realm at the age of one hundred! For the people with less exaggerated talents, the average was between two hundred and fifty to three hundred years. Once one was four hundred or older, their condition would start deteriorating, and the chances of a breakthrough would drop dramatically.

    While Wei Ping was pondering the significance of a successful breakthrough, Li Lang was still enduring his trials. His gas tank felt empty, but he had to force himself to persist. Thankfully, after the dream he had, he had a clear goal to dedicate himself to. Whether he knew it or not, it did wonders for his willpower.

    S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    The prospect of such a life excited him.

    After another grueling hour, the dreaded cracking noise resounded from the cave! Depending on the cultivator, the sound differed a little, but it also differed between a successful breakthrough and a failed attempt! One marked the arrival of a new stage, while the other was a sign that their efforts had not been rewarded.

    The only real way to know which one it was was to carefully examine the cultivator to see if there was any Qi leaking out.

    ¡°Wei Ping¡ª¡± Long Yi muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything. Do you?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°Does that mean he succeeded? Should we take a few steps back before tribulation lightning strikes?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t always strike, but yeah. We s-should back away.¡±

    After that, the scene began to calm down. The whirlwind of Qi returned to normal. It allowed the Qi sense of others to approach the man in question.

    ¡°Without a doubt, Li Lang had succeeded!¡± Long Yi celebrated. ¡°He did it! I knew he could do it!¡±

    He lunged at Wei Ping to bring him into a hug.

    ¡°But why isn¡¯t he opening his eyes yet? If he¡¯s too fatigued, he should¡¯ve fallen asleep, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.¡±

    ¡°Maybe s-something is happening within him? Do you s-sense anything?¡±

    ¡°Only Li Lang would know what is happening inside his body.¡±

    The two impatiently waited from a distance. They discussed their friend¡¯s condition while waiting for him to open his eyes. Unfortunately, he remained seated in the lotus position even when the sun began to set without any signs of that changing.

    ¡°What is happening? Why isn¡¯t he moving? Did something go wrong?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the o-one who has first-hand experience in this, so w-why are you asking me?¡±

 Chapter 215: Dantian Introspection

    While Wei Ping and Long Yi fretted over what to do with their unresponsive friend, Li Lang was currently busy inspecting the new area that opened up in his body, specifically his dantian.

    It was one thing for him to hear about it, but an entirely different one when he experienced its wonders for himself.

    Foundation Establishment cultivators have broken free from their shackles of mortality. The amount of Qi they possess is several times higher than any Energy Gatherers. That didn¡¯t take into account the qualitatively superior qualities, too.

    With access to more powerful Qi, the container was naturally upgraded as well. The dantian had become the storage for all this energy. It was a very special part of a cultivator, and if they focused their senses on it, they could even examine the small world within it!

    Just like the meridian channels, the dantian wasn¡¯t physical. It wasn¡¯t an organ that magically grew on the body.

    When Li Lang focused on this special part, he found himself transported to the middle of the ocean somewhere. However, he didn¡¯t panic. He was floating high in the air, and he had enough experience to realize this wasn¡¯t reality.

    After allowing his mind to go wild for some time, Li Lang calmed down and assessed his situation. He had heard about the wonders of a cultivator¡¯s dantian, so he had a general idea of the nature of this place.

    If one looked closely, the ocean below was quite shallow. He could see the bottom of it. That was because it represented the Qi within his dantian. After breaking into this new realm, his foundation was naturally poor. As the name implied, building up his foundation was the nature of this new realm. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    After analyzing the sea below him, Li Lang proceeded to try contacting his more trusted partner.

    ¡°Ruby, can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Master!¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Having confirmed his connection to his artifact hadn¡¯t been lost, he began logging everything in his lab. He also took the opportunity to go over his database of Earth-grade cultivation techniques again to glean any information about dantians.

    ¡°These definitely don¡¯t fit my style, but from the key points they share, I think it¡¯s safe to say Foundation Establishment is all about strengthening the spiritual roots so it could siphon more energy into the dantian,¡± Li Lang muttered. ¡°Otherwise, it would take eons before any progress is made in filling this sea.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of energy, Master, I feel your body is constantly feeding me with your new Qi! I feel like I¡¯ll become a lot stronger soon!¡±

    ¡°Well, if the Crucible will regain more of its function due to my breakthrough, I don¡¯t find it surprising you would benefit from it too, Ruby. Do you have an ETA?¡±

    ¡°Umm, sorry, Master. I just feel something is going to happen, but I can¡¯t tell when.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Without dwelling on the matter, Li Lang continued to parse through the cultivation manuals. He had done so before, but now that he could observe the situation within a dantian himself, many esoteric concepts became more clear to him.

    A few of the techniques had talked about things like building an altar or temple within oneself. It confused the old Li Lang as he only heard the dantian stored all of a cultivator¡¯s Qi, so how could energy be used to build structures?

    Now that he had gotten a better look at himself, he could tell the ocean of Qi within him wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed. It appeared material, as if the ocean within him was really a world of its own. The only difference was that the entire place was enclosed except for the few openings that constantly poured in more energy from the outside world. He knew they were connected to his spiritual roots. It was as if they were giant pipes that constantly pumped more water into his own little world.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why this new realm doesn¡¯t have nine stages, like in Energy Gathering. There are only early, mid, late, and peak Foundation Establishment cultivators,¡± Li Lang murmured. ¡°The manual says each stage is separated by how developed a cultivator¡¯s spiritual altar is. If they¡¯re talking about structures, I can assume this is yet another qualitative change in Qi that allows it to become more solid compared to its liquid state. This will take quite a bit of research to unravel.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Master just take one of those trials again and obtain the most suitable technique?¡± Ruby suggested.

    ¡°I can¡¯t rely on that forever. The knowledge contained inside the Crucible is comprehensive but outdated. It¡¯s at least thousands of years old if none of those organizations knows the origin of it. Surely, modern techniques have improved after so much time has passed. This isn¡¯t an issue that can be addressed in the short term. I have to work on other things as well.¡±

    After going through some more Earth-grade cultivation techniques, Li Lang then pulled up the data he had regarding a different set of skills. It was the methods cultivators used to eliminate any traces of themselves to prevent being tracked down or being the target of divination.

    Divination wasn¡¯t omnipotent. Even an expert in the Spirit Divide Realm couldn¡¯t just use divination to find out every detail about someone they never had contact with before. Instead, it required a catalyst. These catalysts were simply any biological material belonging to their target that contained traces of their Qi. It could be their hair, skin, bodily fluids, or pretty much anything.

    It was a type of technique that caught Li Lang¡¯s eye back when he had done an investigation to help Tai Xilun and his Bloodwave Conclave track down a killer on the loose. This killer had used one of these anti-divination techniques to remove any spiritual traces from the blood they left behind on the crime scene. The only reason they had been exposed was because Li Lang¡¯s DNA analysis methods weren¡¯t anything they had experienced before. It relied on entirely different principles.

    Now that he had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, Li Lang planned to learn a similar technique before exiting the pocket realm. To be precise, he planned to research one that would not only defend him from divination but also shield him from the Qi sense of others.

    He would rather not have everyone find out he had broken through so soon. While it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal if it was discovered, the same couldn¡¯t be said when it came to his students. He needed to prepare a technique to prevent that sooner rather than later.

    His success proved that it was possible for his students to break through as well. If more and more of them were found to have crossed this threshold at such a young age, it would start drawing a lot of unwanted attention.

    In order to nip this in the bud, Li Lang was determined to formulate one such concealment art.

    He didn¡¯t have to start from scratch, though. Many organizations had already developed such techniques. It was just that he never had the chance to learn them before. If he ran into any roadblocks, he was sure he could trade for these techniques for reference.

    However, before he could get started on his research, he suddenly felt his body being jolted. He was then promptly kicked out of Ruby¡¯s artifact space.

    ¡°Li Lang, are you okay?¡±

    The newly promoted cultivator opened his eyes to find his friend, Long Yi, an inch away from him.

    ¡°Yes, yes. Calm down. There¡¯s no need to be worried.¡±

    ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t moved for hours since your aura consolidated to the level of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. I feared something had gone wrong.¡±

    ¡°It was just¡ªme reflecting on my new self. Nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s fine, I guess. Anyway, you¡¯ve made it! You really did break through. Congratulations!¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, congratulations, boss.¡±

    Only when Long Yi¡¯s huge figure backed away a little could Li Lang now spot his friend wearing the wooden mask. Seeing this, he nodded with a gentle smile.

    ¡°Thank you. I couldn¡¯t have done it without you guys. Next up is your turn, Wei Ping.¡±

    ¡°T-that¡ªI can¡¯t say I¡¯m c-confident about it yet.¡±

    ¡°We can talk about that at another time,¡± Long Yi interrupted. ¡°For now, let¡¯s go celebrate! All the kids are waiting for us to start dinner. They¡¯ll be overjoyed with the news, too.¡±

    With that, the three quickly departed from the cave, returning to the outside world, and headed for the giant gates at the base of the mountain that led to the inner chambers where the trials were.

    Along the way, Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but to sate his curiosity about the state of his new realm. He stretched his hand toward the treelines and unleashed one of his more harmless techniques, the Veiling Shroud art.

    Instantly, a huge amount of smoke was generated, engulfing the entire area with a smokescreen. It easily covered ten times more area than what he could do prior to the breakthrough. And that was when he only unleashed a sliver of his newfound powers.

 Chapter 216: Concealment Techniques

    ¡°Congratulations, Teacher Li!¡± all the students cheered.

    They all sat around a large circular table in the mess hall of the pocket realm. While they brought along tons of materials with them prior to isolating themselves inside the artifact space, the Crucible happened to be capable of providing all manner of sustenance!

    Normally, trial points were required in exchange for these supplies, but as the owner of the entire artifact realm, Li Lang could naturally bypass that.

    His group merrily celebrated his accomplishments and took half the day off to party. When the festive atmosphere started to die down, Li Lang slipped away from his companions. He went toward a secluded area and double-checked no one was near.

    He wasn¡¯t being so sneaky for any nefarious reasons, but he preferred to speak with his artifact spirits privately.

    ¡°Blue, Orange, Green, show yourselves.¡±

    As if having expected his summons, the three artifact spirits immediately appeared in their human forms.

    Blue took on the appearance of a girl in a blue dress, with her hair dressed all the way down to her waist.

    Orange was slightly hunched over with his usual timid expression.

    Green looked gruff, like the type of person who took no-nonsense and stared straight into his master¡¯s eyes.

    Each of them had a completely different personality, but they answered their master¡¯s calls just the same.

    ¡°Master,¡± they called out in unison. ¡°Congratulations on your breakthrough!¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I assume you three already know what I¡¯m going to ask?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    The three shared a quick glance before Blue stepped forward and bent her knee slightly in reverence.

    ¡°You would like to ask about the abilities that you have unlocked, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You previously told me I¡¯ll be able to move the entire pocket realm if I break through. Does that mean I can do that now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Master. Our main body will be able to shrink down in size. Do you want us to do that now?¡±

    ¡°No need. I¡¯d rather not alarm the people outside. Is there anything else I can do now?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, not, Master. You¡¯ll only be able to alter the rules of the realm when you have reached Spirit Divide Realm. You may be able to change some minor things once you reach Violet Core Realm, but for now, nothing else can be done.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s fine, I guess. You guys can still do things like select the type of rewards I want for my trials and provide us with food, so that¡¯s enough. Where do you source your food and materials, anyway?

    ¡°We have a limited stock of materials. The prices will have to go up when the supply does down, but for things like food, we grow them.¡±

    To support her words, Blue waved her hand and summoned forth a projection that showed some part of the pocket realm. It was an area Li Lang had never been to before, but he knew the place was enormous. There were tons of Qi beasts and places he hadn¡¯t been to yet.

    ¡°Oh, I assume the beasts guarding that area are quite strong.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master. Even if they fail, we can transport that entire area to somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, what is the highest level of technique and Qi beast in here? You¡¯re a Spirit-grade artifact, so does that mean there are Spirit Divide techniques and beasts in here?¡±

    This time, Green stepped forward to answer.

    ¡°Master, as we¡¯ve previously explained, we¡¯re three separate artifacts merged together, which resulted in an increase in the total area of the artifact space. However, we were made with the intention to train the future generation. That¡¯s why there is nothing beyond Earth-grade in here.¡±

    Li Lang sighed at the news. He had suspected that was the case, but he couldn¡¯t help but find it disappointing that materials for the next major realm were missing.

    ¡°Wait, does that mean we can grow any Earth-grade materials of my choosing in here?¡±

    ¡°Mostly, yes. The ambient Qi in the realm has been adjusted to support plants and crops of that grade.¡±

    When Li Lang first came across food using these higher-grade ingredients, he almost wanted to research its effects right away. He¡¯s been told that these higher-quality foodstuffs could promote cultivation. However, the effects weren¡¯t immediate, which meant testing would take a lot of time and cost a lot of money.

    Li Lang was no stranger to how expensive these Earth-grade ingredients were. Just the tofu pudding he got for Sima Xue was priced in red crystals. That equated to hundreds of Qi stones. Even if he could now afford it, supplying a large amount to dozens of test subjects was another matter.

    With the Crucible¡¯s ability to grow these foodstuffs, it would save Li Lang a lot of money!

    After conversing with the three artifact spirits some more, the night soon came to an end.

    All the students turned in early in preparation for the next day of training. Many of them were at the peak of Energy Gathering. They were so close to reaching the next major realm. This was true for Wei Ping as well.

    Now that Li Lang had succeeded, Wei Ping would redouble his efforts. As all the Energy Gatherers busied themselves with their breakthrough, Li Lang gathered the two to first break into the Foundation Establishment Realm the next day.

    ¡°I need the two of you to help me devise a technique we can use to disguise our cultivation,¡± Li Lang stated.

    ¡°I thought you owned this pocket realm?¡± Xiao Dong asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you just get them to give you the relevant technique?¡±

    ¡°One must fail for the first time in a trial to get rewarded, and it only happens once. Not even I can change that. I¡¯d rather not waste an opportunity for this if I can help it. Even if I¡¯m willing to, the techniques here are thousands of years old. It may not work against the techniques modern cultivator uses.¡±

    ¡°Well, what we come up with ourselves may be no better, though.¡±

    ¡°At least no one would¡¯ve seen anything like it before¡ªprobably.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll work out with Li Lang here,¡± Long Yi interjected. ¡°I can¡¯t help with devising any Qi art, but just tell me what to do and I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I mainly need you two to try detecting me when I try out various things. Have you guys learned any detection Qi art yet?¡±

    ¡°I have not.¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    Two replies instantly came. Surprisingly, Xiao Dong was the one who had said yes despite having reached the realm later. This caused the other two to give Long Yi a questioning look.

    ¡°What? I¡¯ve been busy with learning other things. I prioritized immediate combat power over anything else.¡±

    Li Lang shook his head and moved on. He wasn¡¯t there for Long Yi when he went to pick out his techniques, so he couldn¡¯t place any blame on him. In the first place, a cultivator¡¯s techniques were very personal. He had no say in what others practiced. Even when it came to his students, he could only give them advice, but not dictate what they choose.

    ¡°Well, can you teach us your technique then, Xiao Dong?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I still have the texts in my room.¡±

    Seeing his student walk away, Li Lang was reminded that they had not yet gotten any space rings for them. The pocket realm didn¡¯t have any, so he added that to his shopping list for the next time they ventured out.

    At the rate things were going, Li Lang only planned to leave when the time came for the Dark Sea Arena.

    Now that he had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, there were numerous things waiting for him to do. It was as if he just opened a new chapter in his life. No longer would he be treated as a mortal or junior. He was a legitimate cultivator that broke through the shackles of mortality.

    There were so many techniques he needed to learn to live up to the reputation, but he also had a lot of time to do that now. With five hundred years of lifespan, he had time to expand his arsenal of techniques and master them. There was enough time to even learn a hundred techniques.

    While a hundred martial and Qi arts may be too much, a few dozen were still acceptable. Not every technique had to be some ultimate move used in combat. There were numerous possibilities that allowed cultivators to react to various situations. Divination skills were just one small sub-group among the myriad of possibilities, and right now, Li Lang was precisely studying techniques in one of these sub-groups.

    Concealment and detection techniques were likely one of the more common techniques that every cultivator knew. Everyone wanted to get a good grasp of their surroundings.

    It was time for Li Lang to tackle the challenge of creating his own technique. It would normally be a complicated endeavor, especially for someone as inexperienced in technique creation as him. But thankfully, all his research on spiritual roots and their role in absorbing ambient Qi, plus his knowledge of concealment talismans, had set up a solid foundation for him to start with.

    He presumed that this constant input of Qi was one of the easiest indicators that a cultivator could use to identify someone¡¯s cultivation level. If he only planned to create a technique to obscure this fact instead of concealing their presence entirely, Li Lang was confident he would be able to accomplish this task in the remaining months he had.

 Chapter 217: Dropping the News

    How do cultivators sense each other?

    That was the question Li Lang had to ask when he got started with developing his own concealment art. From the few methods available to him, he found that the most common method was to detect the fluctuations in the ambient Qi that were caused by cultivators¡¯ autonomic process of absorbing and releasing Qi.

    There was a constant intake and outtake of energy, whether they did so consciously or not. It flowed in and out like a person breathing. It differed from cultivation, where the energy was used to expand the human to increase capacity rather than simply flowing through.

    This meant the most straightforward method to avoid detection was to stop this flow of Qi entirely. However, the constant use of their Qi muscles, otherwise known as spiritual roots, to suppress these fluctuations would tire the user before long. Thankfully, Li Lang didn¡¯t have any great ambitions to create such a technique that perfectly avoided detection. Instead, he pursued the direction of weakening the energy levels, so the user would appear at a lower realm than what they really were.

    Li Lang would normally not be ready to create his own techniques. It was a difficult discipline and required many long years of experience and understanding. The only reason he became confident about tackling this endeavor was because of all the work he had done with the Ascension Technique.

    The Ascension Technique wasn¡¯t one specific set of movements, but many of them that had to be choreographed in a certain way that fit the specific user. It was like the technique was made up of different modules that had to be assembled together in a different way each time. The very nature of these modules was to invoke the flow of Qi inside a practitioner¡¯s meridians in a specific way.

    If you placed this concept toward the outermost part of the meridian channels, you could technically control the strength at which the Qi enters the body. The lowered levels of input would naturally decrease the output as well. It was only a conjecture, so the next step was naturally to put it to the test.

    With Foundation Establishment Realm helpers with him, Li Lang could freely make adjustments to refine his results. Day by day, he got closer to his goal.

    At first, the technique created unstable fluctuations. As it stabilized, the problem soon became the Ascension Technique itself. It required the user to transition into different stances. It was almost like a strange dance. A technique that concealed your true cultivation but made you do eccentric poses was only good in the wilderness, where no one was watching. Otherwise, anyone who witnessed it would one hundred percent be suspicious of the practitioner.

    There were a few ways to remedy the issue.

    One was to abandon physical poses entirely and create a new set of techniques that required no movements. It had the worst short-term offerings but solved a lot of the issues. The time it took was also too long and uncertain.

    Next.

    A second way to go about it was to use another technique to prevent anyone from seeing the strange movements. These were techniques like his Veiling Shroud art that produced a smokescreen. Li Lang didn¡¯t need to think long about it before forgoing this option. That just increased the upkeep and convoluted things too much.

    Next.

    A third method was to try to improve the Ascension Technique further, allowing for the same effect but with more subtle movements. This way, the user could hide beneath a loose cloak while they executed the technique.

    It was worth considering, but there were also plenty of other avenues to pursue as well. However, this seemed to be the most plausible solution because the effect of weakening the flow of energy required a lot less force than trying to provoke the qualitative change that the Ascension Technique was made to do. It meant there was a high chance of being able to reduce the range of motion of the technique required.

    Regardless, it would take some time and effort to put these theories to the test.

    Faced with the new challenge of developing new techniques, time passed by faster than normal. Before long, there was only a month left before the Dark Sea Arena!

    ¡°Has everyone made their decision? Long Yi asked. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    A few people simply stared his way and nodded.

    Several disciples had recently broken through their bottleneck. It consisted purely of the disciples with grade-two aptitude.

    With this new batch of Foundation Establishment cultivators, it wasn¡¯t easy to decide who would venture to the Dark Sea Arena or not. They couldn¡¯t afford to leave this place entirely devoid of anyone. Many of the students wanted to stay, so they could continue cultivating, while an equal amount of people wanted to tag along to broaden their horizons.

    ¡°I should be able to go! I¡¯ll surely be able to catch up in all the areas I¡¯m inadequate in,¡± the girl, Shi Yan, proclaimed.

    ¡°No, it should be based on the order of seniority. I broke through first, so I should have priority.¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Li Lang¡¯s voice suddenly rang out across the room, silencing the crowd. ¡°I can¡¯t let all of you participate, but we¡¯ll all go.¡±

    ¡°Huh? I thought you said it would be too suspicious if our entire group left just like that,¡± Long Yi said as he turned to the new entrant.

    ¡°Yes, but things are different now. I can move the entire pocket realm. It¡¯s time to reveal this trick. Nightmoon Valley should be able to come up with a plausible explanation or just hide the truth if anyone asks. As for me, I¡¯ll make sure to keep the Crucible out of sight.

    Li Lang didn¡¯t say this just to be nice. He recognized many of his students were lacking in many areas due to being forced to focus on speed above all else. They could barely make use of all their newfound powers. That¡¯s why he believed taking them along to broaden their horizons was the most beneficial choice.

    It didn¡¯t matter if some of them didn¡¯t want to travel. With the Crucible now moveable, they could remain inside, where they could continue to cultivate undisturbed.

    Li Lang hoped that the experience of spectating all these Foundation Establishment fights would be enough of an inspiration for those like Wei Ping to cross the last threshold of mortality. All the students with grade-two aptitude had broken through already. It lit a fire under Wei Ping, but he hadn¡¯t succeeded yet in the past few months. He wanted to do all he could to help his friend.

    ¡°You guys wait here first,¡± Li Lang suggested. ¡°Let me communicate with Nightmoon Valley about our intentions.¡±

    He quickly donned a thick cloak around his body and, with a snap of the finger, Blue teleported Li Lang straight out of the pocket realm. Once outside, he was tempted to test out the ability to move the Crucible right away, but he knew better. It would only alert the people from Nightmoon Valley for no reason. He reined in his urge and went to talk to the other party first.

    He made his way to the teahouse that had now been repurposed into their lodging. He didn¡¯t need to call out before the people stationed there noticed his arrival. One man and one woman came out to greet him while holding hands. Judging from their appearance, they were in their thirties. Li Lang was unfamiliar with them, but he still politely clasped his fist toward them.

    ¡°Seniors, I am Li Lang.¡±

    The man appeared as if he didn¡¯t hear him. His glances darted in every direction, unable to stay still. Saying he was on guard was an understatement. Only the woman acknowledged Li Lang¡¯s existence, nodding at him with appreciation.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve met, but we¡¯ve been informed about you. I am Zhu Yi, and this is Ma Kong. Is there something you need?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be direct, seniors. We plan to attend the Dark Sea Arena.¡±

    ¡°No problem. We¡¯ve been informed of such a possibility. There¡¯s no need to worry. We will faithfully stand guard here. No trouble will come to the people you leave behind,¡± the woman assured.

    ¡°We don¡¯t plan on leaving anyone behind.¡±

    ¡°What? You want to bring over a dozen people with you? I warn you, the distance from here to Sword Saint Isle is not short. There will inevitably be perils along your journey, so I do not believe it is a good idea to bring so many young mortals with you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± Li Lang defended while looking troubled. ¡°Umm, how should I put this? All my students will be safe. They won¡¯t have to leave the pocket realm.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t have to leave? I¡¯m not sure I understand what you¡¯re getting at. What do you mean they won¡¯t leave the pocket realm, but will follow you to Sword Saint Isle?¡±

    Li Lang smiled sheepishly in response. He knew he would have to come clean if he were to leave with the Crucible in tow. Nightmoon Valley wouldn¡¯t let him run away with it unattended. That was because they already promised quotas to other organizations for access to it. Li Lang¡¯s safety and the Spirit-grade artifact were both something they had to protect for the sake of their credibility.

    If he hadn¡¯t approached them openly like this, he was sure they would¡¯ve secretly deployed a few cultivators to protect him from the shadows. Now that he confronted them, he gave them a chance to openly do so.

    While it was restricting to have others follow him, Li Lang didn¡¯t mind it too much for now. He didn¡¯t think they would completely limit his movements, but it would just intrude on his privacy a little. It wasn¡¯t that bad, considering they couldn¡¯t peer into the situation within the pocket realm. It was a worthwhile tradeoff for the protection of the premier demonic organization from the entirety of Violet Isle.

    With that in mind, he dropped the bombshell on the couple. He did so by casting off his cloak, revealing the aura he had been suppressing with his new technique. His actions even made the unattentive Ma Kong peer his way. Their eyes widened as they realized the young man standing before them had reached the same realm as them!

    ¡°Seniors, through some luck, I¡¯ve recently managed to break through. It seems that has allowed me to gain greater control of the pocket realm. I should now be able to bring it along with me wherever I go.¡±

    His words left Zhu Yi speechless, her mouth opening slightly as if to respond, but no sound emerged.

 Chapter 218: Establishing the Framework

    ¡°What?! You can move the pocket realm!¡± The older woman, Zhu Yi, was visibly taken aback by Li Lang¡¯s claims. ¡°I see. This changes things, then. Apologies, please allow me some time to confer with our elders. Please feel free to wait on the first floor.¡±

    The woman turned around along with her partner, Ma Kong. Then darkness consumed them within an instant. In the blink of an eye, they were gone.

    Heading into the former teahouse, Li Lang spotted several servants managing the place. They were all mortals, and they politely bowed toward him, but didn¡¯t dare to stick around to converse with him. He found himself a seat at the table where he once saw Jian Beiyun operate a gambling ring.

    In fact, this table was where he made his first pot of gold. He was able to abuse his ownership of the Crucible to profit from it by manipulating the bets. Thinking up to that point, he suddenly had the urge to move away lest he get exposed.

    With doubts about his money lingering in the back of his mind, the couple, Zhu Yi and Ma Kong, returned. They were unaware of what was going through Li Lang¡¯s mind and only thought he was acting nervous because of his recent big reveal. In their minds, it was a huge deal.

    The Crucible, formerly known as The Great Trial of Water Crest, was a special artifact in the minds of all organizations within the Luminescent Domain. They may not know it was composed of three Spirit-grade artifacts, but they did know its capacity was enormous. It was the only known man-made artifact that simulated natural pocket realms.

    Regular pocket realms were tears in the fabric of space that led to a different dimension. It was simply a doorway that connected point A to point B, with the former being this main world. This doorway couldn¡¯t be moved.

    The Crucible was different. It was essentially a space ring with shocking capacity and could contain living beings! The harm it could cause was enormous. Just the fact that organizations could smuggle their entire force while being almost undetectable rang the alarm bells.

    ¡°Li Lang, we¡¯ve conferred with the Valley Master about your newfound control of the pocket realm. First, the Valley Master would like to express his gratitude for being so forthcoming with us. He is also overjoyed about your breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°He is too kind. Please give my regards to the Valley Master for me.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Zhu Yi said as she nodded. ¡°Now about your trip to the Sword Saint Isle, we believe it would be too dangerous for you to venture out alone while in possession of a Spirit-grade artifact. We aren¡¯t sure which organizations are still suspicious of you. With a gathering of so many Foundation Establishment cultivators from both the orthodox and demonic paths, anything could happen. That is why we hope you understand our concern and allow us to accompany you.¡±

    As Li Lang expected, they openly asked to tag along.

    ¡°I understand. You¡¯re welcome to join us.¡±

    With the matter settled, the two parties set a date before Li Lang returned inside the Crucible to inform his companions.

    He confirmed to all his students about their upcoming trip, and many of them once again made their desire to participate in the event known.

    ¡°The Dark Sea Arena is for cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm. However, I only plan to allow one of you to participate. We can¡¯t let others know that we have so many young cultivators who have managed to step into the second major realm. For that same reason, all of you in the Foundation Establishment Realm can only spectate the event if you have mastered both the Wave Dampening Art and the Dissipating Technique.¡±

    ¡°The event starts in a month, right?¡± one of the disciples cried. ¡°There¡¯s not much time to master two techniques, then!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just how we¡¯ll have to proceed. None of you want to be targeted by various organizations vying for our secrets, do you?¡±

    The young cultivators were quickly silenced, as they had been properly educated about the consequences of an information leak. They knew exactly how great of an opportunity they were offered, and that it came along with some responsibilities. They were just complaining because having to master a technique within a month was just that unreasonable.

    The two techniques were the fruit of Li Lang¡¯s research, and it had only been completed for a few days.  S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    The Wave Dampening Art satisfied the first half of what he set out to do: to mask the aura a cultivator gave off. It wasn¡¯t the most difficult technique to learn, but maintaining it in a stable manner throughout the day required a lot of practice. For now, even the creator, Li Lang, could barely maintain it for a few hours.

    As the name implied, it allowed its users to dampen the aura they gave off, disguising their cultivation to a lower level to any observers. This was achieved by identifying the location of gaps within the meridian channel where Qi escaped from the body and then applying the Ascension Technique in a manner that weakened the input, so the output would be affected as well.

    Li Lang had managed to reduce the movement required to simple hand signs. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but combined with a cloak to hide the subtle movements, it worked well enough for most purposes.

    For the other half of his goal, which was to create an anti-divination technique, he resorted to creating a separate technique. That was because he realized the two objectives required different conditions to satisfy. One was to weaken Qi while the other was its complete erasure. The two objectives would only coincide if he planned to make a technique that eliminated any traces of Qi that his body gave off. That was too ambitious of a project for his limited experience in technique development and time.

    In fact, he could already achieve an effect similar to an anti-divination technique by merit of his Primordial Star Fire alone. The heavenly flame could burn even Qi, but his goal was for his students to use this technique as well. With that goal in mind, he eventually developed the Dissipation Technique.

    It was a simple technique, as energy efficiency wasn¡¯t a consideration at all. The goal was simply to exhaust all Qi from the target, effectively removing any spiritual traces to achieve the anti-divination effect. It ran contrary to what technique development was all about; to create the most energy-efficient move.

    ¡°Enough questions for now. Just focus on your training. Your daily life won¡¯t change much until we arrive at Sword Saint Isle. Only Teacher Long and Teacher Wei will be accompanying me outside the Crucible during our travels. You¡¯re all dismissed!¡±

    After satisfying his students¡¯ curiosity, the trio retreated into Li Lang¡¯s room by themselves to plan out their trip.

    However, on their way there, Li Lang noticed Wei Ping¡¯s doubtful expression despite the wooden mask shielding his face.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Wei Ping?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡ªI h-have a request.¡±

    ¡°Hm? What is it?¡±

    ¡°C-can you have Xiao Dong or one of the other students replace me? I d-don¡¯t see a reason why a mortal like me should a-accompany you over someone in the Foundation Establishment R-Realm.¡±

    ¡°What? Who cares about that? Those kids barely have any experience fighting with their life on the line. They barely know any techniques, too. It doesn¡¯t matter how great their cultivation is if they can¡¯t express it properly.¡±

    ¡°Xiao Dong h-has been working hard for the past few months. He¡¯s p-prepared to even participate in the arena.¡±

    ¡°Regardless, they¡¯re still too green to be relied on. You¡¯ve trained for a lot longer than them. You have experience traveling solo as well. You¡¯re much more suited for the job. Even if we got bodyguards from Nightmoon Valley, knowing what to do in an emergency makes it that much easier for them to protect us.¡±

    ¡°Li Lang is right,¡± Long Yi supported. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about it just because you haven¡¯t broken through yet. In your case, it¡¯s only a matter of time. You may very well be able to overcome your bottleneck during our travels.¡±

    Hearing this, Wei Ping frowned.

    ¡°F-fine.¡±

    Long Yi slapped his friend¡¯s back heartily before quickening his pace. Li Lang could see still some hesitancy within Wei Ping, but after some thought, he went on ahead as well. There was only so much convincing he could do. Problems within one¡¯s heart could only be solved by themselves. There wasn¡¯t much else he could say.

    The two knew Wei Ping to be a resilient man. To them, the matter was settled. The trio soon gathered in Li Lang¡¯s room as they began to go over the details of their trip.

    These plans involved how to approach all the different sects and organizations within Violet Isle. Now that they were no longer irrelevant mortals, it was time to carefully plot how to introduce themselves to the world. They slowly and surely set up the framework to create their own organization.

    While they still lacked the qualification to establish anything respectable, it wasn¡¯t considered improper for cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm to receive disciples. They also had various unique advantages, such as the Crucible. If they leveraged their advantages properly and established alliances, they could very well stand on their own two feet with their meager power.

    It was only a matter of time until they properly introduced themselves to the entirety of Violet Isle.

 Chapter 219: Journeying to the East

    On the next day, which was exactly thirty days before the start of The Dark Sea Arena, Li Lang¡¯s group set off to the venue located on Sword Saint Isle. All the students stayed within the realm. Only Li Lang, Long Yi, and Wei Ping exited. They were accompanied by Zhu Yi and Ma Kong, the couple from Nightmoon Valley.

    Just as the sun rose, Li Lang could be seen standing before the four pillars that marked the entrance of the pocket realm. In fact, it could be said the four pillars were part of the realm itself. Placing a hand on the artifact, Li Lang was able to wordlessly convey his commands to his artifact spirits.

    Under the eyes of his companions and the Nightmoon Valley members, the pillars rapidly began to shrink! The ground beneath erupted upward as the Crucible made its way out of the ground. Everything happened within an instant, so the onlookers were only able to get a good look at the mysterious Spirit-grade artifact when its movements ceased. It hovered right before Li Lang.

    The artifact turned out to be one single object rather than four separate pillars. There was a circular disk at the bottom that connected it all into one piece. On the other side of the disk, three bright gems could be seen, each with a different color. It didn¡¯t take a genius to realize the three gems represented the three artifact spirits, Orange, Green, and Blue.

    Other than that, the material felt strangely light. It was almost weightless in Li Lang¡¯s hand.

    The only issue with it was that it couldn¡¯t enter Li Lang¡¯s space ring.

    ¡°Hmm, seems like it¡¯s not possible, likely due to living people inside,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    No one answered him as their eyes were glued to the precious artifact, each busy with their own thoughts.

    Very soon, the group of five got over the spectacle and boarded Li Lang¡¯s Skyrunner. They didn¡¯t dawdle and got on their way.

    ¡°Is there really a need to leave so early?¡± Long Yi¡¯s voice resounded within the interior of the vessel as it took to the skies. ¡°There¡¯s still an entire month before the start of this arena, right?¡±

    ¡°Our friends from Nightmoon Valley have informed us the journey could take anywhere from two weeks to a month,¡± Li Lang explained as he turned to the two guests in question. ¡°They say it depends on what we encounter, but either way, it¡¯s better to be early than having to rush.¡±

    ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going to take our time, then can we stop somewhere that sells beast cores? I don¡¯t know about you, but I could use more than just a Mortal-grade sword. Especially if I¡¯m going to be facing off against other cultivators in the same realm.¡±

    Long Yi was the only one of the two to have succeeded in creating an artifact. In contrast to Li Lang, he accomplished this by using the traditional method. While Li Lang had attempted to create weapons with more purpose to allow for an AI to take over the role of an artifact spirit, the results had been less than positive.

    However, Li Lang did have a theory as to why.

    He believed Qi to be psychoactive, responding to the thoughts of living beings. He attributed his previous instance where he was able to create the printer artifact to it. It was easy for him to imagine the mimeograph machine being controlled by an AI. It was a concept he easily accepted without question.

    In the case of a cold weapon, the same couldn¡¯t be said. There was just too little reason to fully believe in the conception of a sentient sword or spear without adding some circuitry to host the AI. It was just easier to imagine a drone wielding such a weapon instead.

    These small subconscious doubts were what Li Lang believed to have foiled his attempts. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Still, he couldn¡¯t prove it. He only had ten beast cores of each of the main elements. With each one being unique, repeated tests weren¡¯t reliable either with all the variables. The challenge it posed had stumped Li Lang to the point that it made him want to rely on the traditional method.

    Research just took too long, and his entire group had a total of five cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm already. It was embarrassing to not even have a single Mortal-grade weapon artifact of any kind.

    The problem was that the traditional method and his AI method opposed each other in their production. If it was creating a printer artifact like the Weave Press, it wouldn¡¯t matter as he would be working with the same base. However, for weapons, the traditional method worked best with simple blades made of high-quality materials, without any waste. While his AI method had to make the weapon more sophisticated so it had a clear function.

    It made it so that he couldn¡¯t just attempt the traditional method first and then fall back on his AI method if it failed.

    The plan was to procure even more beast cores and consult with the local Artificer Guild. Now that they had higher cultivation, it should be quite realistic to create Mortal-grade artifacts the traditional way. And if they could not, they were even planning to buy something suitable during their trip. The Dark Sea Arena, where numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered, was one of the best venues they could ask for with that purpose in mind.

    As the young cultivators conversed merrily, their Skyrunner quickly made its way out of the barrier that surrounded the site where the pocket realm had been. The moment they went through the dark cover of the barrier, bright natural light shone on their vehicle.

    Thankfully, these changes in luminosity couldn¡¯t hinder cultivators of their rank. They picked up speed and headed north-east, aiming for the horizon.

    The first leg of the journey passed by uneventfully. They were in the interior of the Luminescent Domain, so they came across few troublemakers. Even if they did chance upon them, they were too high in the sky and moving too quickly for them to intercept on such short notice.

    It was only when they neared the border, with the towering mountain ranges that blocked the path out of the domain, that they were forced to lower their altitude. The Qi beasts in the area were still a threat. Beasts at the Peak of Energy Gathering level were just small fries compared to the ones that lurked deeper within. Flying too high would just attract their attention.

    Just as they entered this dangerous area under the control of no human faction, Zhu Yi and Ma Kong of Nightmoon Valley exited the Skyrunner. They chose to perch themselves on top of the vehicle instead.

    ¡°You guys should prepare as well,¡± Li Lang said. ¡°We¡¯re traveling along a route that cuts across the territory of higher-level Qi beasts than the previous time we were here. There are real threats lurking about.¡±

    ¡°Why in the world did you select such a route, then?¡± Long Yi complained. ¡°We could just use a similar route as last time. And how did you get those two to agree?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s to prepare ourselves. You said it yourself. We¡¯re already lacking in equipment. Do you want us to be lacking in experience as well?¡±

    ¡°You want us to risk our lives fighting out in the wilderness?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that risky. Our friends from Nightmoon Valley are here to cover for us. From what I can tell, they¡¯re at the late stage of Foundation Establishment. They¡¯re more than capable enough to protect us.¡±

    Before they could argue further, Long Yi¡¯s fears came true. They all sensed a jolt of Qi from one of the mountains. They stuck their head out of the Skyrunner in time to witness Zhu Yi positioning herself between their vehicle and the source of the disturbance. A millisecond later, a sparkling translucent attack reached her. Just as it neared the woman, a sphere of darkness expanded with the Nightmoon Valley cultivator at the center, consuming everything, including the attack.

    A second shot quickly came, and with all the cultivators on high alert, they soon were able to trace the trajectory all the way back to the source. What they found was a gigantic beetle standing on a thick tree branch. It sucked in the air around it and fired another shot toward Zhu Yi.

    ¡°Duck back into the Skyrunner!¡± Li Lang yelled. ¡°That stuff could be acid. I¡¯d rather not have any splash on me.¡±

    ¡°Relax. Isn¡¯t that nice lady going to nullify it all?¡± Long Yi quipped.

    As if having heard their conversation, Zhu Yi turned towards the two young men and smiled.

    ¡°I believe you wanted tempering, correct? One of you, take it from here.¡±

    Right after she spoke, the second jet of liquid arrived near her and she once again used her technique that spread darkness all around her. However, this time, instead of consuming the attack, she deflected its trajectory right at Li Lang¡¯s Skyrunner!

    The Skyrunner jerked as Li Lang hurriedly got them out of the way. However, Li Lang instantly realized that was just a prelude to what was to come. That¡¯s why he took the initiative. Without delay, he pushed Long Yi, who was still leaning out the window, out of the vehicle. Then he quickly retreated away as fast as the Skyrunner could go. As he did so, he yelled out to his friend.

    ¡°You broke through first among us, so naturally you would go first as well. Good luck!¡±

 Chapter 220: Elemental Superiority

    With Li Lang clearing away from the scene, Long Yi was left to face the oncoming beetle-type Qi beast alone. It left him frowning. He could barely make out its figure in the distance, but it had the power to snipe him from range!

    The two Nightmoon Valley disciples had also distanced themselves, so the beast naturally focused its next attack on Long Yi. Another stream of unidentified liquids shot forth across the mountain range. It traveled so fast that Long Yi could barely react despite expecting it.

    He dove low toward the ground, but the attack unexpectedly followed his course! He never expected a Qi beast to exert such precise control at such a distance. He reflexively summoned his green broadsword and cast his Terra Moon Slash to intercept the attack. Although it was only a rushed move, the flurry of stone managed to disperse the stream of viscous liquid. If one was watching carefully, one could even see that some of the liquids had been absorbed into the Terra Moon Slash.

    ¡°Hmm, is that elemental affinity at work?¡± Li Lang muttered.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time Li Lang witnessed a fight at this level. He had firsthand experience from the incident where he had been ambushed just around these mountain ranges. However, during that incident, the two parties involved employed techniques of the metal affinity and the earth affinity.

    According to the destructive cycle of the five elements, the metal element was overcome by fire, but it could overcome wood. As it had neither advantages nor disadvantages against the earth element, nothing notable could be observed in the previous fight.

    However, the same couldn¡¯t be said for the current fight. The water element is overcome by the earth element. When two Qi attacks of these natures collided, the upper hand leaned toward the earth element. The distance also likely had a part in it, but the elemental advantage still allowed Long Yi¡¯s makeshift move to overcome the beetle¡¯s.

    ¡°This is a good matchup,¡± a feminine voice resounded from above the Skyrunner. ¡°That Qi beast should have recently broken through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, but the elemental affinity should make it more even. It seems we won¡¯t have to intervene anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it s-still a little dangerous to allow someone with s-so little combat experience to fight against a beast with a h-higher cultivation?¡±

    Li Lang nodded at Wei Ping¡¯s words.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Long Yi also doesn¡¯t have any utility artifacts to support him. Not even a skysword to close the distance.¡±

    ¡°You will have to suffer the same disadvantages if you choose to participate in The Dark Sea Arena unless you find something on the way. It is better to experience what you are currently capable of against a Qi beast first rather than an intelligent cultivator.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like we¡¯ll want to take the procurement of artifacts a lot more seriously.¡±

    ¡°No need to worry so much,¡± Zhu Yi continued. ¡°The disadvantages are there, but they aren¡¯t that bad. Fights are never simply about who can hit harder or move faster. Stratagems and martial intuition are all important factors that can play a huge role.¡±

    Her words caused Li Lang and Wei Ping to direct their attention back to the fight.

    They knew Long Yi to be someone who had always been talented in frontal combat, so they weren¡¯t surprised when he moved to take the initiative after realizing his elemental superiority. At some point during their conversation, he had managed to create an earthen wall that hovered in front of him.

    He used this wall as a shield as he flew as fast as he could toward his foe. It caused the Qi beast to try to curve his shots around the shield, but it was only too easy for Long Yi to adjust his cover.

    After firing off a dozen shots, the beetle seemed to realize the futility of its actions, so it began to take flight! The two flew straight at each other without relenting.

    Just as it seemed it was inevitable they would collide in a dramatic fashion, the Qi beast made its move first. Its wings flapped as quick as a motor and maneuvered itself around Long Yi. Despite being a beast, it didn¡¯t mean it was dumb enough to ram headfirst into the large earthen wall Long Yi had erected.

    It tried to flank Long Yi from a tricky angle, going from below, but just as it was about to come into range of its human enemy, the earthen wall above exploded! Of course, it wasn¡¯t a natural phenomenon. Long Yi had purposely orchestrated it.

    Now that he was cultivating an Earth-grade cultivation technique of the earth element, he had a lot more freedom of control with anything earth-related. Specialized techniques like his Terra Moon Slash continue to be the more powerful and efficient application of his energy, but he could employ a lot more tricks now. Exploding the earthen wall was just one of them.

    Without anything obstructing his view, Long Yi was easily able to spot his enemy, who had backed away a few paces to get away from the debris. He knew his arsenal of moves was underdeveloped for the moment, but that meant he didn¡¯t have to think too much about it before he slashed down with his sword again to unleash another Terra Moon Slash.

    Quality had always been more important to a cultivator than quantity. Even back when he was a mortal, he had trained his signature technique thoroughly. His efforts carried over in his new realm. Except the power he could exert was a whole order of magnitude higher!

    Without holding back, the next slash he unleashed covered ten times more area than it previously had. The slash was so wide that it seemed as if it could cut off the top of an entire mountain.

    Long Yi had opted to make his attack as big as possible. He had seen the maneuverability of the beetle. It was common knowledge that a Qi beast with wings was much more agile in the air than those without. It was one of the reasons human cultivators invented skyswords, to match this natural superiority.

    Without a skysword himself, Long Yi had to ensure he could definitively land a blow to hinder its movements.

    With that said, a slash was still a slash. It could cover a great distance on one axis, but there were still two directions it could dodge toward. That¡¯s why Long Yi immediately followed up with a second slash to cover this opening. His two slashes created an ¡®X¡¯.  S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    As he expected, the beetle dodged the first hit, only to be clipped by the second one. As if the goddess of luck was smiling upon him, this attack just happened to strike its wing. Everything seemed to be leaning in Long Yi¡¯s favor now.

    His opponent¡¯s mobility had been hindered, he had the elemental advantage, and all initiative was on his side. He just needed to keep his distance and whittle down his opponent.

    He pressed his advantage against the Qi beast that desperately wanted to close the distance to take a bite of him with its imposing mandibles. As he kited the beast, it suddenly veered in the opposite direction, distancing itself from Long Yi.

    A split second later, it opened its mouth and shot out another jet of liquid. With how close it was this time, Long Yi wasn¡¯t able to form another wall or dodge out of the way. The stream of supposed acid landed squarely on Long Yi. Smoke could instantly be seen as it melted through both his clothes and skin.

    Judging by the speed at which it melted his clothes, Li Lang grimaced. He was experienced enough with acids to tell it had the strength to melt even his bones with just a casual splash. However, the aftermath wasn¡¯t as bad as he had feared. Only the outer layer of his skin had been dissolved.

    ¡°Hmm, the defenses of a Foundation Establishment cultivator really are incomparable to an Energy Gatherer.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the woman from Nightmoon Valley answered. ¡°How could you possibly compare a mortal with a true cultivator? A mortal could fire as many arrows as they want at us, but as long as the attacks aren¡¯t infused with Qi past a certain level, it could never harm us.¡±

    Li Lang sighed at the unreasonableness of his fellow cultivators. He had observed this phenomenon a long time ago. It was one of the reasons he never pursued the creation of repeating crossbows or even firearms. As long as he was not too demanding, it wasn¡¯t impossible to create such weapons, but their effects were less than satisfactory.

    Without imbuing Qi into an attack, it was utterly useless. It could catch some Energy Gatherer off-guard if they didn¡¯t put up their defenses, but that was no longer true for those at the Foundation Establishment Realm or above. Even in their sleep, they would be impervious to these mundane attacks.

 Chapter 221: Lacking

    The fight continued even with Long Yi sustaining injuries. To cultivators, such wounds that only damaged the skin were barely considered injuries at all. Those who practiced special techniques would be able to recover from them within a minute, while those who didn¡¯t could simply consume a Recovery Pill.

    Long Yi did neither. He was focused on the fight as it devolved into a mind game of sorts. When the beetle Qi beast got too close, he would kite back and use his ranged attack to whittle it down. Occasionally, the monster would try to back off so it could fire off another stream of acid. In that case, it would be Long Yi¡¯s turn to close the distance to disrupt his enemy.

    The Qi beast¡¯s range attack seemed to require a brief moment of channeling, which led it to become vulnerable. It instinctively knew that, which resulted in the battle of cat and mouse where their roles were constantly reversed.

    Thankfully, Long Yi had damaged its wings in the opening act. Otherwise, allowing an aerial Qi beast to flex one of their advantages while having higher cultivation would make the fight a lot more one-sided. The injury to the wings created a delicate balance where both sides were in a deadlock.

    The battle became one of attrition. No side made any head way in vanquishing their foe. They grew familiar with each other¡¯s capabilities, so their ability to counter each other improved over time. It made it increasingly difficult for either side to cause meaningful damage to the other.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good for Long Yi,¡± Li Lang muttered.

    No one said a word, showing their agreement through their silence. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Human beings were weaker than Qi beasts. Nature never granted its blessings equally. Cultivation made one stronger, but that was true for Qi beasts as well. Their advantages became even more pronounced, granting them superior physical capabilities compared to humans. Those with deadly poisons became even more deadly, while those with claws could cleave through even tougher material. The same went for their stamina.

    Humans were naturally disadvantaged when it came to physique, which was why they worked so hard to create artifacts and developed techniques to overcome these differences. This, coupled with the fact that the beetle Qi beast had wings while they fought in its home turf of the skies, meant that the energy consumption on both sides was markedly different.

    As Long Yi¡¯s energy dwindled, his movements became duller. He allowed his enemy to sneak in its attacks more often, while his own attacks weakened. Even when he managed to land a good hit, the Qi beast¡¯s natural constitution allowed it to heal quickly.

    In a desperate attempt to turn things around, Long Yi soon resorted to conjuring another earthen wall for cover. Right after blocking another stream of acid, the wall exploded. However, it wasn¡¯t the same type of explosion as before. It was weaker, more subtle. He had it detonate into fine particles, disrupting the visibility of the entire area.

    Seeing this, every cultivator spectating knew what he was up to.

    ¡°Hmm, I think this is as far as he can go. Ma Kong, it¡¯s soon time for you to intervene,¡± the woman standing above the Skyrunner said to her partner.

    ¡°Wait, let his final gambit play out until the end first,¡± Li Lang called out.

    ¡°We will.¡±

    Li Lang sighed as they turned their attention back to the cloud of dust. He partially blamed himself for what was to come. He had promised his companions artifacts but hadn¡¯t been able to deliver them.

    Now that Long Yi deployed a makeshift smokescreen on the field, it was obvious to them that he planned to use it as cover for one final strike. It just so happened that his new Earth-grade cultivation technique, the Obsidian Edge, could harden his attacks. Even without being able to see, Li Lang knew his friend was looking for a chance to run his sword through the Qi beast with his augmented blade.

    Very soon, a bright light suddenly shone from within the cloud of dust. Within a second, a strong force pushed all the dust away. It revealed the Qi beast, Long Yi, and Ma Kong, who had intervened.

    Long Yi¡¯s blade was embedded into the outer layer of the beetle while Ma Kong was positioned protectively between him and the beast, holding a torn-off limb from the beetle. Their position allowed the onlookers to instantly understand what had happened.

    Long Yi¡¯s attack had failed to penetrate the Qi beast¡¯s exoskeleton. His blade was even stuck in it. It allowed the beetle to lash out at his immobilized foe, but Ma Kong intervened, severing the beast¡¯s leg in the process. Whatever he had done, it caused all the dust to be blown away.

    Just as the beetle was about to make its next move, Ma Kong¡¯s body shone with light. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared, but then a large hole had been punched through the torso of the Qi beast. The man in question hadn¡¯t even moved!

    The victim couldn¡¯t even make a noise as it soon powerlessly fell to the ground.

    Ma Kong had felled this Qi beast in the middle stages of the Foundation Establishment without even lifting a finger.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Surprisingly, he received a response.

    ¡°It¡¯s one of Ma Kong¡¯s Qi arts. I can¡¯t reveal too much, but it¡¯s based on what we in Nightmoon Valley specialize in. The darkness and moon attribute.¡±

    ¡°I see¡ª¡±

    Li Lang had seen several strange techniques among all those he collected before. Just the large group of disciples from various organizations had netted him a diverse catalog of techniques. He knew how the traditional five elements weren¡¯t the be-all and end-all of cultivation. There were myriads of other attributes outside the five elements. While some had high potential, they were known to be a lot more difficult to practice.

    It was why many of these techniques were the cornerstone of organizations. Still, the five elements were overwhelmingly popular.

    Long Yi and Ma Kong soon returned to the group, after having retrieved their spoils. Long Yi was understandably dejected at his loss. He even rejected the offer to claim any portion of the spoils.

    As they were on a schedule, they didn¡¯t remain in the area for long and resumed their journey. Occasionally, they would encounter other Qi beasts, but they were all at the strength of the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

    Both Li Lang and Wei Ping got their own chance to fight these savage foes as well. Neither of them put up a performance that came close to Long Yi. They were completely trounced!

    Wei Ping was still in the Energy Gathering Realm, so that was understandable. In Li Lang¡¯s case, his lack of combat proficiency was highlighted for their new companions to see.

    The young man had focused on research and crafts even more in recent times. He only did the bare minimum to maintain his mastery of his techniques. Now that he was in an entirely new realm, his lack of progress did him no favors.

    The needles he manipulated using his Gossamer Knife Dance didn¡¯t have enough power to penetrate any Qi beasts. The passive defense in this new realm meant he couldn¡¯t overpower others by simply focusing more Qi into a small point.

    His close-combat abilities were even more abysmal, especially when compared to the likes of Long Yi. Allowing Qi beasts to close the distance was just playing into his opponent¡¯s hands. This meant his poison and heavenly fire had no role to play.

    This entire ordeal had made it clear the lack of preparation Li Lang and his companions had to punch at their weight level.

    It was so egregious that it made the normally silent Ma Kong question them.

    ¡°Why are you people so eager to participate in The Dark Sea Arena? You don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°That¡ªWe have to start from somewhere,¡± Long Yi defended. ¡°It¡¯s a good opportunity to experience how fights are conducted at this realm.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll also allow us to observe what we¡¯re lacking and trade for them,¡± Li Lang added. ¡°Unlike people belonging to large organizations, we have no mentor to guide us. We have to figure everything ourselves, and the most efficient way to do that is to observe others who are more proficient.¡±

    Ma Kong didn¡¯t bother to argue with them and directed the group south, away from the mountain ranges, before night fell. They arrived at their stopping point, one of the many bustling cities within the Luminescent Domain. A giant stone plaque soon came into view, displaying the name Witherfall City.

    ¡°I-isn¡¯t this the city where the Eroding March Pavilion is based in?¡± Wei Ping noted.

    ¡°Hm, then maybe we can enlist their help,¡± Li Lang said. ¡°There¡¯s some serious shopping we need to do.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to try consulting the Artificer Guild first for assistance in creating artifacts?¡± Long Yi added.

    ¡°Yes, but the chances are against us. Even if we get all the materials here, who can say if we will succeed or not? Better prepare alternatives while we have the chance. But you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s visit the Artificer Guild first.¡±

 Chapter 222: Artificer Guild

    Entering Witherfall City was easy. Eroding March Pavilion was only a small faction on the grand scale of things prior to the incident in the pocket realm. That naturally meant the cities in their area were on a smaller scale as well.

    These small settlements treated cultivators like kings, especially those who were true cultivators. No one dared to give Li Lang¡¯s group any trouble, and they quickly arrived at the Artificer Guild.

    The guild building was an unimpressive structure when compared to the other guilds. Neither the exterior nor the interior were remarkable. It was a place with simple furnishing and nothing memorable.

    Li Lang couldn¡¯t compare this Witherfall branch to any other branch, as he rarely frequented the Artificer Guild. He wasn¡¯t a certified artificer yet due to declining the request to inspect his printer artifact back when he had refined it during the auctions. He was only registered as an apprentice.

    ¡°How may we help you, sir?¡±

    The receptionist bowed with a gracefulness that betrayed how well-practiced they were.

    ¡°Are there any Artificers here that I can consult?¡± Li Lang asked.

    His blunt question caused the receptionist¡¯s facade to almost slip. They hid their irritation well, but they laced their next words with their frustration while maintaining their kind face.

    ¡°What do you take the Artificer Guild to be? Shouldn¡¯t the Alchemist Guild and Brushweaver Guild have educated you? The guilds are meant to certify professionals who have exceeded a benchmark in their crafts. It is not meant to be your on-demand consultant. If you wish to find a mentor, I can look that up for you, but that is a long-term commitment.¡±

    Before Li Lang could even respond to the onslaught, his companions were audibly failing to contain their laughter behind him. Even Zhu Yi had a grin on her face and turned away when Li Lang looked her way. Only Ma Kong remained expressionless, inspecting his surroundings cautiously.

    Left with no supporters, Li Lang softened his tone and tried again.

    ¡°That¡ªare there really no artificers here that can spare some time? I¡¯m willing to compensate them for their time.¡±

    Instead of receiving an answer this time, he only got a glare.

    ¡°Umm, please? Can you at least ask around?¡±

    Hearing how meek he was, the receptionist blinked rapidly and glanced around. A blush decorated their face, as they realized their blunder had caused a scene. They quickly nodded and retreated from the lobby at full speed.

    ¡°You sure have your ways with women,¡± Long Yi teased.

    Li Lang sighed. That hadn¡¯t even been on his mind. He was so absorbed with his task that he hadn¡¯t even looked the receptionist in the face. In fact, he didn¡¯t even remember their gender.

    He reflected while they waited, but the receptionist never returned. Instead, a fiery woman ascended from a set of stairs with gusto, staring sternly at every passerby. She carefully inspected each visitor in the lobby until her eyes landed on Li Lang¡¯s group.

    ¡°You! Are you the brat asking for a consultation?¡±

    ¡°Um, yes.¡±

    The newcomer appeared as if she was about to erupt in anger when she caught sight of the others behind Li Lang. Her eyes homed in on the robes from Nightmoon Valley and her expression softened.

    ¡°Hmph, come with me.¡±

    Looking like she was being forced into it, she guided the visitors to one of the guest rooms upstairs. They sat down around a table where a ceramic tea set was placed. The woman simply pointed a finger at the kettle and a small fire instantly lit up below it. A moment later, she served hot tea to the guests.

    ¡°Consultations are unusual. Especially by apprentices like you two,¡± the fiery woman directed a look at Li Lang and Long Yi. ¡°You must be traveling, so tell me, where are you from?¡±

    ¡°I am Li Lang and this is Long Yi. We¡¯re from Emberglow City¡ªerr with the exception of the two seniors h¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know where they¡¯re from.¡± The woman turned to formally face the two Nightmoon Valley disciples. ¡°Apologies for my manners. I am Yu Chengfong of the Yu Clan that resides here in Witherfall City.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to mind us,¡± Zhu Yi politely said as she twirled a folded fan around.

    Her words and mannerism gracefully conveyed that Yu Chengfong should ignore their presence. It even made the usually uninterested Li Lang take note of the high-level social skills displayed here.

    ¡°Very well. So anyway, what do you brats want? You can¡¯t possibly be asking me to give you an ad hoc lesson, right? If so, I¡¯ll be taking my leave. You should wait until you reunite with your teacher for such things.¡±

    It had been a while since Li Lang had been treated like a kid. He was a grown man now, and a Foundation Establishment Cultivator as well. He wondered how it was possible for the woman to tell his age when there were numerous old monsters who retained their youthful appearance.

    ¡°Well, we can compensate you handsomely. How do ten red crystals for a moment of your time sound?¡±

    The woman grunted before nodding. She was also in the Foundation Establishment Realm. Ten red crystals weren¡¯t a lot, but were well worth a bit of her time. It was easy money.

    ¡°You have half an incense¡¯s worth of time. Go ahead.¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°As you can somehow tell, we¡¯ve only recently broken through. We would like to brush up on how to successfully create Mortal-grade artifacts.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the first thing you guys worry about after breaking through?¡± Yu Chengfong sighed. ¡°Fine, if it¡¯s just Mortal-grade, then follow me to the workshop.¡±

    As they once again went on the move, Li Lang immediately unleashed his barrage of questions.

    ¡°To your workshop? Are you going to craft an artifact for us to see?¡±

    ¡°What? No. I don¡¯t waste resources so carelessly like that. I¡¯ll just go through the steps.¡±

    ¡°Hm, in that case, are there any Mortal-grade beast cores for trade at this branch?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. Ask the people at the front.¡±

    ¡°Then do you know how different the resulting artifact can be when employing different schools of artificing techniques?¡±

    ¡°Listen¡ªI may have said you can ask me some questions, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can bury me in them! One at a time! We¡¯re going through the refinement of Mortal-grade artifacts first.¡±

    The group was impressed by how decisively she shut Li Lang up. They peacefully made their way to the basement of the guild. The place was strangely even more spacious than the lobby, with high ceilings and illumination everywhere.

    However, one point met with expectation. The sturdy doors to each room down here were made of wood reinforced with metal around the important bits. With their sense as Foundation Establishment cultivators, they could sense it was enchanted with Qi in some way. It made it appear as if the dungeon was where heinous captives were kept.

    Walking into one such room, the group was soon introduced to a towering forge that radiated so much heat that they all immediately felt their faces well up with sweat. They quickly adjusted themselves, and Yu Chengfong strode straight toward the table nearby without hesitation. On the table were various tools neatly laid out. If one wasn¡¯t informed, they would¡¯ve thought this was a forge for a blacksmith instead of an artificer.

    That was because artificers didn¡¯t need to use heat to shape their work. Their techniques allowed them to manipulate metals directly, as if they were clay.

    ¡°As you should already have been practicing, artificer techniques are already enough for us to shape and create artifacts. However, depending on the school, some traces of fire-based techniques, reminiscent of blacksmithing, are also employed. This is typically more common with the older schools of artificing. I practice this older style, so what I teach you may not apply to your circumstances. Just remember that artificing is all about the heart. You need to be both brave and charismatic enough when working with beast cores.¡±

    As their new part-time teacher began her lesson, Li Lang carefully took down notes, occasionally retreating into Ruby¡¯s artifact space. His previous lessons with Tie Qian were more focused on the basics of artificing techniques, so there was so much for him to soak in.

    New approaches, and new beliefs in how to accomplish the same goal. Only when all these paths were examined could Li Lang ever hope to comprehend the art of artificing.

 Chapter 223: Witherfall City

    ¡°Teacher Yu,¡± Li Lang interrupted her mid-speech by shooting up his hand. ¡°What about artifacts capable of ranged attacks? Are they the same as all the other artifacts?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. They are, but with one big caveat. Ranged artifacts constantly consume a colossal amount of Qi to operate, as the energy imbued into the projectile is consumed entirely. It is basically no different from many Qi arts. In fact, a solid melee artifact could enhance most Qi arts to a level comparable to dedicated ranged artifacts, so they are rarely seen.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    After some thought, Li Lang thought her words to be true. In an intense fight, if a cultivator was caught off guard, they would much rather have a melee weapon to fend off enemies with rather than a bow. If the damage from ranged attacks were equal, ranged artifacts only had demerits. There was also the logistics involved as well. Ammunition that could be imbued with powerful Qi was not cheap. Constantly using such expensive disposables could easily bankrupt someone.

    Those who wished to pursue ranged options would rather hone their Qi arts.

    After some sidetracking, Li Lang refocused on his objective of creating a melee artifact for himself and his companions.

    The lessons didn¡¯t last long, and Yu Chengfong soon exhausted everything she could teach about Mortal-grade artifacts.

    ¡°That¡¯s about as much time as I have to spare. Farewell.¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, the fiery artificer forcefully kicked out her guests from her underground workshop. As soon as they left, the sound of the forge coming to life could be heard.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go check out their stock of beast cores and get out of here.¡±

    After once again inquiring with one of the receptionists in the lobby, Li Lang¡¯s group exited the Artificer Guild. They hadn¡¯t come out empty-handed as they did manage to buy a limited quantity of beast cores. However, it wasn¡¯t nearly enough. Without rest, they headed for the Eroding March Pavilion next. To be precise, their branch within Witherfall City.

    Like many sects, their main pavilion wasn¡¯t located in the middle of a mortal city. They had their own land and living area, often exclusive to their members. Li Lang and his gang weren¡¯t shy about relying on their relationships and had the people stationed at the branch reach out to Gui Hong and Ning Fei, the acquaintances they had met in Polarity City.

    After notifying the Eroding March Pavilion, the group retired to an inn for the night. This was the only time of the day when the trio were left alone by their Nightmoon Valley bodyguards.

    ¡°Wei Ping, are you going to be tackling your bottleneck again tonight?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes. Another day passed is another day lost. I-I have to make use of my time w-wisely.¡±

    Wei Ping soon consumed a Foundation Pill and went silent as he made another attempt at his bottleneck. This was a regular occurrence, so Li Lang and Long Yi quickly moved on.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Long Yi asked. ¡°Have your chances of succeeding in artificing improved after today?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say¡ªit¡¯s all too vague to measure with only two of us as a benchmark.¡±

    Long Yi stole a glance at the perspiring Wei Ping.

    ¡°But we should keep trying, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We have enough for half a dozen rounds of tests, unfortunately though, each core is from a completely different type of Qi beast with different attributes.¡±

    The trio spent the night hard at work. Unfortunately, none of their efforts had been rewarded that night.

    The next morning, they found three people there to greet them when they exited their rooms. They consisted of the two they invited, Gui Hong and Ning Fei, plus a vaguely familiar face that Li Lang couldn¡¯t put a name to.

    It was only when Zhu Yi and Ma Kong went to greet these newcomers that he was reminded of his name.

    ¡°Greetings, Gui Tianzi. I believe it¡¯s our first time meeting. I have been admiring your accomplishments at such a young age ever since you bested even our little princess,¡± Zhu Yi greeted.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an honor to meet all of you as well. You¡¯re all guests of our pavilion during your stay here, so please feel free to let us know if you need anything.¡±

    No one replied to the man¡¯s kind words and an awkward silence descended over the lobby of the inn. Nightmoon Valley¡¯s duo only nodded, as they deemed it not their place to take over the conversation, while the others waited for Li Lang to speak on their behalf. They quickly realized Li Lang had gone silent, and they all wondered what was wrong.

    Those unfamiliar with Li Lang speculated that there may have been some squabbles between the two parties during their time in the pocket realm. This was especially so for Gui Tianzi.

    After having unexpectedly found himself as the most well-known cultivator of the junior generation, he had eventually learned to just go with the flow. However, he still internally panicked as he feared he was suffering from occasional memory loss. He couldn¡¯t be sure if he had offended Li Lang at some point in the past.

    He didn¡¯t dare tell anyone about his potential memory issue, as it was one of the common signs of cultivation deviation. If he was suspected of cultivation deviation, he was sure his elders would imprison him until they could be sure he was okay. That¡¯s why he played along with what others said while he couldn¡¯t help but panic internally.

    he thought.

    Thankfully, the awkwardness didn¡¯t persist. Gui Hong and Ning Fei were there to fill the void.

    ¡°Time sure flies. It only felt like yesterday that we were wandering around the various auction houses of Polarity City. Anyway, now that you¡¯re visiting, feel free to use us as your guides.¡±

    ¡°Gui Hong is right. Feel free to tell him anything you need. He¡¯ll accommodate you,¡± Ning Fei added.

    ¡°Why are you singling me out? Aren¡¯t you here too?¡±

    The trio chuckled at the two¡¯s antics, and the atmosphere relaxed.

    ¡°Actually, Li Lang and I were looking for something that we could use your help on,¡± Long Yi said. ¡°Do you happen to know where we can procure some beast cores? Just Mortal-grade will do.¡±

    ¡°Hm, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Gui Tianzi responded in his cousin¡¯s stead. ¡°You should see how many gifts we¡¯ve been receiving since the end of The Great Trial of Water Crest. I¡¯m sure we have more cores than we know what to do with.¡±

    The group soon exited the inn and went around town under the guidance of the local trio. They toured the city for the morning before stopping at their branch, where someone had carried out the request for beast cores.

    Li Lang paid the fair market price, and he was finally restocked with all the materials he needed to explore traditional artificing.

    When the transaction was done, they parted ways with the Eroding March Pavilion disciples, as they prepared to continue their journey.

    Heading back north toward the mountain ranges, their journey was smooth¡ªor so they thought.

    Only a few hours after leaving Witherfall City, when they had to lower their altitude to be just above the treeline, the group of five found something amiss. It was subtle, but all of them noticed it regardless. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°This¡ªis it just me, or are the trees below getting closer?¡± Long Yi muttered out loud.

    ¡°Is o-our Skyrunner dipping down?¡±

    Due to his companion¡¯s words, Li Lang tried to pull their vehicle up, but to his surprise, their elevation remained the same. No, to be precise, the trees below grew in height along with the Skyrunner!

    ¡°Seniors,¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but call out to the more powerful cultivators. ¡°Do you sense anything amiss?¡±

    The two from Nightmoon Valley spent their time on the roof of the Skyrunner, so their expressions couldn¡¯t be read. However, their silence was very telling.

 Chapter 224: Dense Greenery

    ¡°Seniors!¡± Li Lang called out. ¡°Should we climb away?¡±

    Despite not knowing the situation, Li Lang wanted to do something to address the current situation. He didn¡¯t know what caused the treeline below to be stalking them, but he knew it wasn¡¯t good to allow it to continue.

    ¡°No,¡± Zhu Yi replied. ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡±

    The Nightmoon Valley cultivator kept it short for a good reason. The Skyrunner suddenly jerked. The entire vehicle slowed down, and the occupants were alarmed. It didn¡¯t take long for the couple standing above to spot the issue. Some vines had somehow latched onto the back of their vehicle.

    Just as Ma Kong moved to sever these vines, numerous silhouettes could be spotted from within the treeline below. They were keeping pace with the Skyrunner now that it had been slowed down. These newcomers didn¡¯t hesitate and launched various attacks to prevent the couple from freeing their transport.

    ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Zhu Yi coldly muttered.

    She then flicked her sleeve and darkness consumed her figure. It quickly expanded, covering up a good chunk of the surrounding area, including the Skyrunner. The oncoming attacks consisting of various Qi lights of various attributes were instantly consumed the moment they made contact with this darkness. No sound or impact happened. The attacks just disappeared, but that wasn¡¯t all.

    The sphere of darkness surrounding the carriage then launched out toward the assailants, expanding in size as it traveled. Nothing remained in its wake. All the trees and vines it came into contact with vanished from existence.

    The events happened within an instant. The driver, Li Lang, and his two companions still had yet to realize the severity of the issue. All they noticed was their vision suddenly darkening before it returned to normal.

    ¡°Steer us into the treelines!¡± Zhu Yi yelled from above. ¡°There are more of them tracking us down!¡±

    Li Lang fought against the instinct to fly up where it normally was the safer direction to flee in and drove the Skyrunner into the cover of the branches. While this was a valid strategy to lose the pursuers, in the short term, he only closed the distance to the ambushers.

    Red piercing glances could be seen all around him, so Li Lang could only hope that his companions from the premier organization knew what they were doing.

    He may have a small force of Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Crucible that could be summoned to reinforce them, but their combat experience was several folds worse than even his. Even their repertoire of techniques was abysmal, thanks to being rushed through the entirety of the Energy Gathering Realm.

    Thankfully, as the next round of attacks closed in, the darkness took hold of the surroundings again and consumed everything that dared encroach on its domain. Zhu Yi repeated her technique, sending out the globe of darkness at her enemies, but this time, a figure suddenly appeared behind her as soon as she did.

    It was a muscular man with his upper body completely exposed. He had expertly timed his approach to be just after the darkness had gone from defensive to offensive. His eyes were muddled and had a frenzied look in them.

    Seeing this, Li Lang retrieved his spear from his space ring and leaped out from the driver¡¯s seat. He didn¡¯t even have the chance to straighten his knees when the strong man spurted out a mouthful of blood. He stared down to find a hole through his torso, the size of a fist. Without letting him lift his head, Ma Kong kicked the man off the roof of the carriage. He then turned his eyes to Li Lang.

    ¡°We¡¯re surrounded, but keep going. We¡¯ll take care of it. As soon as we make it out of their encirclement, use the cover of the trees to lose them.¡±

    Li Lang nodded.

    ¡°Long Yi, Wei Ping, go help the two seniors.¡±

    ¡°Umm, shouldn¡¯t you for some reinforcements?¡± Long Yi questioned. ¡°I think there¡¯re dozens of them out there. We¡¯re completely outnumbered.¡±

    His words caused Ma Kong to scoff.

    ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of rabble. Weak-willed cultivators who have lost their minds. Most of them are mortals, while the few who are in the Foundation Establishment Realm are all in the early stage.¡±

    Li Lang cleared his throat, exchanging glances with his companions. While the composition of the enemy¡¯s forces may appear weak to Ma Kong, it was a different story for the trio. They doubted they could handle even one true cultivator without some serious planning or taking some risks.

    ¡°Anyway, we won¡¯t be having any reinforcements yet,¡± Li Lang replied.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Just look around. How much room do you think we have?¡±

    Their battlefield was only the roof of their Skyrunner. It barely had room for the four of them to punch and kick around. Adding more defenders wouldn¡¯t be much help. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right.¡±

    The conversation was cut short as another barrage of attacks headed their way. Li Lang left the specific arrangements of their formation to the experts and focused on driving the Skyrunner.

    It wasn¡¯t an easy task, with all the greenery obscuring his vision. He had to weave around the trees and branches to avoid any collisions. It only got harder with the assailants lurking within. He was completely stumped when he spotted an unnaturally dense wall of trees blocking their path. It stretched far and wide, and no gaps could be seen. The worst part of it was the numerous eyes peering through the tiny gaps.

    ¡°Do you still want me to keep going straight into that?¡± Li Lang asked.

    There was no place for them to sneak through. It was either straight ahead or fly over the tree line. The enemy knew that too, so they were likely prepared to deal with both scenarios.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ma Kong curtly replied.

    Li Lang wasn¡¯t used to hearing the man¡¯s voice so much, but he could only comply. The two from Nightmoon Valley were their most reliable protectors at the moment.

    Steeling their resolve, the group soon charged headfirst into the wall of trees. Before the moment of impact, a bright light shone for a split second and a large circular opening was bored through the trees. The Skyrunner didn¡¯t slow down at all as it smoothly passed through the newly made hole.

    ¡°Good job!¡± Long Yi cried. ¡°That¡¯s quite the Qi art you practice there. I wonder when I¡¯ll be¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish his words, wooden tendrils lashed out from all around them. There were so many that it appeared whoever was behind the attack was determined to bury them in vines.

    The four who weren¡¯t driving were positioned on the four corners of the roof. They wordlessly got to work, unleashing their attacks to repel the tide of plants. One moment, darkness consumed everything they could see, and the next, a bright light shone through it. Zhu Yi and Ma Kong assisted their weaker companions by using one flashy Qi art after the other.

    It allowed them to successfully pass through the hole in the dense treeline, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief. They were now safe, safer than being in the middle of the encirclement¡ªor so they thought.

    Before any of them could react, dozens of saplings burst out from their clothes. It grew quickly, entangling both their bodies and their vehicle. They were caught off guard, which meant they were slow to react. It cost them. Their entire group soon came to a complete standstill, as they were all restrained.

    As they struggled to break free, four figures closed in from different directions. During this struggle, the weakest among them, Wei Ping, was having the toughest time.

    He could barely put up a fight against the roots entangling him. It overpowered him to the point of pulling him off the roof of the vehicle!

    Seeing the urgent situation, Zhu Yi enshrouded them all in her darkness again, but this time, it covered a much larger area. It caused the roots to rapidly weaken and then disintegrate, allowing them all to break through. Without a moment of delay, she masterfully manipulated it to split off and shoot toward the four figures.

    For some reason, the ambushers were undeterred. They each continued walking in a straight line without a care. It allowed the darkness to consume them. However, for the first time of the day, someone had actually managed to survive the shadowy power. In fact, all four of them were completely unharmed!

    ¡°Hmm, too weak! A Qi art designed to deal with multiple targets is too weak to be able to cause me any harm. Perhaps you should try to concentrate your power next time.¡±

    In response, Ma Kong made his move.

    The signature bright light shone, and the next second, the talkative assailant got into a defensive stance with a shield in front of him.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it! That got my heart pumping. Time to have some fun!¡±

    While the man got excited, the two Nightmoon Valley disciples were less than enthused. They shared a glance and solemnly nodded. They were prepared to take things more seriously.

 Chapter 225: Synergistic Techniques

    Li Lang quickly huddled with Long Yi in the center of the Skyrunner. They knew tough enemies had appeared, and the best thing they could do was stay out of their allies¡¯ way.

    ¡°Should we jump down?¡± Long Yi whispered.

    Their vehicle was currently suspended in mid-air by the roots that had suddenly sprouted all over them. Their friend, Wei Ping, had even fallen off to the ground. It made the question easy for Li Lang to answer.

    ¡°Yes, do it.¡±

    The two discreetly moved over to the edge. The four ambushers were still approaching them from four different directions, so it was inevitable that their actions would be noticed, but they didn¡¯t care. Instead, these assailants had their full attention on the two Nightmoon Valley cultivators.

    The two didn¡¯t dawdle and jumped from the roof of the Skyrunner. However, the cultivators around them took that as a signal to strike!

    Two of the four assailants were even devious enough to target Li Lang and Long Yi instead. It made them grit their teeth as they summoned their weapons, ready to defend themselves.

    Their efforts turned out to be needless, as a familiar figure materialized in front of them and dragged them back onto the roof of the Skyrunner. Ma Kong had appeared at lightning speed! Then the darkness came. It consumed everything in the area within a second and continued to expand. It didn¡¯t subside like before, trapping everyone within the lightless domain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Ma Kong¡¯s voice called out to Li Lang and Long Yi. ¡°These four are different. We can¡¯t have you running around or they¡¯ll use you against us.¡±

    He then turned his attention back to his enemies and sliced out the air before him with a knife-hand. The light shone through the darkness with much higher intensity than before. It didn¡¯t subside right away either, and two cries could be heard in the distance.

    ¡°Is this the seniors getting serious?¡± Li Lang pondered. ¡°Their techniques seem to synergize, growing stronger in each other¡¯s presence.¡±

    ¡°Li Lang, is it really the time to be analyzing right now?¡±

    ¡°What else can we do? The seniors will take care of it, but we aren¡¯t allowed to move.¡±

    Another cry rang out from somewhere, causing Li Lang to nod appreciatively as he resumed his analysis.

    ¡°Seems like they really have it under control. I wonder who dared to attack us when two members of Nightmoon Valley were openly standing guard on top of our Skyrunner? Are they truly just demonic cultivators who suffered from cultivation deviation to the point of losing their minds?¡±

    Long Yi shrugged.

    ¡°Senior Ma Kong may have said they were mindless, but that didn¡¯t seem to apply to the four who appeared at the end.¡±

    ¡°Right. So an organized attack on members of the Nightmoon Valley. Let¡¯s hope this doesn¡¯t turn out to be anything big.¡±

    The two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators shared their opinions for a little longer before the darkness that enshrouded them finally faded away. The figures of Zhu Yi and Ma Kong reappeared, along with the four attackers, who were lying motionless on the roof of the Skyrunner. They each had a talisman on their forehead and their limbs were tightly bound together.

    Almost immediately, Li Lang and Long Yi jumped off the vehicle to retrieve their friend. Zhu Yi exchanged a quick glance with her partner, forcing Ma Kong to sigh as he went after them. After all, their mission was to protect them. Specifically, Li Lang, who owned the pocket realm. To carry out this goal, he constantly scanned the surroundings as he descended.

    His searches turned out empty, which was a good thing, but it was also the reason he became so alarmed when he heard Long Yi¡¯s cries.

    ¡°How can this be? Where is he?¡±

    Looking down at the scene, Ma Kong found Li Lang and Long Yi frantically looking around, desperate to catch sight of their comrade. However, there was nothing but shrubbery and trees all around them.

    The panic on their faces started to grow. It didn¡¯t take long before Long Yi ran off in a random direction to begin his search. As for Li Lang, he crouched near the ground, carefully inspecting any clues.

    Ma Kong grunted at this turn of events. He quickly decided to follow after Long Yi, as he knew his partner noticed the situation by now. He was right. Zhu Yi also descended to the ground level soon after.

    ¡°Do you know any divination techniques?¡± Li Lang asked without bothering to turn around.

    ¡°No. Divination techniques are not easy to learn. Even our Nightmoon Valley doesn¡¯t have many who are proficient in them.¡±

    This caused Li Lang to frown. He began to regret not studying this esoteric technique. He had only studied ways to counter it and now it came back to bite him. His emotions blinded him to the fact he had never come across any proper divination techniques to practice or reference in the first place. It was a futile attempt to try to learn something he had so little data on from scratch.

    Zhu Yi silently watched on as the young man continued to desperately search for clues that may have scattered onto the ground. He suddenly plopped himself onto the ground, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes to channel some sort of Qi art.

    After failing to find any clues, Li Lang decided to employ a certain technique they had prepared. The trio had come up with various contingency plans over the years. After their encounter with the demonic cultivator from the Drenched Earth Sect just outside Polarity City¡¯s area of influence, finding a way to stay in touch naturally became a priority.

    Previously, Li Lang failed to use his concealment talisman because their attacker had stolen his space ring. This caused him to split up from his friends as he fought for his life.

    The solution to their problem was simple. They already had the correct tools to address it. It was the Qi art they had won in the auction, the Tracing Origin Art. The trio had placed a mark on each other¡¯s clothes. They would¡¯ve preferred the flesh itself if it was viable, but the technique wouldn¡¯t last nearly as long due to the body¡¯s passive defences against external influences.  Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Still, it was adequate to track each other down. It took some time to attune to something in an unknown direction and not nearby, but Li Lang eventually felt it. A faint mark off in the distance, moving at rapid speeds.

    ¡°Long Yi!¡± he yelled. ¡°Come back!¡±

    His giant of a friend never ventured far. He ensured Wei Ping didn¡¯t roll into a bush somewhere nearby, so he searched around in a circle. He swiftly returned and Li Lang began informing him of what he knew and then turned to Zhu Yi.

    ¡°They¡¯re flying north, deeper into the mountain ranges. We have to go quickly, so can we borrow the strength of a Skyrunner from one of you esteemed seniors? After all, the people who attacked us were deviators, right? We don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    The two Nightmoon Valley members exchanged glances and shrugged.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t interrogated them yet. It¡¯s hard to say, given that these four still retain some clarity of mind. Though it¡¯s not rare for that to happen among people suffering from cultivation deviation, we can¡¯t discount the possibility of another force manipulating from the background.¡±

    ¡°Regardless, we can¡¯t let them kidnap our friend. We have to catch up to them before they do anything to him!¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± Long Yi agreed. ¡°They¡¯re bad demonic cultivators who¡¯ll suck Wei Ping dry to progress their cultivation, right?¡±

    ¡°Only if they notice he¡¯s not a demonic cultivator¡ªwhich isn¡¯t unlikely. They should¡¯ve discovered this secret the moment they made direct contact with him.¡±

    Orthodox Qi and demonic Qi had a unique reaction to each other. As long as one took the time to inspect, it wasn¡¯t hard to confirm which path of cultivation someone belonged to.

    ¡°The only saving grace for your friend is that he is still a mortal,¡± Zhu Yi said with a sigh. ¡°The one who captured him should be the one who had managed to sneak his dreadful seeds onto us, that caused all those vines to sprout. That means the person is in the Foundation Establishment Realm. Even if his technique steals life force from humans, using a mortal won¡¯t benefit his cultivation much. He will likely interrogate him for information or sell him to someone who has uses for him.¡±

    ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s still a race against time. Hurry, Senior. Please summon your Skyrunner.¡±

    Zhu Yi nodded, no longer hesitating at her charge¡¯s desperate plea. A new Skyrunner materialized. One that was larger and had more sophisticated engravings.

    The group didn¡¯t spare any time to appreciate it and quickly boarded it. They retrieved Li Lang¡¯s vehicle before flying off in pursuit of their captured ally.

    They could only hope that wherever they were taking him, they wouldn¡¯t come across anyone they couldn¡¯t handle. Otherwise, by the time they called for reinforcements, it might already be too late.

 Chapter 226: Pursuit

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have forced him to come with us,¡± Li Lang murmured weakly. ¡°He could¡¯ve stayed in the Crucible like he wanted. I forced him into a situation he knew he was unprepared for.¡±

    ¡°Enough with that already!¡± Long Yi bellowed. ¡°It¡¯s not helping. Save your energy for when we arrive.¡±

    Seeing the two young men agitated, Zhu Yi shook her head.

    ¡°Your friend is right. There¡¯s no time for reflection or second-guessing.¡±

    With a dreary mood, the group silently proceeded in the direction of where the Tracing Origin Art indicated Wei Ping was. They all knew what was to come. Being captured by a demonic cultivator who had suffered from cultivation deviation, otherwise known as deviators, could only lead to one outcome. They would have their life force sucked out of them in order to fuel their cultivation.

    The people who captured Wei Ping operated in numbers. Following them meant intruding on their stronghold. It was expected that there would be even more deviators there, and they had to face them if they wanted to rescue Wei Ping.

    With them using Zhu Yi¡¯s Skyrunner, they were making good progress, but they still couldn¡¯t see a shadow of anything. They were reaching deeper into the mountain ranges where Qi beasts reigned. It wasn¡¯t a surprising location, as the wilderness on the border was the perfect spot for deviators to hide. It made it hard for anyone to track them down, and if any sect or organization tried to hunt them down, they could jump between territories to break their pursuit. It also allowed them to be near their favorite sort of prey, orthodox cultivators. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    It wasn¡¯t that demonic cultivators could only use orthodox cultivators to advance their cultivation. Each technique was unique and came with different conditions. However, it was a fact that orthodox cultivators possessed purer Qi, which made it significantly easier and less risky to .

    If they absorbed the life force from other demonic cultivators, the negative effects the victim was suffering from their own cultivation technique could be passed on. It was like how humans preferred livestock that were herbivores. Carnivores faced an additional vector of disease exposure through their diet.

    As they traveled further and further into the mountain ranges, Li Lang composed himself. He began questioning his allies about their past experiences in dealing with these deviator hideouts.

    ¡°What should we do if they continue to flee into the righteous sects¡¯ territories? It¡¯s common for them to do that in order to escape, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that is usually a last resort. They don¡¯t know we can track them down right now. By the time they find out, they won¡¯t have time to evacuate with their captives. It shouldn¡¯t be an issue if our objective is only to rescue people.¡±

    ¡°Do they keep a lot of captives around? I thought they would be the type to immediately consume every drop of Qi out of whoever they captured.¡±

    ¡°The more mindless among them do, but as you saw, these people were organized. Their type usually keeps a stock of around. It¡¯s their primary currency.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it seems like they¡¯ve come to a stop. Their hideout should be just ahead.¡±

    This made everyone alert. Weapons were unsheathed as they prepared physically and mentally for the battle ahead.

    Their Skyrunner soon came to a stop near the base of a mountain. They would approach the rest of the way on foot to remain undetected.

    The four Foundation Establishment cultivators trekked through the thickets of the forest, on guard against any Qi beasts or lookouts. Surprisingly, they didn¡¯t encounter anything. It appeared as if the Qi beasts left these deviators alone.

    Still, that only made it easier for Li Lang¡¯s group. They carefully drew closer to the mountain. They cautiously scanned their surroundings, but all they found were trees and stones. There was nothing like an entrance into the mountain before them. If Li Lang hadn¡¯t picked up Wei Ping¡¯s signal from the Tracing Origin Art, they would¡¯ve moved along already.

    ¡°This place is well hidden,¡± Zhu Yi muttered. ¡°It seems it won¡¯t be possible to take a covert approach.¡±

    ¡°Senior, you plan to attack the mountain directly?¡± Li Lang asked with a frown. ¡°Isn¡¯t that stirring the hornet¡¯s nest? Who knows what kind of experts reside here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better than to wait here for who knows how long. We would¡¯ve never been able to take their captives away without them noticing anyway. The stability of a deviator¡¯s mind is questionable, but it doesn¡¯t mean they are without intelligence. Their stronghold would naturally be well fortified and filled with means to detect intruders.¡±

    Her words made Li Lang speechless. He never directly dealt with any deviators, so he couldn¡¯t refute her claims.

    Seeing he had nothing to say, Zhu Yi and Ma Kong proceeded with their plan.

    ¡°You two stay here and wait for my signal. We will try to keep as many of them occupied as possible. Depending on the situation, I may need you to invade their hideout or retreat from the area.¡±

    The two Nightmoon Valley cultivators went over the signals and then rose up into the air. Their aura began to increase, as they made themselves known to everyone in the vicinity. They followed it up by projecting their voice loudly across the entire area.

    ¡°Come out here, weaklings who have lost their way. We know you¡¯re hiding under this mountain like the scared rats you are. It¡¯s time for you all to pay for your sins.¡±

    No response came, and only the sounds of birds chirping in the distance could be heard. As if having expected this response, Zhu Yi began casting a powerful Qi art.

    A giant orb of darkness quickly formed above her. It was easily a hundred times her size. Once it stopped growing, the darkness began dripping down from it. It was as if the orb was being overfilled with gooey liquids. The darkness latched onto the ground and began to spill toward the mountain.

    The eerie Qi art didn¡¯t produce any noticeable effects, but it expanded its coverage quickly.

    ¡°Still hiding like a turtle? Don¡¯t blame me for what comes next, then!¡±

    When the darkness engulfed a sizable part of the mountain, it suddenly began to simmer. It started off gentle, but rapidly grew more active. Within the span of a breath, the tranquility of the area shattered as the ground erupted into a violent tremor.

    It was only when the earth cracked that several figures appeared. A dozen people, with some riding on giant Qi beasts, came rushing in defense of their hideout. They charged at the two cultivators hovering above, choosing to skip past the talking and dive into the fighting right away.

    Unfortunately for them, their attack was destined to fail. Ma Kong had been on guard this entire time. The newcomers were all in either the early or middle stages, so they weren¡¯t a match for him. He easily kept them at bay while his partner busied herself with channeling the Qi art that shook the mountain.

    ¡°Is that all of you? I remember there being more of you earlier,¡± Zhu Yi yelled.

    The deviators didn¡¯t reply. They only exchanged glances with each other before resuming their attacks.

    Flashes of light filled the skies as the intensity of their fight grew. Li Lang and Long Yi carefully watched every second of it.

    ¡°Are you sure we haven¡¯t missed the signal?¡± Long Yi fretfully asked. ¡°It¡¯s been some time. Maybe we should move to help them? Perhaps they are being pressured too much to even give a signal.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Li Lang firmly declined. ¡°We wait. It¡¯s not like we¡¯d be much help in this situation, anyway. I¡¯m not afraid to admit that we¡¯re too inexperienced. We¡¯d only get in the way.¡±

    ¡°That¡ªif only I had an Earth-grade artifact! Not that I blame you or anything. It¡¯s just¡ª¡±

    ¡°I understand, but it really is my fault. I promised you a Mortal-grade artifact a long time ago, but I haven¡¯t been able to even deliver on that. You had to make one yourself. I¡¯m sure if you were properly equipped, you would be much stronger than you are now.¡±

    The helplessness the two currently experienced wasn¡¯t completely useless, though. They burned every second of their experiences into their heads. The frustration that welled up would eventually be used to further their growth. The spectacle before them would prepare them for their future fights. While the artifacts they saw in action would be used as a reference for their future creations.

    As they watched entire clusters of trees being blown to bits in the wake of powerful Qi arts, the two obtained a better grasp of what cultivators in their realm were capable of.

    After several more rounds of exchanging blows, Zhu Yi finally gave a signal to her two allies lying in wait. When the two of them saw it, they both took in a deep breath. That was because it was the signal for retreat!

 Chapter 227: Kidnapped

    Cold winds battering against his cheeks. That was the feeling that Wei Ping woke up to. However, it was only when he opened his eyes that he began to realize the situation he was in.

    He was being carried on someone¡¯s shoulder, like a sack of potatoes. The dense foliage rapidly passed below him. It only took a few moments for Wei Ping to go through the last things he remembered. He had been caught in some sturdy vines and had fallen off the Skyrunner in his struggle to break free.

    While the fall had hurt, he was still conscious after it. Unfortunately for him, that wasn¡¯t all he had to deal with. A large group of deviators lurked around the nearby trees, and one of them noticed his descent. While they didn¡¯t dare to carelessly approach their targets, as they¡¯d proven their strength, a lone straggler was a different story.

    It didn¡¯t take long for this deviator to notice Wei Ping was still a mortal, and they hastened their actions because of it. To them, he was easy pickings! They threw caution to the wind and whisked the poor man away. The kidnapper wasn¡¯t going to share his spoils with his companions, so he immediately summoned his Skyrunner and escaped from the area.

    ¡°It must be my lucky day,¡± the man muttered. ¡°It appears this practices orthodox techniques! What a pleasant surprise.¡±

    It was these words that had roused Wei Ping. He soon realized he had been captured by a deviator and not a weak one, so he judged it too dangerous to take any arbitrary action. Instead, he faked unconsciousness while focusing on the Tracing Origin Art he implanted on his friends to gauge their location. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    His kidnapper was in the Foundation Establishment Realm, albeit in the early stage, but he still had to play his cards carefully. The best-case scenario was to wait for his companions. Mortals were just too weak in the face of a true cultivator.

    After some time, Wei Ping finally relaxed a little when he noticed his companions had started to head in his direction. It meant they had overcome their ordeal and were now in hot pursuit.

    He calmly waited and waited, but unfortunately, before they could arrive, his captor arrived at his destination. They went into some underground cave and the presence of many other cultivators could be felt. In order not to risk discovery, Wei Ping didn¡¯t even dare to open his eyes.

    He allowed himself to be carried around until he was thrown into a cell. He waited until his captor had left before he dared to scour his surroundings.

    A musty wooden smell hijacked his senses, and it only took one glance for him to know he was placed in a cell. The wooden bars appeared sturdy thanks to its enchantment, blocking his only escape path.

    Beside him were other cells, but they were all empty.

    Just as he was getting comfortable, two sets of footsteps could be heard. He immediately got back on the ground, assuming the same position he had been left in.

    ¡°Is this it? Just one?¡± a soprano-like voice rang out from one of the men.

    ¡°Yuan Kai, I know you¡¯re in desperate need of human feed. Just this one may be enough for you to finally break through. Just because I¡¯ve known your master for so long, I¡¯m willing to transfer him to you for the price of two Earth-grade feeds with a wood affinity.¡±

    ¡°Listen to yourself. You want to trade this meager Mortal-grade feed for two Earth-grade ones? Have you lost your mind?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t haggle. We both know human feed has become increasingly hard to come by in recent times thanks to those sword freaks. You either take the deal or I go find other buyers.¡±

    ¡°That¡ªI¡¯ll have to ask my master first.¡±

    ¡°Ha! I know him well enough to know he won¡¯t mind if you make a decision on such a small transaction like this. If you need more time to think, then I¡¯d rather negotiate with someone more willing.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll let you rob me this one time, but I don¡¯t think we have two Earth-grade feeds with such a specific affinity on hand. I¡¯ll pay you back in a few days. In fact, I should be able to pay you back tomorrow as long as my breakthrough succeeds.¡±

    The man with a soprano-like voice walked toward Wei Ping¡¯s cell with a perverted look on his face. He was literally salivating as he approached his next victim.

    ¡°Leave me one of your artifacts as collateral, then,¡± the other man said as he pulled his customer back.

    ¡°So stingy. Will my Skyrunner do? This way, you can be sure I won¡¯t be escaping, right? Just give me the key already!¡±

    ¡°Here. He¡¯s all yours.¡±

    Wei Ping tensed, struggling with an inner turmoil between the ideas of fighting back or continuing to feign unconsciousness. He knew his allies were on their way, so taking action now may thwart their plans, but he also didn¡¯t want to allow this demonic cultivator to have free rein over his life.

    Eventually, his logical side won, and he remained still as a rockInstead of being directly carried this time, the man took out a sack from somewhere and threw him into it. He then slung the bag over his shoulders and got on his way.

    They didn¡¯t go far. Through the tiny gaps in the sack, Wei Ping was able to make out a few things. A rough layout of this underground settlement and the position of various people they came across, and they weren¡¯t few in numbers.

    His new captor soon arrived at one of the many side tunnels, where a door curtain was used in place of a door.

    Inside, he passed by a messy bedroom and was forced through a small hatch in the ground. Despite only being a level down, the putrid smell of decay was overwhelming. It wasn¡¯t long before he was thrown out of the sack.

    However, his new captor was much more thorough than his predecessor. He patted Wei Ping down for his possessions with well-practiced movements. He smoothly snatched the space ring off Wei Ping¡¯s finger. He then used some sturdy rope to tie up Wei Ping¡¯s limbs together. Once he was satisfied, he brought his new trophy, Wei Ping¡¯s space ring, up for a closer look.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s going to cost a lot to get someone to open this,¡± he grumbled.

    Wei Ping didn¡¯t dare react to this blatant act of thievery or turn his head around to survey his new surroundings. The only thing he saw was the rotten hay lying in front of him. From what he saw, the layout wasn¡¯t all that much different from the dungeon he had just come from, except with worse conditions. One other thing soon stood out to him. He could hear people nearby! Someone was coughing up a storm in one of the nearby cells.

    Whoever his captor was, it appeared he heard it as well, and he wasn¡¯t a fan of it. He charged out of Wei Ping¡¯s cell and yelled loudly at his other captives.

    ¡°I told you people to be quiet. Do you think you get to choose which of my words you get to follow? No! You follow them or you follow them.¡±

    He had sensed his new owner was only in the Energy Gathering Realm, like him, but from their conversations, there was a more powerful master that was lurking around. That was why he obediently allowed the man to restrain him instead of trying to break free.

    Unable to move his limbs freely, Wei Ping carefully rolled his body around to sneak a peek at his new surroundings. There were a few silhouettes in the other cells.

    He turned just in time to witness the man in question enter the cell a few cells down, where a scruffy man lay on his side. His captor proceeded to mercilessly kick the man again and again until he quieted down. He then grabbed hold of his forehead, causing his victim to scream out in agony. After some time, the man went completely limp as streams of blood leaked out from his orifices.

    The man had evidently passed out, or worse!

    The horrific scene matched the stories Wei Ping had heard since childhood about how evil demonic cultivators would suck their victims dry of their cultivation. It made him break out in a cold sweat as he realized he could be the next victim.

    He was confident in being able to resist this Yuan Kai, but not while restrained like this. Even if he could move freely, he knew there was no way he was escaping from all the people he spotted along the way here. The gap between mortals and true cultivators was just too large for him to even consider the possibility of outrunning these demonic brutes.

    Wei Ping thought as he sighed to himself.

 Chapter 228: Core Memory

    Just as Wei Ping was praying for his allies to hurry to his rescue, he quickly shook those thoughts out of his mind.

    Wei Ping had grown up alone from an early age. He was once proud of his independence and resourcefulness, but he had at some point become reliant on his companions! The unwillingness to allow such a travesty to continue reignited his determination. His mind started to race in a different direction. He began brainstorming ways to survive, whether it be by escape or by buying more time. He had to stack the deck in his favor.

    Having just witnessed a man being sucked dry of his life force nearby, all the passive plans were quickly thrown out. He needed to be proactive and do something quickly.

    His captor, Yuan Kai, had returned upstairs after claiming the life of a victim. From the conversation Wei Ping had overheard, he believed he was trying to break past the shackles of mortality, like he had been desperately trying to do. The main difference was that these deviators had no scruples with taking other human lives to fuel their progress.

    That meant he was like a human Foundation Pill to these deviators. Yuan Kai could return at any time to claim another to make another attempt to break through.

    Even knowing his allies were on the way, Wei Ping had a feeling they might not make it in time. There were just too many Foundation Establishment cultivators in this stronghold. No matter how strong their two allies from Nightmoon Valley were, it was hard to defend someone else while fighting a life-and-death battle against overwhelming numbers.

    Wei Ping dejectedly thought.

    This train of thought soon led him back to the wall he had found to be insurmountable in recent times. The wall to the Foundation Establishment realm.

    He believed his chances of survival would exponentially increase if he managed to break through. He wanted to do so right away to stop being a burden. This feeling had grown so strong that Wei Ping would¡¯ve already consumed a Foundation Pill by now if his space ring was still with him.

    His lack of resources made him beat his head against his knuckles as he tried to come up with alternatives.

    ¡°Hey, you,¡± a voice whispered. ¡°There¡¯s no use beating yourself up over the situation. If you make too much of a ruckus, our owner may come and punish us, so please stop.¡±

    Wei Ping glanced over at the source of the voice, a young woman from the adjacent cell. She had a full figure that seemed out of place for a prisoner, and her eyes were glowing bright, like her auburn hair.

    ¡°You¡ªy-you¡¯ve been down here for a l-long time?¡± Wei Ping asked.

    ¡°Huh? Well yeah. For who knows how long.¡±

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t t-this Yuan Kai person, finished you off then? He b-brought us here to act a-as his , right?¡±

    ¡°You can survive as long as you follow the rules. He doesn¡¯t usually consume all of our life force at once. The side effects are too much for him to handle, so he only takes a bit at a time. This allows us to recover, which means he will be able to gain more in the long term, too.¡±

    This allowed Wei Ping to relax a little. It didn¡¯t appear he was in imminent danger. His cellmate continued with her explanation.

    ¡°Unless there¡¯s an urgent situation or you¡¯re an orthodox cultivator. Then he may consume all of our life forces at once to empower him or give him a chance at a breakthrough.¡±

    The caveat returned the tension back into Wei Ping¡¯s body.

    ¡°Um, what c-counts as an urgent situation? Would this p-place being attacked count?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah. This place only has one entrance, so one exit. The last time those righteous people appeared nearby, he immediately took a few of us to help fuel his breakthrough attempt. It seems he wants to impress his master this way. Not that he¡¯s ever succeeded, though.¡±

    Once again, Wei Ping sighed. This meant Yuan Kai would soon go into emergency mode and desperately try to break through when his friends arrived. He knew he practiced orthodox cultivation as well. The double whammy meant the situation looked bleak for him. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°Do y-you know how to get out of h-here?¡± Wei Ping asked, his voice becoming more serious with every word. ¡°Just temporarily is f-fine. I need to retrieve something.¡±

    Before his cellmate could answer, the hatch leading above opened, and the figure of Yuan Kai could be seen climbing down again.

    ¡°Haha, it¡¯s my lucky day to have come across another feed of the orthodox way. That last feed may not have satisfied me, but surely you would!¡±

    Wei Ping¡¯s fear had come true. His new captor turned his fangs to him. He cursed how easy it was for the nature of his cultivation to be revealed. He desperately tried to break free from his restraints so he could put up a fight against his deranged captor.

    However, no matter what he tried, the restraints wouldn¡¯t budge, and Yuan Kai got closer by the second.

    He entered Wei Ping¡¯s cell and reached out a hand to his forehead. Just as he was about to make contact, the entire mountain suddenly trembled! The world stilled as everyone was confused at the sudden incursion.

    Only Wei Ping knew what it signified.

    Soon, Yuan Kai recovered from the sudden shaking and turned his gaze back to Wei Ping. His eyes gleamed with an animalistic shine.

    ¡°Yuan Kai, come up,¡± an old and regal voice resounded from every direction. ¡°Pack away some things to bring with us in case we need to escape before tending to other matters. Remember, we always need to set up an escape plan ahead of time. Otherwise, you¡¯ll come to regret it.¡±

    Whether it was thanks to a stroke of luck or not, Wei Ping exhaled upon seeing his captor disappear back up the hatch. To his surprise, his cellmate resumed their conversation as if that little ordeal he had experienced never happened.

    ¡°To answer your question, these cells are enchanted by our owner¡¯s master. There¡¯s no way out. At least not without them noticing. Just conserve your energy and keep quiet¡ªis what I was going to say, but you¡¯re an orthodox cultivator? For real?¡±

    Wei Ping nodded. The cat was already out of the bag. There was no use fooling some random captive in the adjacent cell.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say you¡¯ll be able to survive much longer, then.¡±

    Despite the negative news, Wei Ping didn¡¯t react. His mind was drawn back to his earlier idea, but even more radical!

    His mind constantly weighed the benefits against the risks. The logical part of his brain had to constantly reprimand its more reckless side by explaining how stupid his thoughts were. The more he tried to convince himself to take the cautious approach, the more he was reminded of how weak he was. He hated that even after becoming a cultivator, he still didn¡¯t have the ability to protect himself. It reminded him how far away he was from his goal. Even with all the help his boss had provided him, he hadn¡¯t made any progress in recent months.

    The more Wei Ping pondered, the more he hated himself. He was desperate for change, to change himself for the better.

    These mixed feelings eventually invoked an old memory of his past. One that he barely remembered.

    On a sunny day in the central plaza of a regular village, several kids could be seen playing around. When kids socialized, both good and bad things could happen. On that day, it was regrettably the latter.

    ¡°Ha ha, Little Ping was the first to be tagged again! What a slowpoke!¡±

    ¡°Hey now, he can¡¯t help it. After all, he¡¯s the child of that Stuttering Peddler. I bet his brain stutters like his dad, so it¡¯s natural his reactions are slow.¡±

    When he was a small child, Wei Ping was as timid as could be. He had hated himself back then as well. There was a huge difference between him and his dad, who could speak his mind despite stuttering. As a result, he idolized him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare badmouth my dad!¡± the young boy screamed as he charged his bullies. He flailed his fists randomly around, but his small stature meant there wasn¡¯t a lot of power behind each blow.

    The two larger kids were easily able to push him back and wrestle him down. In a one-on-two struggle on the ground, the side that prevailed was obvious.

    That day Wei Ping returned home in filthy clothing and with a swollen face. His dad, who greeted him upon his return, said nothing and simply patted him on the head. He then sat Little Wei Ping on his lap as he got a piece of damp cloth and began wiping his son clean.

    ¡°Dad¡ªaren¡¯t you going to ask me what happened?¡± the little boy grumbled.

    ¡°Hmm, do y-you want to talk about i-it?¡±

    The young boy blinked blankly.

    ¡°If you force me to, I would.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. Forcing people t-to speak is one of the most u-useless things one can do. Words a-are just a tool used to communicate. If one i-is unwilling to do that, then forcing them to s-speak is a fruitless endeavor.¡±

    ¡°Words are just tools?¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s right. Just like with all things in life, p-practice makes perfect. You can¡¯t g-give up, okay? It may be scary, but keep practicing until y-you get it right.¡±

    Unbeknownst to Little Wei Ping at that time, this was one of the last conversations he would have with his father. He had even mostly forgotten about it. That was because a much stronger memory had overpowered all other recollections of his past¡ªone in which his father had been murdered.

 Chapter 229: Recklessness

    Wei Ping didn¡¯t lose himself in his memories for long. He was short on time. He had to act soon or else his captor, Yuan Kai, could return at any moment.

    Even if his friends were currently fighting outside, Wei Ping doubted they would be able to fight their way through in time before he had his life force stolen from him.

    ¡°It m-may be scary, but I have to p-press on!¡± He turned to the portly woman in the neighboring cell. ¡°Can you help me get out of these restraints?¡±

    ¡°Hm, roll over here. I¡¯ll loosen them, but you have to remember to place them back on yourself when the owner returns.¡±

    Wei Ping didn¡¯t bother to reply and rolled his body over to the edge of the cell. The woman reached over and helped loosen his bindings, so he could break free himself. Without a word, he rushed back to the center of his cell.

    Purging any hesitation from his mind, Wei Ping got into the lotus position and began executing a technique he had grown quite familiar with. It required him to move from his starting position, going through various stances, causing him to appear as if he was performing some strange dance.

    It caused confusion among all his cellmates, but they¡¯d seen enough people going crazy to bother with it too much. However, that soon all changed. That was because they began to realize what this newcomer was attempting to do.

    Any sane cultivator would have the same reaction. Even Li Lang¡¯s eyes would likely bulge upon seeing the crazy stunt his friend was trying to pull. It wasn¡¯t because he was using the Ascension Technique he devised. That was something he had seen hundreds of times now among all his students. What would have truly surprised him was Wei Ping¡¯s audacity to attempt his breakthrough without consuming a Foundation Pill!

    Few ever dared to do something so crazy. It was simply crazy to do so when a well-proven safeguard, like the Foundation Pills, existed.

    When one tried to break through into the Foundation Establishment Realm, they were taking on a lot of risks. Huge amounts of energy gathered into one spot. The quantities involved were not something Energy Gatherers could ever hope to contain for long. If they slipped up, all the built-up energy would be released at once, causing a violent explosion to take place within their body!

    Foundation Pills were the only tried-and-true method to mitigate this scenario. It allowed the gathered Qi to dissipate at a reasonable rate that wouldn¡¯t harm the user.

    By attempting to break through without consuming the pill, Wei Ping had set off on a path of no return. He would either succeed or die. It was a trial he couldn¡¯t afford to lose. It was as if he chose to climb a towering mountain without any equipment. Any slipups would cost him his life.

    ¡°Are you crazy? I didn¡¯t free you just so you can get us all killed!¡± the portly woman in the adjacent cell cried out in terror.

    While few modern cultivators witnessed the aftermath of a failed breakthrough, they could speculate how terrible the explosions would be. Even with optimistic estimates, they would definitely still be in the epicenter of it all. None of them wanted to die for Wei Ping¡¯s crazed attempt.

    ¡°You said t-these cell doors are enchanted,¡± Wei Ping slowly muttered. ¡°They should be able t-to handle most of the impact if I fail.¡±

    His words evidently didn¡¯t ease any worries, but he couldn¡¯t afford to bother with that anymore. They continued to cry out, trying to convince him to stop his suicidal attempt. He ignored them and refocused on his task at hand, to execute the specific moves of the Ascension Technique that were catered to his constitution.

    He soon felt the familiar feeling of Qi rushing toward one point in his body. The number of spiritual roots he had was on the high end, among grade one aptitude, at fifteen. His meridian channels had four main pathways that converged at his dantian. On paper, his chances were much higher than Li Lang¡¯s, yet he had failed every single attempt so far while Li Lang had succeeded.

    At times, he couldn¡¯t deny he had some doubts. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was really possible for him to succeed. While he knew Li Lang was in an even worse position than him, he always thought his boss had a special quality to him that made him different from regular folks. The lack of success from the other grade one aptitude students only gave more credence to this claim.

    But right now, he didn¡¯t dwell on any of these details. His mind was only filled with the next steps he needed to take in order to complete his breakthrough. In no time, the Qi within his body had reached the critical point where it began to qualitatively change.

    His stomach felt bloated. It only grew worse as time passed.

    Light shone from his dantian, horrifying his cellmates. They all knew it was too late for Wei Ping to stop now. They all ceased their attempts to persuade Wei Ping right away, and the dungeon became deathly silent. Now that it happened, no one wanted to disturb Wei Ping.

    Many of them believed they would get caught up in the explosion if he failed, so they could only do everything in their power to prevent that from happening. Those who feared death silently prayed. There was nothing else they could do.

    The time it took for breaking through varied from person to person. Many took an entire day, while some took the same time one would need to make a cup of tea.

    The only constant was how draining the ordeal was. Wei Ping¡¯s consciousness slowly but surely slipped away.

    Just as Li Lang had theorized after his own breakthrough, Wei Ping eventually fell into a dream-like state. Li Lang had explained it as the response of the human body during dire situations. The surge in stress hormones enhanced brain activity, particularly the areas involved in memory and perception. It allowed one to recall past experiences to evaluate possible actions that could help escape the current predicament.

    However, with the presence of a large amount of Qi, a substance he believed to be highly responsive to one¡¯s will and thoughts, Li Lang believed these dream-like states were a vital part of the breakthrough.

    Unfortunately for him, his own recollection of the event was hazy at best. Like most dreams, one soon forgot about it after waking up. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Rubbing his eyes, Wei Ping found himself riding on a carriage through a forest.

    ¡°Tired? W-Why don¡¯t you lie down in the back?¡± a kind voice called out beside him.

    ¡°If anyone needs to take a break, it¡¯s you, Dad.¡±

    It only took a split second for Wei Ping to remember they were on a trip to a neighboring town to conduct trade. He was happy to accompany his father and help him with his job. However, he had a strong feeling he had forgotten something. As their carriage continued to trek across the forest, he tried his best to remember it.

    He never stopped until their carriage came to a stop due to the fallen tree in the distance blocking the road.

    ¡°What do we do now, Dad? Do we head back?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, no. We c-can still take the longer path that goes around the mountain in the south. I haven¡¯t t-taken it in many years, but it s-should still be usable.¡±

    ¡°An old and secret route? So cool!¡±

    The young Wei Ping suddenly froze up about uttering those words. His father failed to notice it as he busied himself with turning the carriage around, but he would likely fail to notice anything amiss even if he did.

    That was because Wei Ping suddenly remembered everything. This was all a dream. The father sitting beside him should be dead, so he was only a figment of his imagination.

    ¡°We h-have to head back to town! We can come back o-on another day once the road is cleared!¡±

    His sudden outburst surprised his father. His son was not one to usually state his opinion so strongly, but the most surprising part was his stutter. Only he had a speech impediment in the family. His son had never shown signs of it in the past. He also wasn¡¯t the type of person to make fun of him, so he found the entire outburst particularly strange.

    ¡°W-What has gotten into you, son?¡±

    ¡°Just listen to me! Return to town right now!¡±

    Unfortunately, Wei Ping was not in the right state of mind to explain. That was because this was the day he lost his father. Even if he was only reliving that memory, he didn¡¯t want to let it happen again.

 Chapter 230: Settling Doubts

    ¡°I don¡¯t know w-what has gotten into you, but we c-can¡¯t delay our trip,¡± Wei Ping¡¯s father patiently explained. ¡°Like I had taught y-you before, breaking the terms of contracts is a last r-resort. We can¡¯t just give up at the first sight of a-adversity.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Wei Ping caught himself before continuing his words. He wanted to yell that they had to return or he would die, but he knew how stubborn his father was. He couldn¡¯t exactly come out and say he would die if he continued this delivery. He had no proof to back up his words.

    Wei Ping¡¯s mind worked quickly in search of a plan to avoid the ambush. He tested his current capabilities to see if he could invoke any of his cultivation, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t access any of it. He was just a powerless young child. That¡¯s why he focused entirely on avoiding contact with the ambushers. If convincing his dad wouldn¡¯t work, then he had to take concrete action.

    ¡°I really n-need to relieve myself. Can you stop the carriage?¡±

    ¡°Umm, y-yeah. But are y-you sure you¡¯re okay, son?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

 Chapter 231: Introductions

    The world around the mountain range constantly flickered between total darkness and bright flashing lights. It was accentuated by the occasional sound of metal clashing. Li Lang and Long Yi couldn¡¯t afford to look back at the scene of battle as they rushed away.

    They had received the signal to retreat. While every fiber of their being wanted to ignore it and rush into the stronghold of the demonic deviators, they still complied in the end. They knew just because they wanted something didn¡¯t mean they could accomplish it. Being blinded by emotion was one of the easiest paths to downfall in both combat and cultivation.

    They knew their chances were slim without the help of the two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators from Nightmoon Valley, so they had to work with them. These experts decided that they should retreat. The only smart thing to do was follow their lead.

    Having planned out this possibility prior to their arrival, the two young men knew just where to go. They retreated in the same direction they had come.

    Since they were running away, none of the deviators around bothered with them. They were too busy dealing with the two exceptionally powerful intruders.

    The two got away without any incident, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for Zhu Yi and Ma Kong. Their opponents realized their formidable strength and wisely called for backup to abuse their numbers¡¯ advantage. Every second, the pressure they faced grew as more deviators joined the fight. Eventually, dozens of demonic deviators responded to the intrusion and surrounded the two.

    ¡°Ma Kong, this is enough. Let us retreat,¡± Zhu Yi called out.

    ¡°Do you really think we¡¯d let you come and go like this?¡± one of the deviators scoffed. ¡°Especially after you discovered our hideout? Dream on!¡±

    The two didn¡¯t bother replying to their foes and began a fighting retreat.

    No matter how much the deviators wanted, they could only do so much, despite their numbers. The two from Nightmoon Valley were just too strong. They may not be able to overcome the numbers difference, but there was no way to prevent them from leaving.

    The nearby landscape changed as Qi arts were exchanged, and the deviators desperately tried to kill them. If they allowed these two to retreat with information about their hideout, they would be forced to leave and find another place. While that didn¡¯t sound like a big deal, it was undoubtedly a life-threatening ordeal for these deviators.

    The wilderness had plenty of dangers. Qi beasts, cultivators from both the demonic and righteous paths, and even other deviators. Without a place to retreat to, their chances of survival upon any encounters dropped significantly. This was especially so if they had made any enemies.

    Zhu Yi and Ma Kong didn¡¯t care about any of these considerations. They continued to retreat while fighting them off. They eventually neared the rendezvous point, where Li Lang and Long Yi were waiting.

    Instead of regrouping with them, they indiscriminately unleashed their Qi arts all over the place. One such attack happened to land near the spot where the duo was hiding. A wall of darkness impacted the ground beside Li Lang before sinking beneath the earth. In its wake was a small piece of paper.

    Wasting no time to pick it up, Li Lang found a message written on it. It told him to go rescue Wei Ping inside the stronghold and that Ma Kong would follow suit soon. Having both read the message, Li Lang and Long Yi nodded to each other.

    ¡°We likely don¡¯t have much time before those deviators give up on their chase,¡± Li Lang commented. ¡°Make sure you use the Wave Dampening Art to hide your cultivation, so we can surprise them. We¡¯ll take every advantage we can get.¡±

    ¡°I still can¡¯t maintain it for long, but it should be enough until we encounter whoever is still standing guard inside. I¡¯m going to need your help if it¡¯s anyone in the same realm as us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to help, but I don¡¯t know how much I can do.¡±

    After confirming the cultivators chasing after their allies had flown by them, the two raced back toward the hideout.

    During the short trek back, Li Lang thought hard about how he could help in the upcoming fight. They knew the other party must¡¯ve left somebody to defend their base, and Li Lang wasn¡¯t confident in confronting any Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    While he was also in the same realm, he had yet to cultivate any Earth-grade cultivation technique. It was a commitment that he didn¡¯t want to take lightly. Selecting one of these powerful techniques could provide a huge power boost, especially when working with Qi of the respective affinity, but it weakened the mastery one had of other attributes. The last thing he wanted was to regret his decision.

    All this meant Li Lang lacked the same enhancements that other Foundation Establishment cultivators would have. He would have to rely on Long Yi for any upcoming battles.

    The two soon returned to the area where the deviator base was located. They had witnessed them emerging, so they immediately went to investigate the area they had come from.

    They soon found a hole in the ground. It was strangely dark, preventing them from clearly seeing what was below. If they didn¡¯t know better, they would¡¯ve believed it was the burrow of some wild animal or Qi beast.

    Taking a deep breath, the two plunged into the opening. They landed on a stone-tiled clearing. It was completely different from what they expected before jumping down. They thought they would land on cold damp earth, not neatly laid tiles.

    ¡°There is some sort of illusion formation obscuring this place,¡± Li Lang muttered. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t have time to analyze anything,¡± Long Yi rebuked. ¡°There¡¯s a staircase here. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Wait. We¡¯re going to use a talisman now.¡±

    Hearing this, Long Yi didn¡¯t rush down the staircase right away. Li Lang came up to him, placed a hand on his shoulder, and took out a talisman from the space ring. The talisman quickly disintegrated, but its effects were immediate. Their figures quickly disappeared from view.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time they used such a talisman. It was their trump card that allowed them to escape from dangerous foes, the Concealment Talisman! This time, they used it offensively instead of defensively. Its duration was short, but its ability to remain concealed was top-class. They didn¡¯t dawdle and sprinted down the staircase.

    They previously weren¡¯t sure when to use this trump card of theirs, but upon noticing the illusionary formation that protected the stronghold, Li Lang decided to use it right away. He hadn¡¯t had the chance to study formations yet, but he knew they were capable of doing many things. He would be a fool to believe these deviators wouldn¡¯t include a detection function in the formation that protected their residence.

    Just as he suspected, two sets of footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs as they descended. They carefully maneuvered around them and continued their way down. They soon arrived at the bottom of the stairs, where a small camp could be seen nearby. One man sat there by a fire, occasionally stealing glances at the staircase.

    The two intruders didn¡¯t have time for any sightseeing and treaded past this checkpoint as fast as they could. With the Tracing Origin Art as their compass, they made their way deeper into the tunnels.

    The entire place was like a maze. Numerous side tunnels split off to their sides. Many of them had drapes covering the entrance, but the place was eerily quiet for its size. Evidently, a majority of its occupants had gone outside to chase after Zhu Yi or were hunkered down in the chambers at the end of these side tunnels. Either way, it worked out for the two intruders as the duration of their Concealment Talisman quickly ran out. No one was there to see them appear out of thin air.

    Racing down the main corridor, they eventually came to a stop when Tracing Origin Art pointed them down one of the side tunnels. Just as they pushed past the cover at the entrance, a voice suddenly called out to them from behind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met before. I am Xie Zhi. Do you care to introduce yourselves?¡±

 Chapter 232: Unaware

    Li Lang and Long Yi both snapped around upon hearing someone calling out to them. They were both caught off guard by the sudden newcomer, but they didn¡¯t panic. They had accounted for such situations.

    Cultivators had many tricks up their sleeves. It wasn¡¯t unusual that they possessed some technique that could avoid detection, as their Concealment Talisman did.

    They were thankful that this new person before them didn¡¯t ambush them with the initiative he had. It could¡¯ve gone a lot worse, but they were still on guard.

    ¡°Now, now, boys. You should realize we¡¯re currently busy with something, so I¡¯d like to resolve this swiftly. I understand you may want to escape during this chaos, but do realize that just isn¡¯t possible for mortals like you. You should quietly return to wherever you came from and I won¡¯t tell your owners about this.¡±

    Li Lang and Long Yi exchanged glances, as they were both unsure how to respond. They had anticipated many situations, but not one like this. Whoever this deviator was, he obviously believed they were escaped captives!

    It was likely due to both of them concealing their cultivation with the Wave Dampening Art. They had done so in order to catch enemies off guard with a sudden outburst of strength. They hadn¡¯t expected the defenders to mix up intruders with their captives instead.

    As much as Li Lang wanted to perfectly respond to the new situation, they didn¡¯t have the time to deliberate. He nodded at Long Yi to get him to follow his lead and raised both hands up to surrender.

    ¡°We get it, sir. We don¡¯t dare to escape. We were only going to confirm if our friend is here, but we¡¯ll return as you say,¡± Li Lang said in a frightful voice.

    They submissively walked back out to the main corridor, like children caught in the middle of mischief. Just as they passed by the parent who had caught them red-handed, they abruptly struck out at the same time!

    Weapons materialized from thin air, as they pincered the deviator from two sides. However, to their horror, their sneak attack was completely ineffective. Worse, their enemy had roots sprouting from their hands that entangled their arms. In an instant, they went from taking the initiative to being subdued.

    The two orthodox cultivators realized their perilous situation at the same time, and each responded in their own way. The only thing they had in common was that they didn¡¯t hold back.

    Li Lang unleashed his Primordial Star Fire at full strength, burning the vines at the maximum output he could sustain.

    Long Yi crumbled the earthen layer of armor he had donned and shot the resulting pieces of earth in every direction. Expelling the armor created enough space for his arm to slip out of the vines while using the residue part of his defensive technique as a powerful means of attack.

    Xie Zhi, the deviator who was completely carefree until now, opened his eyes wide at the sudden development. He never expected the two seemingly harmless mortals to lash out with such ferocity all of a sudden. Things became worse when he realized one of these men, who he had allowed to come so close to him, controlled a heavenly fire!

    As a cultivator who specialized in the wood element, he naturally was aware of one of the greatest nemeses for wood cultivators like him. Fire cultivators were the bane of many of his techniques, so his panic was understandable when he sensed the aura at the Foundation Establishment level coming from the owner of the heavenly flame.

    There was no way for him to know that Li Lang had only recently broken through. Not only that, he had yet to select a proper Earth-grade cultivation technique to practice. That would normally mean he was flexible with the attributes of his Qi arts, but it would also be significantly weaker than what Xie Zhi would expect. The disparity was great enough to overcome the natural attribute advantage that fire had over wood.

    However, the miraculous existence of heavenly fires leveled this playing field. It allowed Li Lang¡¯s flames to eat away at the wooden vines, but it wasn¡¯t as rapid as Xie Zhi had feared.

    Still, Xie Zhi couldn¡¯t relax. Li Lang wasn¡¯t the only one he had to worry about. A split second after freeing himself from the bindings, Long Yi also unleashed the strongest attack he had in his arsenal.

    At such a close range, the Terra Moon Slash Long Yi let loose could be more accurately described as Terra Moon Thrust. Thrusting out with his Mortal-grade broadsword, the attack was further reinforced by the secondary force of a sharp spear of stone bursting out from the tip of his green blade. It punctured through the hasty roots Xie Zhi summoned to defend himself.

    Being the most combat-oriented of Li Lang¡¯s companions and wielding an artifact, blood was drawn at the scene, but both parties opted to create some distance from each other at the same time. One party was injured, while the other was cautious. Oftentimes, those who were cornered were the most dangerous.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste,¡± Long Yi whispered to his companion. ¡°You go on ahead!¡±

    Li Lang frowned, but quickly accepted his offer. He knew he had only been able to contribute because he was allowed to close the distance. If that wasn¡¯t the case, he currently didn¡¯t possess the ability to deliver his flames to his foes from range. He would rather not become a burden, so he decisively ran down the side tunnel toward where Wei Ping should be.

    With him gone, the two remaining men stared at each other without a word. They took a few steps and circled each other, but didn¡¯t engage. Whether they knew it or not, they were both trying to buy time. Neither wanted to take any risks, so a stalemate quickly formed.

    After having broken through his cultivation and the cage that imprisoned him, Wei Ping stood contemplatively, staring at his hand. Beside him was a small group of prisoners he had freed. They were all waiting quietly below the hatch that led to their freedom.

    None of them dared to make a noise as they strained their ears for any sounds coming from above. They had all heard their , Yuan Kai, being commanded by his master to prepare their belongings so they could escape at any time. That meant it was likely he would return after completing this task. It was also likely that he was just upstairs, so they waited.

    ¡°Do any of y-you know where his master¡¯s place of residence is?¡± Wei Ping asked in a hushed voice.

    They all shook their heads, except for the portly woman who was Wei Ping¡¯s ex-neighbor.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be nearby if that¡¯s what you¡¯re getting at. Every time he says he¡¯s going to visit his master, he takes quite a long time.¡±

    Hearing this, Wei Ping climbed up against the hatch and pushed his ear against it. He carefully listened for any sound or vibrations from people moving around. He noticed neither, so he proceeded to open the hatch.

    It caused his companions to scurry away, but he didn¡¯t care. He knew time was of the essence. He felt his rescuers were nearby, so it was now or never. While he didn¡¯t have complete control of his new powers, he was confident he could defeat a mortal like Yuan Kai. His only worry was Yuan Kai¡¯s master.

    Climbing through the hatch, he found the bedroom he had previously passed by in disarray, with clothes scattered about. No one was in sight, so he quickly called up his compatriots. The group wasted no time and began escaping from this hell hole. They arrived in the main corridor and found the place eerily quiet.

    ¡°They m-must be fighting outside. We should hide somewhere and p-prepare to strike when their enemy fights their way here.¡±

    ¡°What if no one comes? There are dozens of cultivators living here who are in the Foundation Establishment Realm, like you. Who¡¯s to say they¡¯re willing or capable enough to reach this place?¡±

    ¡°They will,¡± Wei Ping resolutely stated. ¡°I can sense them drawing near.¡±

    The group marked that up to the powers of the Foundation Establishment Realm. They were all mortals that Yuan Kai had collected in order to challenge his bottleneck. They treated Wei Ping as their leader and began finding a suitable hiding spot.

    There were dozens of side tunnels to choose from, but before they could pick one, the sound of something approaching startled them. They quickly funneled into one of the nearby passages, but their movements were too sloppy. The newcomer easily spotted them before they could all hide from sight. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    A furious bellow followed as the newcomer rushed down the main corridor.

    ¡°Move q-quickly! We can¡¯t afford to fight near the m-main corridor lest we want more of them to come.¡±

    Wei Ping didn¡¯t forget to circulate the Wave Dampening Technique as they retreated. Despite having been stuck in the mortal realm, he hadn¡¯t neglected to practice the technique they had made their students learn. While he could be weaker, he couldn¡¯t excuse himself for not being knowledgeable enough to guide his pupils.

    Like that, Yuan Kai relentlessly chased after them, completely unaware of what fate had in store for him.

 Chapter 233: Carried Away

    Li Lang rushed down the dark passageway, heading exactly where his Tracing Origin Art directed him. The depth of the tunnel made him anxious, as the possibility of this being the wrong path was not zero. There could have been other routes that snaked around to where he needed to go, while the one he was on led to a dead end.

    If that was the case, he would have to backtrack and come across the hostile deviator Long Yi was holding off again.

    Thankfully, he soon heard a noise coming from up ahead. Then, some lights could be spotted. He could tell Wei Ping was just around the corner, so he fearlessly charged straight into the chamber before him.

    He had both his spear and silver needles out, prepared for a fight. Long Yi had entrusted the task of rescuing Wei Ping to him, so he had to live up to his expectations. He only prayed that whatever he encountered, it was someone he could handle.

    Determined to face a powerful foe, Li Lang was completely caught off-guard by what he saw as he neared the end of the corridor. Instead of his companion being held in a cage or bonded with chains, a group of poorly dressed people were rummaging through cabinets and sacks inside the chamber.

    This group noticed him as well, staring at him warily. The stunning scene only became more confusing when he spotted his target of rescue, Wei Ping, amidst them. He was standing over an unconscious man, tying up his limbs. If Li Lang didn¡¯t know any better, he would¡¯ve believed a group of bandits were ransacking the place after restraining the guard.

    ¡°Wei Ping? What¡¯s going on here? I thought you were captured, not raiding this place¡­¡±

    ¡°Um, we w-were just trying to deal with this g-guy here.¡± Wei Ping pointed at the unconscious man lying on the ground. ¡°We just h-happened to come across this storeroom of theirs and g-got carried away.¡±

    ¡°Carried away?¡±

    Seeing Li Lang¡¯s judging gaze, Wei Ping quickly and succinctly explained what had transpired. However, his explanation only got him reprimanded when Li Lang learned that he had forgotten to fight their way out once he sensed they were closing in. They were supposed to pressure their foes from both the outside and inside, but they got distracted by the treasures before them.

    ¡°I have a thing or two to say, but I¡¯ll save that for later. Here, hurry up and get your new friends into the Crucible. It¡¯s the only safe way to get them out of here. In fact, you should go inside as well. I¡¯ll take it from here.¡±

    Li Lang unfolded his Spirit-grade artifact, allowing it to expand to the height of an adult. He then turned toward the pile of treasure in the room, leaving everything else to Wei Ping. It caused the man in question to grin awkwardly, upon seeing Li Lang getting just as distracted by the loot as he did.

    The storage room they chanced upon didn¡¯t contain the most valuable items they had ever seen, but it was well-stocked with various low-level pills and cultivation manuals. It wasn¡¯t surprising, considering the existence of space rings. The most precious valuables would be stored near their owners.

    It appeared the storage room only contained the less valuable items meant for training up the younger generation and for the bulky miscellaneous items these deviators collected. With their constant raiding of both the Luminescent Domain and the territory of various righteous sects, they had a rich collection of trinkets and the like.

    ¡°B-Boss, they¡¯re all in the Crucible. You can stow it away now,¡± Wei Ping called out to the busy Li Lang.

    He was skimming through the cultivation manual, but when he heard his companion¡¯s words, he quickly folded the book away and stowed it in his space ring.

    ¡°What about you? Head inside already.¡±

    ¡°Boss, look. I c-can defend myself now.¡±

    Wei Ping stopped suppressing his cultivation, allowing the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator to freely emanate.

    ¡°This¡ªyou¡¯ve broken through? What in the world? Are you sure you didn¡¯t come to this place just to gain inspiration to get past your bottleneck? That¡¯s no good. It¡¯s reckless and put us all in danger.¡±

    ¡°No, no, boss. I r-really did get captured.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, really?¡±

    While he cast a doubtful look at the man wearing the wooden mask, Li Lang retrieved his artifact and began using it as a space ring. There was no need to inspect what it was. He simply threw everything that seemed slightly valuable into his Spirit-grade artifact. He only paused when he arrived at the shelf with miscellaneous trinkets because he didn¡¯t know if they were worth taking. The last thing he wanted was some cursed or dangerous item.

    He picked up a large piece of crystal of some sort and carefully examined it. Then he moved on to a bucket-sized jade token with the word ¡®Sun¡¯ inscribed onto it. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t make out what the items did or how dangerous they were.

    Just as he was about to reach out to continue his inspection, the sound of metal clashing rang out in the distance. It was only then he was reminded that Long Yi and likely the two seniors from Nightmoon Valley were still fighting outside. He decided to delay making any judgment and just toss everything into the pocket realm. He just needed to tell the artifact spirits to keep them somewhere safe, away from his curious students.

    He believed he could then find someone more knowledgeable about these trinkets after they got out of there to determine their worth and danger level.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go. There¡¯s no time to waste. Our companions are fighting outside to buy us time!¡±

    ¡°B-boss¡ª¡±

    Wei Ping wanted to retort and tell him he was the one to waste time, but couldn¡¯t go through with it. It would only waste more time arguing, so he swallowed his words.

    The reunited duo made their way back toward the main corridor to reinforce Long Yi. On their way, Li Lang shared the latest information he had of their situation. The sound of fighting grew louder the further the two traveled.

    They soon arrived back at the main tunnel. They glanced around for traces of Long Yi. The sound of fighting was coming from one of the nearby corridors, so they listened carefully.  sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    The sound grew louder and then a figure was sent flying toward them. It narrowly missed them, colliding with the wall behind. A cloud of dust was kicked up as parts of the wall crumbled. As the dust settled, another two figures emerged from the same side tunnel while the figure, who had been sent flying, regained their footing.

    ¡°Long Yi? Are you okay?¡± Li Lang cried out upon recognizing his friend. He quickly realized it was his companion who was on the losing end of the exchange. It made him snap his gaze toward the two nearby threats. ¡°Stay close. We can¡¯t afford to get isolated.¡±

    Wei Ping nodded while Long Yi strode over to them. The three readied their weapons, prepared to fight their way out of this lair of demonic evil-doers.

    ¡°Ha, I thought things were getting a little too rowdy, so it turns out there is more than one intruder,¡± a middle-aged man said with a chuckle as he sauntered toward the trio.

    ¡°Senior Yuan Tao, that kid with the mask is one of the feed I sold to your nephew! Tell us, what have you done to Yuan Kai?¡± the other man shouted at the trio.

    It only took a split second for Li Lang to realize they were talking about the person who Wei Ping had beaten up. He was easily subdued, as he was just a mortal. A plan quickly formulated within Li Lang¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Oh, that guy. He¡¯s hurt pretty bad down in that cave over there. I¡¯d hurry to his side if I were you. Otherwise, he may not be able to survive for long.¡±

    ¡°Youngsters these days,¡± Yuan Tao muttered with much amusement. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can get your way through threats. People like us are most unafraid of threats!¡±

    The older man then lunged straight at the trio. It caused Long Yi to form an earthen wall, but it abruptly shattered. Roots sprouted out from within it, breaking it apart. It allowed the middle-aged man to close the distance.

    In response, Li Lang summoned his flames and sent them on an interception course, but just as it was about to make contact, a torrent of water enveloped Yuan Tao. It shielded the man from both the fire and the following wind strikes Wei Ping unleashed.

    The scene caused the trio to grimace. They realized they were at a disadvantage from that short exchange despite outnumbering them.

    The new enemy they encountered turned out to be at the very peak of early-stage Foundation Establishment. He was very close to breaking through to the next stage, but that wasn¡¯t all.

    Yuan Tao and Xie Zhi were experts who specialized in the water element and wood element, respectively. Water beat Li Lang¡¯s fire while wood countered the earth element. On the other hand, fire could also beat wood, while earth contained water, so there wasn¡¯t an attribute disparity at first glance.

    However, Li Lang¡¯s strength was too weak to take into the equation. He didn¡¯t practice any specialized Earth-grade techniques yet, and the same could be said about Wei Ping. The wind element techniques he often showcased were even more underpowered than Li Lang¡¯s flames.

    The trio could only rely on Long Yi, while the other two could only play a supporting role.

    ¡°Haha, you three really are too young. Your immaturity shows in your skills. I advise you to give up. I¡¯m merciful enough to give you a quick death. You¡¯ll be more useful if you become my sustenance!¡±

    The trio ignored the middle-aged man¡¯s provocations and talked amongst themselves.

    ¡°Should we for our backup?¡± Long Yi asked.

    ¡°Hmm, Senior Ma Kong doesn¡¯t seem to be here yet. We may just have to.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Xie Zhi, the young man who had captured Wei Ping, yelled. ¡°It¡¯s useless to bluff now. This is the heart of our base. If anything, our reinforcements are more likely to be the ones showing up first. Prepare for your deaths, mongrels!¡±

    The hot-headed man charged forth, brimming with confidence as he had a powerful helper behind him. This was a decision that he would soon come to regret.

    Several lights shot out from Li Lang¡¯s chest, marking the beginning of a new phase of the fight.

 Chapter 234: Numerically Superior

    ¡°This¡­¡± Xie Zhi and Yuan Tao were at a loss for words.

    Facing three opponents may have posed a challenge to them, but it was one they believed they could still handle. The two could tell the intruders were inexperienced, and they knew how to exploit that to their advantage. They had them figuratively against the wall, so they disregarded their bluffs about reinforcements.

    However, they never expected to be proven wrong within the next moment. They really did have backup, and they arrived immediately as well. Just as Xie Zhi taunted his foes about how his fellow deviators were more likely to arrive first, half a dozen figures suddenly appeared and surrounded him.

    The fight quickly turned into a nine-on-two. From their aura, they could tell none of them were mortals. No matter how inexperienced they may be, against such odds, the chances of victory were slim for the deviators. Both parties knew that.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance to surrender,¡± Li Lang offered. ¡°We¡¯re not here to take your lives.¡±

    It was a fact that they were in the heart of a deviator base, but they were only here to rescue Wei Ping. Wasting time fighting would only endanger them needlessly.

    Li Lang and his students slowly tightened their encirclement as they waited for a reply. Contrary to what they expected, the two men didn¡¯t say yes or no. The older gentlemen stayed stoic, but the younger Xie Zhi burst out laughing maniacally.

    ¡° offering a chance to surrender? Hahaha.¡±

    Xie Zhi covered his face with both hands as he tried to contain his laughter.

    Li Lang¡¯s group exchanged glances and was just about to take action when the ground suddenly trembled. Thick roots shot out from the ground, splitting the earth apart. There were dozens of them, each as thick as a human adult.

    The wooden tendrils shot out in all directions, causing the inexperienced group of cultivations to hastily cast their Qi arts in defense. Unlike Li Lang and Wei Ping, their students had selected and practiced an Earth-grade technique.

    Various techniques of different attributes were unleashed. The presence of so many Qi arts combined with the confined space resulted in a chaotic scene. The powerful moves ricocheted around when they collided, causing multiple techniques to crash into each other. It was plain to see that Li Lang¡¯s group wasn¡¯t used to cooperating.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped. Li Lang was focused on research regarding cultivation and Qi arts. They neglected individual combat, not to mention group combat. They were incomparable to sects and organizations who spent a lot of effort training team play and practicing a unified set of techniques that complemented each other.

    All this gave some reprieve to the deviators. It allowed the two an opportunity to slip away. However, it wasn¡¯t to escape, but to reposition themselves near the entrance of a side tunnel, where they could funnel their enemies toward them.

    They did this quickly and immediately counterattacked when they got into place.

    Yuan Tao charged forward while Xie Zhi stayed back and took out a pouch. He was just about to scatter its contents around when a large figure suddenly loomed over him.

    He sensed it immediately and dove forward to get out of the way. A split second later, pieces of debris flew everywhere from behind him. He turned around to find Long Yi, recovering his sword from a small crater on the ground.

    Before he could make another move, more attacks came from the opposite direction, where Li Lang and his students were. They had the leeway to not only deal with Yuan Tao but also target him!

    If Xie Zhi was a normal person, he would¡¯ve uttered curses at the unfortunate situation he found himself in. However, deviators were known to have a few screws loose. Xie Zhi widened his smile at the prospect of life-threatening danger.

    Half of a dozen attacks landed at the same time. It kicked up a storm, obscuring visibility within the tunnels.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let up! Keep attacking!¡± Long Yi roared.

    Li Lang and the students obliged, and each shot out more attacks before the dust settled.

    The nine cultivators continuously cast powerful moves, one after the other. The sound of impact rang out without stopping. It was a testament to the large reserves of Qi cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm had. It was at least a few orders of magnitude more than Energy Gatherers.

    ¡°Long Yi!¡± Li Lang cried. ¡°That should be enough. Let¡¯s get out of here while we still can!¡±

    With some hesitation, Long Yi agreed. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°You guys, it¡¯s time to return!¡±

    At his beckoning, his students promptly followed the sound of his voice and gathered. Li Lang then summoned a man-sized Crucible again. Just as his students were about to enter, dozens of tiny needles shot out from the opposite direction of the smoke. To be precise, they were needles made of water. Their thinness made it hard to spot and their speed allowed it to strike Li Lang¡¯s group before they could respond.

    Thankfully, Long Yi reacted quickly. He slashed down his sword, casting his Terra Moon Slash toward the approaching cultivator. It prevented the newcomer from attacking again. Using this opening, Li Lang ushered all his students before retrieving his Spirit-grade artifact.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ve overstayed our welcome. They¡¯ve either got backup coming or one of them who had been hiding in their room had decided to show up. We have to leave before even more decide to join.¡±

    Their students had gotten hurt. Li Lang and Wei Ping did as well, but none of the injuries were serious. It could be solved within a few minutes by consuming a Recovery Pill. Still, it wasn¡¯t a good idea to fight the newcomer as well.

    Just the short encounter had already revealed a plethora of their weaknesses. They had poor teamwork, poor combat experience, and lacked a breadth of techniques to deal with various situations, like when visibility was poor. Now, several students were injured.

    What seemed to be an assured victory on paper turned out to be a tough encounter. While they could replicate their victory against this new deviator, they couldn¡¯t discount the possibility of more reinforcements coming. It was time for them to make their escape.

    With their students now safely returned to the pocket realm, the tunnel became a lot less crowded. It gave the trio more room to maneuver, which was vital for them to slip away.

    Just as they steeled themselves to get past this new enemy of theirs, a bright light appeared in the distance. Within the next second, a huge hole had opened up in the chest of their foe. He tilted his head to inspect his wound, only to fall down face first into the ground.

    ¡°This way!¡± a familiar voice shouted.

    Having seen the display of power, the trio already knew who it was. It wasn¡¯t the first time the Nightmoon Valley disciple, Ma Kong, had showcased his deadly Qi art. It was almost invincible at their current cultivation level. Perhaps the only shortcoming that could be observed was its lack of coverage, unable to target multiple foes at once.

    The trio ran down the main corridor of the underground stronghold, straight toward the figure of their ally. A sense of safety spread among them as they spotted the reliable late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    From what they saw, Ma Kong and Zhu Yi were some of the most powerful people in the Foundation Establishment Realm. One specialized in single target attacks while the other in area of effect. They complimented each other so well that they literally took on an army of deviators of the same rank by themselves.

    This sense of comfort made their astonishment all the greater when their supposed ally shone with light once more while staring straight at them. It was the precursor to his deadly Qi art. It caused the trio to stiffen as they came into the crosshair of such a powerful technique. There was nothing they could do. They could only stare, like a deer caught in the headlights.

    Ma Kong finished casting his Qi art quickly, leaving the trio wondering who the target was. They inspected their own bodies for wounds before turning to each other.

    ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up!¡± Ma Kong shouted.

    It was only then that the trio realized the target of his attack wasn¡¯t one of them. Looking behind them, they found the two deviators they had been fighting, Xie Zhi and Yuan Tao, leaking out fresh blood while they remained motionless on the ground.

 Chapter 235: Brewing Storm

    Li Lang¡¯s group, led by Ma Kong, quickly evacuated from the deviator stronghold. They followed the lead of their strongest ally without hesitation during these critical moments.

    ¡°If we¡¯re in such a hurry, does that mean Senior Zhu is in trouble outside?¡± Li Lang asked as they climbed out of the hole that connected the underground base to the outside world.

    ¡°No. She¡¯s fine for now, but she can only last for so long.¡±

    With a few words, Ma Kong explained the situation they were in prior to coming to get them. The two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were in a stalemate with dozens of deviators. When a stalemate occurred between two parties with such stark contrast in numbers, the side with superior quantity usually had the advantage. That was because they could cover for each other while their allies rested or consumed pills.

    A lone powerful cultivator would never win a war of attrition against a large group that was capable of containing them.

    For that reason, Ma Kong hurried them along, rushing away from the area on his Skyrunner. Once they made some distance, he took out a jade of some sort and crushed it. Not long after, a lone Skyrunner rendezvoused with them mid-flight. It was naturally Zhu Yi returning.

    ¡°It seems your side has been successful. Good.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you two Seniors,¡± Li Lang politely replied as he clasped his fist to them.

    Zhu Yi smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad nothing irreversible happened, and you had the opportunity to experience real combat against human cultivators as well.¡±

    ¡°Your meaning is¡ªyou purposefully orchestrated a plan where we would fight them? I¡¯m sorry Senior, but wasn¡¯t that too risky when we couldn¡¯t confirm the safety of Wei Ping at the time?¡±

    ¡°A cultivator should be no stranger to risk. The plan we came up with was also one with the highest chance of success. We didn¡¯t go out of our way to select it, only to give you experience. It just happens to work out nicely.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Li Lang nodded to himself as he calmed down and thought it through. ¡°Sorry for questioning you like that.¡±

    ¡°No need to apologize. We know what it is like to be young. Isn¡¯t that right, Ma Kong?¡±

    Looking over at the stoic man, his expression remained unchanging. He glared at Li Lang wordlessly.

    ¡°B-Boss, shouldn¡¯t we check on the injured?¡± Wei Ping called out, trying to defuse the awkward silence.

    ¡°Right. If you¡¯ll excuse me, Seniors.¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°Go ahead. We¡¯ll take care of driving the Skyrunner for the rest of the day. We should be able to make it to a town before night falls.¡±

    Heading inside the Skyrunner with his companions, Li Lang quickly summoned the Crucible and enlarged it so they could enter. The three went in together and found themselves in the main lobby, where there were dozens of thick red pillars.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to locate their students. They were in the clearing in front of the private room area, sitting around. All the ones who had stepped past the Energy Gathering Realm were meditating with serious expressions on their face. That was why the younger disciples in the mortal realm noticed the arrival of their teachers first.

    ¡°Teachers, we gave those people you rescued their own rooms. They¡¯re resting now. Do you want us to get them?¡±

    ¡°Teacher Wei is back! I was sure you guys would be able to punish those evil cultivators!¡±

    ¡°Teachers, all the seniors came back injured with gloomy expressions, so we were worried about you!¡±

    Seeing the excitement in his students, Li Lang felt a restless part of him calming down. It finally sunk in that the rescue mission was a success. He was no longer taut like a string, and Wei Ping was safe.

    However, his moment of relief was brief. Several new things quickly came to mind as soon as he relaxed. Their group had many shortcomings. There was a lot to do before they could truly stand independently with their meager strength.

    His mind was focused on the upcoming event taking place on Sword Saint Isle. It was an opportunity to remedy all these weaknesses they had. Having exchanges with other cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm would allow him to learn a lot. It was only with enough knowledge that he could start coming up with proper methods to strengthen themselves.

    A cultivator¡¯s time was limited. They had to curate their arsenal of techniques carefully, as they couldn¡¯t afford to split their attention too wide.

    ***

    Back in the deviator stronghold, deep within the mountain ranges where neither demonic cultivators nor orthodox sects laid claim, a large gathering of cultivators was in the middle of fierce discussions.

    ¡°You imbeciles! We left you behind as guards and you somehow allowed intruders to invade deep into our home?¡± a man bellowed.

    ¡°Dong Guang and his group were standing guard at the entrance. That is usually enough. How would I know that they would fail at simple guard duty so easily?¡± Yuan Tao retorted. ¡°And before you continue to yell at us, don¡¯t forget your group failed to catch the invaders as well, Xi Jin!¡±

    Moments ago, Yuan Tao had been found with his life hanging by a thread, but he swiftly recovered after ingesting some high-quality pills. Anyone who saw him now would¡¯ve never suspected that he had been so severely injured that he was only a step away from death just moments ago.

    ¡°No need to be so hasty in deflecting responsibility! You may be weak, being defeated so easily, but at least you still put up a fight. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the lot behind you. They are either cowards or stupid imbeciles who can¡¯t even step away from their hobby of torturing their feed for a few moments! Did you know you people cost Master Min his entire collection? You¡¯re all going to have to explain yourselves to him when he returns.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    A commotion quickly spread among the crowd of deviators. It was the first they had heard of this for many of them. Only a few of them bothered to investigate the entire base after the invasion. Most of them were too tired after fighting with a formidable foe to care or were already holed up in their rooms in the first place.

    However, before the commotion could get out of control, one of the lookouts outside came rushing.

    ¡°Report. Our guests from afar are finally here!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, welcome them in. We can¡¯t afford to offend them at all. It¡¯s unfortunate, though. If they weren¡¯t late, they would¡¯ve been here when this mess happened. These invaders never would¡¯ve survived if that were the case.¡±

    The news about the guests calmed everyone in an instant. They all adjusted their clothing, trying to make themselves as presentable as possible as they awaited their arrival.

    A few moments later, a small group started filing into the main corridor of their base. They consisted mostly of young men and women, except for the one leading them.

    She was an old woman with wrinkles all over her, but stood straight as an arrow. The most eye-catching thing about her was several coffins floating around her. Combined with her formidable aura, her presence sent chills to all who laid eyes on her.

    Their entrance silenced the entire venue as no one dared to speak in the presence of such a powerful expert without their permission. They even breathed lightly in fear of making a noise that drew that wrong type of attention to themselves.

    The old woman went around to each deviator present and carefully regarded their face before moving on to the next. This made her victims even more nervous than they already were.

    Thankfully, there were more level-headed people within this group. A young man stepped forward toward the interim leader of this stronghold and clasped his fist.

    ¡°Greetings. We hope you¡¯re all doing well. Please do forgive our teacher¡¯s antics. We¡¯ll be out of your way tomorrow morning, so I hope you won¡¯t mind too much.¡±

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s fine,¡± Xi Jin said. ¡°It¡¯s important for people like us to assist each other or else we¡¯ll be letting those arrogant brutes outside win.¡±

    Deviators who could still retain their cognitive functions formed groups. These groups had a tacit arrangement with each other to provide shelter for each other, so they could weather any pursuits and escape the clutches of the orthodox sects or great organizations. With prior notice, this arrangement encompassed lodging when a group traveled.

    That was why this old lady¡¯s group was welcomed into the hideout. Otherwise, no matter how strong she was, most deviators would rather die than compromise.

    ¡°Umm, is there something troubling you?¡± the young man asked, upon noticing the strange expression of his host. ¡°Feel free to ask. I¡¯ll answer what I can.¡±

    ¡°Well¡ªif it¡¯s okay. We heard your group is planning something big out east. If you¡¯re traveling here now, is the target what I think it is?¡±

    The young man nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°What?! Have they finally slipped up and offended your teacher?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s about right. I won¡¯t go into detail¡ª¡± the man looked over at the old lady. ¡°¡ªfor obvious reasons, but things aren¡¯t far from what you are thinking.¡±

    ¡°Then, do you think we could join you as¡ª¡±

    Before Xi Jin could finish his words, hysteric yelling cut him off. He turned to find the old lady staring down one of the nearby side tunnels with an enraged expression.

    ¡°Is something the matter with your mentor?¡± the man fearfully said. ¡°Just tell us and we¡¯ll strive to fix it immediately.¡±

    ¡°Oh man, I think it¡¯s a little too late. Our teacher is sensitive to such things.¡± The man turned around to face his companions, holding up a hand to them. ¡°Let¡¯s do this quickly. I want to get everything cleaned up before dinner.¡±

    Before the confused host could inquire further, the young man suddenly grabbed Xi Jin¡¯s throat, and sparks of blue electricity were unleashed, frying the man until smoke rose from his body, spreading the scent of charred flesh. Behind him, his fellow disciple did the same, launching a surprise attack of their own on their hosts. They were ruthless and decisive, striking for the kill. The deviators native to the base stood no chance.

 Chapter 236: Progression Goals

    With the sun still high in the sky, a dark Skyrunner could be seen approaching the city of Calm Port, one of the settlements on the westernmost edge of the Luminescent Domain.

    The people inside were naturally Li Lang and his group. It had been over a week since they departed from Emberglow City. Traveling from city to city was a refreshing experience for these young cultivators but also tiring. Luckily, their guides from Nightmoon Valley had prepared a comfortable route for them, with cities to rest in each night.

    The cities weren¡¯t all an equal distance apart. That meant sometimes they would arrive at these pit stops when night had already fallen while other times the sun would still be near its zenith. For this stop, it was the latter.

    Li Lang spent this extra time wisely. He would continue his attempts at artificing while redoubling his efforts to assist his students in training.

    Having realized their shortcomings from the encounters they experienced, Li Lang also worked hard with his companions to come up with an improved curriculum. Now that there were several students in the Foundation Establishment realm, and Wei Ping had broken through as well, there was no reason to believe the other students wouldn¡¯t do so in the near future as well.

    That meant they could dial back on the experimental nature of their teachings and focus more on refining what worked.

    Then, for those who had already broken through, it was time to help them catch up on what they were missing. Every single one of their students rushed their cultivation, as Li Lang prioritized his research about the Foundation Establishment Realm. They were lacking training in Qi arts, combat experience, and all the miscellaneous skills that made a cultivator a well-rounded powerhouse.

    For the sake of this matter, he was determined to converse with as many experienced experts as possible and find various Earth-grade techniques to expand their foundational knowledge.

    It became the main goal of this trip as the trio realized their chances in the Dark Sea Arena were slim. It couldn¡¯t be helped, as there were too many monsters in this realm who had lived for hundreds of years. Their accumulation wasn¡¯t something they could hope to contest for the time being.

    While Li Lang had expected to have to reach Sword Saint Isle before any of these matters would have results, he was happy to be proven wrong. Both his quest to streamline the breakthrough process to the Foundation Establishment Realm and artificing were making quick progress.

    For the breakthrough process, Wei Ping happened to have some useful information stemming from his own experiences. He was the only person besides Li Lang to have broken through this bottleneck despite only having grade one aptitude. His insight was quite valuable to Li Lang.

    From their conversations, the two suspected that their breakthroughs were successful not only because of the Ascension Technique, but because of moments of extreme determination. For those with low aptitude, the requirements were much more stringent in this regard.

    ¡°Hm, we¡¯ve been measuring the kids¡¯ willpower by depriving them of the pleasures of tasty food, but I think we need to come up with a better way to strengthen their resolve,¡± Li Lang muttered as they settled into their inn. ¡°Maybe something like meditating under a waterfall?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve d-done training like that before,¡± Wei Ping answered. ¡°I think it h-helped, but my teacher then told me there were more effective m-methods, but those required access to proper facilities. Facilities only the b-big factions have. That means there should be a b-better way.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, an effective way,¡± Li Lang pondered. ¡°What did we do to train our own resolve? Did we really only succeed because of the amount of time we trained? If that is so, there wouldn¡¯t be so many people stuck as a mortal then, right?¡±

    Li Lang thought back to his childhood with his adoptive father, Zi Zun. The man was an influential and wealthy merchant but was still stuck at the peak of Energy Gathering after several decades. He even had grade-two aptitude, so he had been in a much better position than both Li Lang and Wei Ping.

    Dredging up the memories of his journey so far, his thoughts naturally focused on the Cleansing Drug and the Ascension Technique. However, neither of those was likely to have a significant effect on willpower.

    Memories of his encounter with the Primordial Star Fire resurfaced in his mind. The heavenly fire didn¡¯t submit to him right away. In fact, it had tried to attack him! A sliver of the flame snuck into his head and tortured him for what felt like an eternity.

    Li Lang quickly made a decision and grabbed hold of his only Spirit-grade artifact.

    ¡°Blue, I have a question for you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master?¡±

    ¡°The Primordial Star Fire. Can my students go into the cave where that heavenly fire is and obtain it?¡±

    ¡°That place cannot be opened with the key. They would have to pass the alchemy trials like Master did and be rewarded with it. We can push the realm towards selecting this reward for them, but just like with the other rewards, they will have to take the trials first. Though¡ª¡±

    ¡°What else? Feel free to speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°Master¡ªeven if we can, it may not be a good idea to allow every single student access to the Primordial Star Fire. The process of taming a fire seed can cause great harm or even death if one fails. It¡¯s why only those who are deemed fit for it are given this reward.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, I¡¯ll keep that in mind. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my first option, anyway. I¡¯d rather have my students save their reward for something that complements them if I can help it.¡± S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Li Lang drew his attention away from his artifact spirit and back to reality, where his two companions were. The three of them shared a room, while the two from Nightmoon Valley shared another. The absence of outsiders allowed them to speak freely.

    ¡°I think we may need to start exploring how to meditate under a waterfall to temper willpower or something with a similar effect. Once we get back, of course. Unless we find a better way during our trip.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll t-try to ask around once we get t-to the Sword Saint Isle.¡±

    ¡°This is starting to feel like we¡¯re only going to gather intelligence at this point.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Long Yi chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m in it to win it.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a better fighter than us, so your chances are surely higher, but I doubt you¡¯re the only person there gifted in combat. You may have crafted your own sword artifact, but it¡¯s only a Mortal-grade weapon. In our case, we don¡¯t have any combat artifacts at all. I think I¡¯ll give crafting another go.¡±

    ¡°Then I will too!¡±

    With plenty of time left before dinner, the two began another session of artificing in their pursuit of creating an artifact.

    Throughout their journey, they had stopped at the various Artificer Guilds to consult the experts there about the art of artifact creation. Each school of artificer had its own unique insight, so they were able to make quite a bit of progress in the traditional way of artificing.

    With a stable supply of materials as well, the two got to work. They expertly manipulated the bars of various alloys in their possession, melding them to the form they desired.

    Long Yi already made a large broadsword, so he attempted to create armor this time. Li Lang naturally pursued a spear that could replace his current mundane one.

    Their robes got drenched in the process as they were focused on their work. However, their stamina as Foundation Establishment cultivators wasn¡¯t to be underestimated. Long Yi soon finished first, crafting a heavy chest plate.

    He opened his eyes as he finished channeling his artificing techniques. He carefully inspected his work before sighing. Even without the examination, as the creator, he knew he had failed. Still, he had held on hope that it would miraculously transform after he put on the finishing touches.

    With another failure under his belt, he quickly tossed the chest piece into his space ring. Due to using the unique techniques of artificing that drew out the latent potential of the material, it could no longer be reforged for another attempt. This caused a small collection of mundane armors to build up.

    Letting out another sigh, Long Yi glanced over at his friend, to observe how he was doing. At that exact moment, a bright red light shone into his eyes, causing him to blink rapidly. Upon closer inspection, Long Yi realized it was coming from the short spear before Li Lang!

    Letting out a gasp, he carefully watched as his friend proceeded toward the last few steps of his crafting session. Wei Ping naturally noticed the situation as well. They both reacted in the same way, which was to silently observe. They didn¡¯t dare to make a sound lest it distract their friend from the final and crucial moments of artifact creation.

    The same question lurked in their minds.

    ¡°Will he finally succeed this time?¡±

 Chapter 237: Baby Steps

    Artifact creation was not easy. Even experienced artificers couldn¡¯t create them on demand. It required skill, preparation, and most importantly, luck. That was due to the fact each beast core used in the process was unique.

    According to what Li Lang learned, the cores contained a remnant spirit of the beast it once belonged to. Just like humans, each beast had a unique disposition. This made every artificing session unpredictable.

    One had to possess all the basic qualities first before they could even take part in this dice roll. There was a reason Li Lang and Long Yi had failed to create an artifact using the traditional methods when their cultivation was still in the Energy Gathering Realm.

    Now that they both broke through, their chances of succeeding were much greater. In fact, Long Yi had already succeeded once, having created his green broadsword.

    However, this artifact of his hadn¡¯t made any notable waves since he obtained it. That was because it was only a Mortal-grade artifact. Just like with cultivators, there was a huge gulf between Mortal-grade and Earth-grade artifacts. Mortal-grade artifacts only provided a minimal boost to their combat capabilities.

    It basically only allowed them to channel more Qi into their weapons without breaking apart. They had no special abilities to talk about. Regardless, they were still many times better than mundane weapons.

    As an aspiring artificer, Li Lang had to take things step by step, focusing on mastering Mortal-grade artifacts first before moving on to Earth-grade ones.

    After countless attempts and squandering a large sum of materials, Li Lang was currently nearing his first successful crafting session. The spear before him shone brightly, as it was filled with energy. There were only the finishing touches left before it was complete, but these final steps were also the most crucial. Messing up now could destroy the spear, so he had to be careful up until the last moment.

    Spectators like Long Yi and Wei Ping couldn¡¯t see much happening from their perspective. Only the artificer themselves would be able to grasp their current situation. That was due to the struggle taking place in the mental realm, where Li Lang¡¯s spirit was facing off against the remnant soul within the beast core.

    Li Lang had to carefully subdue his opponent without outright obliterating them. He couldn¡¯t push too hard. He had to exert just the right amount of willpower to force the remnant sprit to conform to his wishes.

    The better fit between the physical form of the artifact and its spirit, the higher the success rate. As the most crucial moment where the beast core¡¯s spirit merged with the spear came, Li Lang was finally able to tell how compatible they were.

    Letting out a deep breath, the light from the spear began to fade. When it subsided entirely, a huge wave of Qi burst out from it. Thankfully, the trio had the foresight to set up a basic barrier to contain the shockwaves.

    They had learned their lesson during Li Lang¡¯s previous success during the auction. It drew a lot of attention last time, so they learned to use Qi barrier talismans. Still, the barrier had a limited range, so it couldn¡¯t hide the disturbance from the two sitting right beside Li Lang. Long Yi and Wei Ping instantly recognized this as the phenomenon that happened when an artifact was successfully created!

    ¡°You did it!¡± Long Yi shouted. ¡°About time, too!¡±

    Opening his eyes, Li Lang nodded.

    ¡°Yes. This is quite a different experience from the time I created the Weave Press. I can feel the curiosity of the nascent artifact spirit. Too bad Mortal-grade spirits aren¡¯t able to communicate anything more than some vague emotions.¡±

    ¡°But this experience should be helpful, right? Will you be working on an Earth-grade artifact from now on? Or will you be trying to create another Mortal-grade one again?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I think I¡¯m ready to try tackling the challenge, but we don¡¯t have any Earth-grade beast cores yet. I¡¯m going to try creating something for Wei Ping next until that changes.¡±

    ¡°S-Stop bothering boss,¡± the man in question interjected. ¡°He should b-be itching to test out his new weapon.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s head to the courtyard, then. Why don¡¯t we have a spar while we¡¯re at it?¡± Long Yi suggested.

    Seeing no reason to decline, the trio headed out of their room and went out back to a small courtyard behind the inn.

    Li Lang carefully examined his new spear, doing a few test sweeps and thrusts to warm up.

    His new spear was much heavier than his previous one. It was made entirely of metal. The silver shaft had many grooves on it to improve the user¡¯s grip on it and was hollow to reduce the weight. All in all, it was a simple spear with no fancy frills to it.

    Compared to his mundane spear, which had a hidden compartment to inject poisons, the appearance of his new weapon wasn¡¯t too impressive. However, as an artifact, it was unquestionably better at conducting Qi and exponentially more durable.

    ¡°How w-will you employ your poisons now, boss?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I have the same question. That¡¯s something to think about in the future. I still have the needles if I really need them. My current arsenal of poisons isn¡¯t that effective against opponents of our realm, anyway. I¡¯ll have to focus on that next if I want to improve my combat capabilities.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good opportunity to practice your close combat skills the traditional way, then,¡± Long Yi added. ¡°No offense to your poisons, but they¡¯re useless if you aren¡¯t good enough to inflict them against your opponent!¡±

    Letting out a sigh, Li Lang spun the spear in a graceful arc and gestured for Long Yi to come at him. While he was reminded of his many shortcomings, Li Lang agreed it was a good opportunity to brush up on his Gliding Coil Spear Art. The sound of metal clashing resounded throughout the area as the two got into a heated exchange.

    ***

    Another week quickly passed, and Li Lang¡¯s group finally neared their destination, Sword Saint Isle.

    They had left an entire month early in anticipation of any delays, so they were on pace to arrive a full two weeks early.

    Sword Saint Isle, as its name implied, was an island. It was located northeast of the Luminescent Domain. It required traversing the ocean to reach, which was where most delays happened. Thankfully, their journey was smooth, having only encountered good weather instead of storms and powerful Qi beasts that lurked beneath the ocean.

    As they drove over the glistening ocean, they soon spotted a figure in the distance. They were riding a Skysword close to the surface of the water. Having spotted them as well, the rider shot straight toward Li Lang¡¯s group.

    Neither Ma Kong nor Zhu Yi panicked upon seeing this, so the trio didn¡¯t complain either. The newcomer soon came to a stop once they got close enough to converse.

    ¡°Greetings, friends from afar. I am Jun Hao, a disciple of Sword Saint Isle. May I ask if you¡¯re here for the Dark Sea Arena?¡±

    Zhu Yi clasped her fist toward the newcomer and nodded. She introduced herself as a member of Nightmoon Valley, escorting friends to the event. The Sword Saint disciple didn¡¯t ask too many questions and simply told them to be careful before flying away in the opposite direction.

    ¡°Where do you think he¡¯s going?¡± Long Yi asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he be staying for the event as well?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just patrolling the area around their island,¡± Zhu Yi answered with a smile. ¡°As a neutral territory, they¡¯re mindful about the safety of their guests coming into their territory.¡±

    Seeing Long Yi¡¯s confused expression, Wei Ping elaborated.

    ¡°Remember, c-cultivators from both the Luminescent Territory and the orthodox sects will be p-participating.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    The group ignored Long Yi¡¯s antics and continued on their way. Now that they encountered patrols, they were naturally close. Despite being early, Li Lang was eager to explore the island.

    The Dark Sea Arena was an event that was big enough to attract members of two opposing factions. He believed there must have been numerous cultivators there already. He was eager to meet new people and gather information from them.

    Unlike disciples of big factions, Li Lang didn¡¯t have any experts to guide them in the way of cultivation. This trip was his chance to bridge that gap.

    Like that, their group soon spotted land. Instantly, their eyes were drawn to the towering mountain on the island. That was because it didn¡¯t have the appearance of any normal mountain. Instead, it was shaped like a longsword! It stood upright with its tip buried in the island. It was as if a giant had left their weapon there.

    However, Li Lang and his companions could tell it wasn¡¯t a real sword. The mountain itself was shaped like a sword for some reason!

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s why this place is called Saint Isle, huh?¡± Long Yi muttered what was on his companions¡¯ minds. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 238: Sword Saint Isle

    As the group got closer to Sword Saint Isle, they could soon make the silhouette of an island in the distance. The most eye-catching of all was the giant sword-shaped mountain, with numerous Skyrunners flying around. A city built up around this mountain, with no walls, and the rules on flying above its airspace seemed to be quite loose compared to other cities.

    ¡°Go ahead and fly right in. Members of our Nightmoon Valley are staying at the Sword Saint¡¯s manor, so we¡¯ll have to find our own lodging, but there should be plenty of places to choose from,¡± Zhu Yi said from her position perched up above the Skyrunner.

    ¡° lodging? Shouldn¡¯t Seniors be joining your fellow comrades?¡± Li Lang asked.

    ¡°No. Our mission this time is to escort you. As safe as Sword Saint Isle is, we take our duties seriously.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you, but¡ªdo you think you can reach out to Senior Jian if he is here already? I¡¯d like to meet him if he is.¡±

    Zhu Yi directed a look over to Ma Kong. The stoic man simply nodded before a Skysword materialized underneath him, carrying him away. He headed straight for the summit of the sword-shaped mountain.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say how punctual our Head Disciple is. You should expect him to come find you tomorrow if he has already arrived.¡±

    With the matter settled, the group quickly descended into the city proper. They took a tour around while looking for a suitable inn. The infrastructure here was simpler than most cities they had passed through. Only simple houses or two-story buildings could be seen. No manors or estates could be spotted anywhere.

    With nothing of note to see, they quickly settled on an inn and checked into their rooms. They didn¡¯t linger there for long, though. The sun was still high in the sky. They took advantage of the sunlight remaining to scour for places where cultivators gathered.

    ¡°This place is just like Polarity City,¡± Li Lang muttered. ¡°Everyone here seems to take cultivation seriously. Over half the people on the streets are in the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡±

    ¡°Only disciples of the Sword Saint himself permanently live on this island,¡± Zhu Yi explained. ¡°Everyone else are visitors, and naturally, those who could step foot here have some accomplishment to their name.¡±

    Li Lang nodded. He had heard of the dangers of traversing the sea, but he hadn¡¯t encountered anything perilous himself. The ocean was just too large. Even if it was teeming with Qi beasts, there was a chance they wouldn¡¯t encounter any of them as they flew by, but if they did, the Qi beasts would at least be comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    Just as they were conversing about the traits of the city, Li Lang¡¯s group suddenly came to a stop when they drew near the base of the sword-shaped mountain. The area around it was paved with roads. There was even a set of sturdy stone gates that were currently opened wide. A long line of people were queued up before it, waiting their turn to enter the interior of the mountain.

    However, what drew the group¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t the structure, but the people in the line. Everyone there was surrounded by at least one or two disheveled people in chains.

    ¡°Is that¡ªslave trading?¡± Li Lang couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Oh no, Sword Saint Isle may have looser rules, but they are honorable people. They would never engage in slave trading. That there is an entrance to their jail, so those should be criminals. Deviators or rogue cultivators of the orthodox path who have turned bandits. Many of them show up during these events, trying their luck at ambushing the people traveling here. The disciples of the Sword Saint are quite efficient at capturing them.¡±

    ¡°These so-called criminals thought it was a good idea to ambush powerful cultivators from various large sects and organizations? Are they in their right mind?!¡±

    ¡°There are plenty of inexperienced cultivators that have recently broken through, but possess large sums of wealth participating in these big events. Many of them are overconfident in themselves after their breakthrough and travel here alone. It makes these people think it¡¯s worth a shot to target these people,¡± Zhu Yi answered while flashing a meaningful glance at the trio.

    ¡°Well¡ªI guess we can¡¯t argue with that one.¡±

    Li Lang quickly dropped the topic as they continued their tour of the city. It didn¡¯t take them long to find a more bustling area filled with restaurants and teahouses. It was just the type of place Li Lang was looking for.

    He entered the most crowded teahouse without hesitation and began eavesdropping on the conversations all around.

    ¡°I heard both the Iron Tempest Prince and the Whispering Leaf Tyrant aren¡¯t coming this time. Do you think it¡¯s because they¡¯ve been falling behind in their cultivation and are scared to lose to the other Eight Demon Pillars?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! I don¡¯t know about the Whispering Leaf Tyrant, but the Iron Tempest Prince has always been famed as the second strongest demonic cultivator within the Foundation Establishment Realm, behind only Slithering Shadow. He must simply be busy with some other matter.¡±

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t complain, considering Slithering Shadow is here, along with the Blood Prince. They are more than enough to represent our Luminescent Domain. They¡¯ll surely show up those hypocrites that have the audacity to call themselves the Four Enlightened Ones.¡±

    ¡°You two can¡¯t discount the Sword Saint¡¯s disciples either. The Stormsword technique they practice isn¡¯t to be underestimated.¡±

    Numerous people were discussing the upcoming event. Many of them made it no secret they were only there to see a good show.

    The prizes that could be earned in the Dark Sea Arena were alluring, but many of them didn¡¯t believe they stood a chance. There were numerous hidden dragons and crouching tigers even in the early-stage Foundation Establishment division. Most who participated really just did so for the sake of experience. It made the event truly more of an exchange rather than a proper tournament.

    Having entered this place, swimming with information to be learned, the trio quickly split up. Wei Ping was an expert in gathering information from these types of places, while his two companions employed a more straightforward method. They directly approached tables that were discussing things that piqued their interest while Zhu Yi faded into the background to watch over them.

    This lasted half the afternoon before they reconvened to share their findings. There was a plethora of topics discussed in these teahouses. From famous cultivators to the latest news happening in the Luminescent Domain. It was apparent that the people in the teahouse were demonic cultivators, so they had to visit other teahouses if they wanted to gather news about the righteous sects.

    From the intel they gathered, they learned about an open marketplace nearby where people traded their valuables.

    The group didn¡¯t hesitate to use the remaining time before sunset to visit this marketplace.

    They soon found the place where numerous people set up makeshift stalls around a large plaza. They laid out their items on wooden tables or laid them on thick woven mats. Others simply had a sign that advertised the type of knowledge they were willing to trade.

    Before the group could even take two steps into this plaza, Li Lang was already glued to the first stall he saw. A middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed beard had a stall that was filled with cultivation manuals of all sorts.

    Just from a cursory glance, you could see martial and Qi arts of various affinities. Not just the five main elements, but even more obscure ones like sound or sand. Upon closer inspection, there seemed to be a high proportion of sword techniques.

    ¡°Boss, can you give me a discount if I buy in bulk?¡± Li Lang excitedly asked the bearded man.

    ¡°I don¡¯t do discounts. I¡¯d rather take my time than sell them for cheap. You either have enough red crystals or put up your own techniques for trade.¡±

    Li Lang¡¯s companions could only helplessly watch on as he went on a shopping spree. Li Lang was determined to collect techniques of various attributes, as he wanted a healthy sample size for his research. He had yet to choose an affinity for himself, and he was quite open to all possibilities.

    Since he was already at a disadvantage compared to other cultivators due to his lack of spiritual roots, he needed to carry out a meticulous study before deciding his future direction.

    Just as Li Lang was about to ask the stall owner about multi-element techniques, a voice interrupted his chain of thought. It came from right beside Li Lang and sounded young, which caught his attention.

    ¡°Excuse me, fellow Daoist, do you have any Qi arts that utilize the power of emotions? I am willing to trade any for a copy of Scorch Wind Descent.¡±

    Turning toward the speaker, Li Lang frowned. The person had the appearance of a young teenager and looked particularly familiar for some reason. He stood there, staring at this newcomer without blinking as he dug into his memories.

    However, his antics didn¡¯t go unnoticed. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ¡°Umm, may I help you?¡±

    Seeing how rude Li Lang was being, his companions could only facepalm.