Time flew by, and five days passed in the blink of an eye.
At the Heavenly Dao Sect, Xiao Lingxi slowly awoke from her cultivation, exhaling a breath of impure air.
"I've finally reached Qi Refining 2nd Level! Does this make me a peerless genius?" Xiao Lingxi murmured to herself, a hint of joy and excitement flashing in her eyes.
Five days to reach Qi Refining 2nd Level!
This was a legendary feat that no one in the entire Great Zhao Empire could achieve!
Even Ling Xiao, the top prodigy of the Soaring Heavens Sect with his supreme spirit root, took over a month to reach Qi Refining 2nd Level!
This was entirely due to the powerful effects of the "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra," which didn't require the purification of spiritual energy, saving an immense amount of time.
"Hehe, I've caught up with Senior Brother Zhuge..."
Before Xiao Lingxi could finish her sentence, she heard a commotion from the other side. She focused her gaze and saw that Zhuge Feng's cultivation had broken through once again.
Qi Refining 3rd Level!
"Hiss—" Xiao Lingxi drew a sharp breath, her pretty face turning extremely peculiar.
Thinking about how the Heavenly Spirit Root couldn't pass the Soaring Heavens Sect's assessment made her want to laugh.
Oh, Soaring Heavens Sect, you'll never know what kind of genius you've missed!
Moreover, Senior Brother Zhuge not only has high talent but is also more diligent, wishing he could cultivate twenty-four hours a day, far more hardworking than she was.
[Host]
Name: Su Bai
Age: 18
Realm: Qi Refining 6th Stage
Items: 200 taels of gold, 3020 taels of silver
When Xiao Lingxi reached Qi Refining 2nd Level, Su Bai's cultivation naturally advanced to Qi Refining 6th Stage.
This was the powerful effect of having ten times the disciple's cultivation!
No need to cultivate at all, just lying down could lead to an upgrade!
"No, no, the breakthrough is still too slow, there are too few disciples, I need to recruit more."
Su Bai stood up, unsatisfied with his current cultivation.
At this moment, the sect's points had reached 90, just one step away from the upgrade requirement.
Xiao Lingxi's advancement to Qi Refining Level 1 and Level 2 added 10 and 20 points to the sect's points, respectively.
Zhuge Feng's advancement to Qi Refining Level 2 and Level 3 added 20 and 30 points to the sect's points, respectively.
Calculating this way, every time a disciple broke through in cultivation, it increased the sect's points, and the higher the cultivation, the more it increased.
As for what the sect's points were used for now, he wasn't sure, but he figured they would be needed after the next sect upgrade.
A moment later, the three of them slowly descended the mountain, heading toward Yunshui City.
"Master, did you buy the veil I asked for yesterday?"
Xiao Lingxi suddenly turned around, blinking her eyes as she asked.
Upon hearing this, Su Bai immediately took out a delicate violet veil from his Storage Bag.
"Yes! I personally picked this for you," Su Bai said with a slight smile.
Xiao Lingxi took the veil, nodded in satisfaction, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Sister, why did you think of wearing a veil today?" Zhuge Feng asked with some confusion.
Xiao Lingxi put on the veil and said, "I think Zhao Baoxiao won't let things go easily. His spies might already be all over Yunshui City."
Hearing this, Zhuge Feng nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, that's true!"
Zhao Baoxiao's influence was not something they could confront head-on at the moment.
Su Bai remained silent. Although he was invincible within the Heavenly Dao Sect, outside of it, his cultivation was only at Qi Refining 6th Stage.
Caution was still necessary; developing quietly was the key.
Soon, the three of them arrived at Yunshui City.
At the entrance of the Hundred Sects Gathering, Su Bai didn't go in but instead said to the two disciples beside him:
"You two go buy some daily necessities you need. Don't worry, it won't count against your monthly salary; the sect will cover the expenses."
As he spoke, he took out two hundred taels of silver from his Storage Bag and gave one hundred taels each to Zhuge Feng and Xiao Lingxi.
"Thank you, Master, but I have my own silver!" Xiao Lingxi said playfully, shaking the Storage Ring in her hand.
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The Storage Ring was ten times more precious than a Storage Bag, something even the stewards of the Soaring Heavens Sect could only afford to use Storage Bags.
However, Zhuge Feng hesitated to move.
One hundred taels of silver was a huge sum for him!
"Master, I don't need that much; a few hundred copper coins would be enough," Zhuge Feng quickly declined.
How could he deserve to accept so much silver?
Seeing both disciples refusing the silver, Su Bai put on a stern face and said, "Are you not listening to your Master anymore?"
"Lingxi, I know you have silver, but that's yours. What the sect gives you, you should accept!"
"Zhuge Feng, as the senior disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect, you must set an example. Why are you still wearing these washed-out clothes?"
"Lingxi, you have a good eye. Buy a set of exquisite clothes for your senior brother. Don't come back until you've spent all the silver!"
"Got it, Master..." Xiao Lingxi pouted, looking reluctant.
Zhuge Feng's eyes grew moist, his nose tingled, and a warm feeling surged in his heart...
"Master's kindness is as heavy as a mountain; I will not disappoint your expectations!"
He secretly clenched his fist, making a decision in his heart to cultivate diligently and become a strong person who could stand alone for the sect!
Su Bai watched the two of them leave, then turned his gaze in another direction.
"Xiao Yan, I've become the disciple of the Sect Master of the Yuntian Sect, while you can't even pass the entrance assessment!"
"I have a supreme spirit root, while you have a useless spirit root!"
"I'm now at Qi Refining 6th Stage, while you're still a mere mortal!"
"The gap between us is so vast that you can't even imagine it. You're destined to be trampled under my feet, forever looking up to me."
"Our engagement ends here; there's no longer any connection between us!"
A finely dressed young girl stood on the street, her beautiful face full of mockery and disdain.
In front of her, a slightly thin young man stood with his head down, his fists clenched tightly.
Su Bai watched quietly, and the scene, along with the name, reminded him of a protagonist from a novel he read before his transmigration.
He wondered what actions the young man before him would take.
Would he reach the standard that would make Su Bai want to take him as a disciple?
By now, a crowd had gathered around, all engaged in lively discussions.
"Isn't this the useless young master from the Xiao family? Still hasn't succeeded in Qi Refining?"
"I heard Liu Yanran has become the young sect master of the Yuntian Sect, one of the top five hundred super sects in the Immortal Alliance!"
"Heh, who in the entire Great Zhao Empire doesn't know the prestige of the Yuntian Sect?"
"A toad wanting to eat swan meat, wishful thinking!"
The crowd pointed and mocked, their voices unending.
Hearing the voices around him, Xiao Yan looked up to see the mocking expressions on everyone's faces.
His hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his flesh without him noticing.
Finally, he erupted.
"Liu Yanran, three years from now, I will go to the Yuntian Sect to challenge you and prove that I, Xiao Yan, am not a waste!"
He shouted loudly, his voice resonant, and after leaving those words, he stormed off.
The crowd burst into laughter, as if mocking Xiao Yan's childishness and foolishness.
No matter how much an ugly duckling wanted to prove itself, it could never become a swan.
An ugly duckling that could become a swan was because it was a swan all along.
Xiao Yan walked to the depths of a dead-end alley before stopping.
By then, his face was already covered in tears.
"Why, why can't I cultivate?"
"Why, when I've worked so hard, been so diligent, and given so much, can I still not refine Qi? Why!"
"Am I destined to be a waste?"
He pounded the wall in anguish, venting the grievances and sadness he felt inside.
Just then, footsteps approached from behind, accompanied by a voice.
"Young man, have you ever heard this saying?"
"Don't underestimate a young man's poverty!"
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