Spirit Crystal.

Zhu Xiaosuo gazed at the small blue crystal the size of a fingernail in his hand, cherishing it dearly.

Ba Mingyang had mentioned that if one found a spirit crystal in the spirit vein, they could be rewarded with a Rebirth and Marrow-Washing Pill.

But that was merely the reward for finding a spirit crystal.

The fact that the reward itself included a Rebirth and Marrow-Washing Pill meant that the value of a single spirit crystal far exceeded that of the pill.

After all, the cultivators of the Immortal Sect weren't fools; they wouldn't offer such a generous reward without sufficient profit.

Once again, he realized the vast gap between himself and Chen Qinqiu.

A quick look at "pawread.com" will leave you more fulfilled.

It was like a Golden Elixir elder casually gifting a Qi Refining cultivator a treasure worth hundreds of Foundation Establishment pills.

Two worlds under the same blue sky.

This wasn't the first time he had such a realization.

He remembered back in elementary school, there was a turn-based game that was all the rage across the country.

To save money for game cards, he would always eat a little less for lunch.

He wasn't very good at the game, but he enjoyed it immensely.

However, while his classmates were still using turtles and caterpillars as pets, there was an upperclassman with a fully colored outfit, wielding a no-level weapon, and accompanied by a super bubble pet.

That upperclassman was a god in the hearts of all the boys at school.

Once, when Zhu Xiaosuo didn't have money to buy blue potions, he happened to see the upperclassman online and asked if he could borrow some money to buy potions.

The upperclassman directly gave him two million game coins and said he didn't need to pay it back.

At the time, the blue potions he wanted to buy cost eighty game coins each, and he usually bought sixty at a time.

At that moment, he understood why that upperclassman was called a "god."

There's no such thing as a wrong nickname, only a wrong name.

Later, the god transferred to a noble school, sold his game account, and lost contact.

Decades passed, and the god's image in his mind had long faded.

But now, the god's face gradually reappeared.

It was a girl with a playful smile and twinkling big eyes.

It wasn't just the spirit crystal.

Even the jade bottle holding the spirit crystal was probably extraordinary.

Specifically, the material of this jade bottle was similar to Spirit Manifesting Paper, capable of isolating spiritual energy.

The Cultivator's Beginner Guide mentioned that any inanimate object that could isolate spiritual energy was considered a spiritual material.

At the bottom of the jade bottle, there was an inscription of the character "Wood," likely the name of the craftsman who made it.

A spiritual material jade bottle used to hold a spirit crystal, casually given away.

Zhu Xiaosuo believed he could never achieve such a feat in his lifetime.

Rationality told him that since the two of them truly lived in different worlds, he shouldn't dwell on it.

He tried to forget Chen Qinqiu.

But looking at the spirit crystal in the bottle, he simply couldn't.

For some reason, despite having lived over fifty years in both his past and present lives, he felt a hint of youthful defiance and dissatisfaction.

He chuckled at himself.

Truly, the body ages, but the heart remains young.

Enough.

First, he needed to break through.

Gazing at the starry sky, keeping his feet on the ground.

He found a secluded courtyard in Yellow Dog County where no one lived. In the past, only he and the Shop Assistant would occasionally come here to chat and watch the moon.

He had Zhu Sixiu and the others guard outside while he held the spirit crystal and began practicing the Spirit-Nurturing Technique.

For the next three days, he spent most of his time cultivating.

It had to be said that the spirit crystal was indeed valuable. Zhu Xiaosuo consumed the spiritual energy of four spirit stones, yet the spirit crystal appeared as if it hadn't been used at all.

He still didn't know how much spiritual energy a single spirit crystal contained.

But it was certainly an astonishing amount.

Finally, on the third night, after completing a cycle of the Spirit-Nurturing Technique, he felt his entire body tremble uncontrollably.

Then, it seemed as if a layer of flesh and blood peeled off within him, making him feel completely renewed.

He didn't put away the spirit crystal but chose to stabilize his mind and continue cultivating, as there was still spiritual energy circulating chaotically within him.

Without the guidance of a technique, this spiritual energy would scatter and flow erratically, causing minor harm at best and leading to inner demons at worst.

Once the spiritual energy stabilized within his body, he slowly sensed the changes.

His body felt lighter, a sign of physical enhancement.

Zhu Xiaosuo opened the Cultivator's Beginner Guide to confirm the reason for his body's transformation.

It was the mark of a breakthrough.

He had reached the Second Layer of the Rebirth Stage.

He had completed the Immortal Sect's examination three years ahead of schedule.

Only now did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Passing the first examination of the Immortal Sect meant he had established himself in Mountain Chicken County.

As far as he knew, aside from the Niu Clan's head, Niu Shilin, no other cultivators had passed the first examination of the Immortal Sect.

For those who hadn't passed the first examination, their connection with the Immortal Sect ended with the initial gift of twelve spirit stones.

These spirit stones weren't given for free.

If one passed the examination, the Immortal Sect considered it a worthwhile investment and would continue to provide resources and a second examination mission.

But if one failed the examination, the debt had to be repaid through missions issued by the Immortal Sect.

The Cultivator's Beginner Guide also stated that one had to pass three examinations to become a disciple of the Immortal Sect.

Zhuang Yun was an Immortal Sect disciple.

This meant Zhuang Yun had passed at least three examinations.

No wonder Niu Shilin, who had only passed one examination, was so deferential to Zhuang Yun.

To pass three examinations, one needed either great opportunities like Zhu Xiaosuo or strong backing.

Neither of which the Niu Clan of Mountain Chicken County could contend with.

Having taken this step, Zhu Xiaosuo felt a sense of relief.

It was time to visit Zhuang Yun and gauge his intentions.

With these seven spirit crystals, Zhu Clan's business was something he could completely disregard.

The meager profits were insignificant compared to the spirit crystals.

Giving it all to Zhuang Yun wouldn't be a bad idea.

But he didn't want anyone to know about the astonishing wealth he possessed.

Not all cultivators were wealthy like Chen Qinqiu.

Human nature couldn't withstand such tests.

He still needed to pretend that his breakthroughs were due to business income.

Perhaps before seeing Zhuang Yun, he could visit the Yang Clan to gauge their stance.

It would also repay the Yang Clan's goodwill.

After the breakthrough, feeling refreshed, Zhu Xiaosuo pushed open the courtyard door.

"Master!"

"Master, you're out!"

"Yes. The matter is settled. Let's return to Mountain Chicken County."

"Alright!"

The atmosphere along the way was lively.

Although Zhu Sixiu didn't mention their encounter with Chen Qinqiu, everyone could tell from Zhu Xiaosuo and Zhu Sixiu's relaxed demeanor that they had escaped danger and healed their arrow wounds, likely thanks to a high-ranking cultivator's help.

It seemed Zhu Xiaosuo had found a reliable backer among the cultivators.

With Zhu Xiaosuo standing firm, their future prospects were limitless, and everyone was overjoyed.

Only Shen Zhuo felt somewhat out of place.

He had been the one leading the call to leave at the time.

Although Zhu Xiaosuo had supported his decision to lead people away, now that Zhu Xiaosuo had survived, there was no guarantee he wouldn't have new thoughts.

When a person is about to die, their words are kind.

But if the person doesn't die, do those kind words still hold?

Seeing Shen Zhuo's silent contemplation, Zhu Xiaosuo said:

"Shen Zhuo, don't dwell on that matter. I asked Shen Ma to have you accompany us, not to serve as a guard."

"Master..."

"You serve the Local Authorities, while Zhu Sixiu serves the Zhu Clan. That's a fundamental difference. You don't need to worry that I'll hold a grudge because of it."