Hiding in the Qiyun Sect had one most important benefit.
That was using it as an early warning system.
The function of the Cheat System.
It destined him to walk the path of slaying demons and exterminating devils.
But slaying demons and exterminating devils carried risks.
The cultivation environment in the Azure World was extremely harsh.
Cultivators were forced to form factions and band together for warmth.
Wild Demons, Monsters, Ghosts, and Ghouls were extremely rare.
It had only been less than a month.
How many forces had Du Tianle offended?
Wanghu Water Mansion, Black Dragon Ridge, the Qingqiu Fox Clan, and oh yes, the Heavenly Corpse Dao.
Any one of these forces taken individually.
He wouldn't be able to withstand them.
Of course, the Qiyun Sect couldn't withstand them either.
But it didn't matter if they couldn't withstand them.
As long as a force came knocking on the door.
That would prove he had been exposed.
He could pack up and run.
As for whether the Qiyun Sect would be implicated and consequently destroyed after he fled.
My apologies.
Once he ran, what did the sect's destruction have to do with him?
As the old saying goes:
When the sky falls, the tall people hold it up.
The short people take the opportunity to escape.
Therefore.
The Qiyun Sect was a perfect early warning system.
Thanks, ah.
……
Two more days passed.
It remained calm and peaceful.
Du Tianle felt even more relieved.
Early that morning, he hurried to the Main Peak of the Mountain Gate.
This was the day he officially completed three months as an Outer Sect Disciple.
Besides receiving his monthly stipend of ten Spirit Stones.
The Sect was arranging jobs for the disciples who entered in the same batch as him.
Doing some auxiliary production work.
Such as Artifact Refining, Alchemy, or cultivating Spirit Plants, and so on.
Basically, every sect operated this way.
If there was only consumption without output.
Even the strongest Sect couldn't sustain it.
Du Tianle was assigned to the Artifact Refining Hall.
The Artifact Refining Hall was on another mountain peak, adjacent to the Alchemy Hall.
The Qiyun Sect had excavated tunnels, set up Formation Arrays, and channeled the Earth Lung Fire.
They opened several Alchemy Rooms and Artifact Refining Rooms.
The Artifact Refining Hall was managed by an Elder surnamed Zhou.
Elder Zhou not only possessed Early Golden Core Stage cultivation but was also proficient in Artifact Refining.
Under his control, the weapons produced by the Artifact Refining Hall were of excellent quality.
Du Tianle's Cold Iron Sword was forged here.
Not only was it highly praised by the disciples within the Sect.
It was also the Sect's flagship product for external trade.
Due to all these reasons.
Elder Zhou held considerable influence among the Sect's higher-ups.
As soon as he entered the Artifact Refining Room.
He felt waves of scorching heat rush towards his face.
Even someone like Du Tianle, who often played with fire, secretly gasped in awe.
For the disciples with lower cultivation, even breathing became extremely difficult.
Truly worthy of the Earth Lung Fire.
It was far incomparable to ordinary flames.
Just as he was marveling, the System's prompt suddenly appeared.
【Detected low-tier Spiritual Fire—Earth Lung Fire.】
【Consume Lifespan to comprehend and absorb?】
Du Tianle was stunned.
The Cheat System had this function?
Does that mean in the future...
He just didn't know how much Lifespan it would require.
Looking at the more than 30 years of Lifespan remaining.
Du Tianle had to reluctantly refuse for the time being.
No rush.
He would frequently visit the Qi Refining Room; he could do it next time.
After being led around by the supervisor of the Artifact Refining Room.
He roughly understood the entire Artifact Refining process.
Disciples like them, who had already achieved Guiding Qi into the Body.
Only needed to be responsible for infusing Mana and hammering the Spirit Embryo.
They only needed to work for a few days each month.
Other chores, like screening minerals and organizing materials.
Were all completed by the Menial Servants of the Sect.
Yes, the kind of Menial Servants Du Tianle used to be...
However, when he was a Menial Servant, he was in the External Affairs Hall.
Mainly responsible for serving tea, delivering water, and cleaning.
Hammering the Spirit Embryo was a technical job.
So the Artifact Refining Hall specifically issued every disciple a copy of the 《Basic Artifact Refining Art》.
Instructing them to study it diligently when they returned.
The Artifact Refining skill was part of Du Tianle's long-term plan.
But with insufficient Lifespan currently, he had to put it aside.
Leaving the Artifact Refining Room, Du Tianle didn't rush back immediately.
Instead, he went to the Scripture Depository Pavilion.
Preparing to borrow a few popular miscellaneous records.
He had to study; he couldn't not study.
The last time the Earth God used the Spirit Devouring Vine to scheme against him was a perfect example.
It was simply suffering from a lack of knowledge.
《Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures》, 《Azure World Geography》, 《Records of Strange Objects》, 《Cultivate for Three Years, Enter the Dao in Five》...
These could all broaden his Vision and acquire knowledge.
It was a pity these weren't Cultivation Methods and couldn't be Recorded using Lifespan.
They needed to be flipped through book by book.
This was also one of the reasons he temporarily wasn't leaving the Qiyun Sect.
Of course, familiarizing himself with the routes while borrowing books was a bonus.
The second and third floors of the Scripture Depository Pavilion housed Cultivation Methods and Secret Arts.
They were separated by Formation Arrays and Restrictions.
Even Spiritual Sense couldn't penetrate them.
……
In the following period.
In the gaps between studying book knowledge.
Du Tianle continuously communicated with fellow disciples.
Cautiously inquiring about the Demon Race forces surrounding Qiyun Mountain.
He finally compiled a relatively complete set of intelligence—
Eight hundred li east of Qiyun Mountain.
There was a Peach Mountain.
There were quite a few Peach Blossom Spirits on the mountain.
However, these Flower Spirits were benevolent towards the Demon Race.
They never actively harmed other living beings.
Sometimes they would even give passing Cultivators some of the peach wine they brewed.
Killing them would harm heavenly harmony.
Most importantly, these Flower Spirits had extremely short Lifespans.
The longest among them wouldn't live past ten years.
Forget it, this one is ruled out.
Towards the northeast, a thousand li away.
There was a cave called the Bottomless Cave.
Inside lived a nest of Rat Demons.
But the Bottomless Cave was intricate and complex, and the Primordial Magnetism Power was chaotic.
Without the innate abilities of the Rat Demons, one could easily get lost inside.
However, this group of Rat Demons always had to leave the cave to procure supplies.
He could seize the opportunity to pull off a job.
Keep it as a backup option.
There were also other Demon Cultivators like Bear Demons, Wolf Demons, and Monkey Demons.
The Demon Race within a thousand-li radius were all marked down one by one.
These scattered ones, although they looked numerous.
In total, they didn't amount to much.
Even if he bled them dry one by one, he might not gain much Lifespan.
It wasn't that there weren't many Demon Race members.
It was mainly that most of the Demon Race members here were concentrated in one place.
Black Dragon Ridge!
According to the intelligence gathered.
Black Dragon Ridge not only had three Great Kings at the Nascent Soul Stage.
There were as many as twenty-plus Demon Cultivators at the Golden Core Stage.
There were at least a hundred at the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Counting the Lesser Demons at the Qi Refining Stage.
The total number was nearly a thousand!
Du Tianle couldn't help but swallow.
This heaven-defying amount of Lifespan.
He absolutely had to find a way to pull off a job there.
But with Demon Kings at the Nascent Soul Stage guarding it.
It was truly difficult to make a move.
If he got entangled.
Given the speed of a Nascent Soul Stage Demon King.
He wouldn't even be able to escape.
Better to wait a while.
First, clean up the scattered Lesser Demons.
Then try to take a bite out of the fat meat that is Black Dragon Ridge.
Everything was planned out perfectly.
Just as he was about to implement the plan.
People from the Law Enforcement Hall suddenly came knocking.
The leader was a Deacon surnamed Jin, with late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, who asked:
"More than ten days ago, did Junior Sister Han Qingchen come to see you?"
Du Tianle had already prepared his countermeasure.
He nodded without hesitation.
Deacon Jin continued to ask:
"What did Junior Sister Han want with you?"
Du Tianle first recounted how Han Qingchen asked him to return to look after her parents.
Then he continued:
"Senior Sister Han learned that her parents were killed by a Water Demon."
"She lost control of her emotions at that moment."
"She said she was going back to avenge her parents."
"My cultivation is low; I truly couldn't stop her."
Deacon Jin nodded, then asked:
"Then why didn't you report it to the Sect?"
Du Tianle explained with a wronged expression:
"Senior Sister Han is at the Foundation Establishment Stage and is about to advance to become a Direct Disciple."
"If I had reported her."
"She would definitely deal with me when she returned."
Plausible.
Logical.
Deacon Jin couldn't find any fault.
In fact, he didn't believe that this Outer Sect Disciple, who in his eyes was only at Qi Refining Stage, could harm Han Qingchen.
This visit was merely a routine inquiry.
After asking the questions, he led his men away.
Watching his retreating back.
Du Tianle smiled faintly.
Everything was under control.
……