Cultivating new techniques could wait until he was settled.
Lu Qinghe took out the Outer Sect manual and read through it. Inside were the various rules and regulations governing Outer Sect Disciples.
Outer Sect Disciples not only received a monthly allotment of pills and Spirit Stones from the sect, but could also earn cultivation resources through their own abilities.
Just as Bai Yutong had mentioned, one could join Talisman Formation Peak to study talisman formations and earn Spirit Stones.
Spirit Medicine Peak, where spirit herbs were grown. Pill Cauldron Peak, where pills were refined. Artifact Refining Peak, where Magical Artifacts were forged. Spirit Beast Peak, where spirit beasts were raised…
Of course, each required passing an assessment. One couldn’t simply join at will.
There were also sect assignments that offered generous rewards.
And every month, Inner Sect Disciples would hold Dao lectures, explaining problems encountered during cultivation and sharing their experience.
Lu Qinghe was most interested in Pill Cauldron Peak and Spirit Medicine Peak.
But both had conditions. To join Pill Cauldron Peak, the minimum requirement was the ability to refine the Hundred Herbs Pill.
To join Spirit Medicine Peak, one needed mastery of the intermediate Cloud Rain Technique. Neither was simple to achieve.
What Lu Qinghe needed now was a cave dwelling to live in. He took out his token.
Its surface was covered in densely packed dots-some glowing, some dim.
The glowing ones were cave dwellings already claimed. The dim ones were available for him to choose.
Others picked cave dwellings based on where Spiritual Qi was densest. Lu Qinghe’s priorities were entirely different.
The ambient Spiritual Qi in the Outer Sect was more than double that of Menial Disciple Peak, but for someone with Five Spiritual Roots, it made no difference whatsoever.
What he needed was somewhere remote and deserted. He carried too many secrets. If anyone discovered even one, it would be a catastrophe.
Soon enough, he spotted a cave dwelling at the very edge of the token’s map. Only a handful of glowing dots surrounded it.
Lu Qinghe set off without hesitation.
Along the way, passing Outer Sect Disciples cast sidelong glances at his Menial Disciple clothing. Only when Lu Qinghe released the pressure of his Qi Condensation fourth-layer cultivation did they look away.
He found a secluded spot and changed into the white robe that marked Outer Sect status, hanging the Outer Sect Disciple token at his waist. After that, no one spared him a second glance.
It took half a day to reach the cave dwelling.
Like the Menial Disciple courtyard, the entrance was sealed by a restriction. Lu Qinghe pressed his token against it, and the restriction flared with light.
The cave dwelling was now bound to his identity token. From this point on, only he could freely enter and leave. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
Lu Qinghe stepped inside. The dwelling wasn’t large-roughly the same size as his old courtyard.
But there were differences. A defensive formation had been laid over the dwelling, preventing anyone from forcing their way in.
There was also a Spirit Gathering Formation that continuously drew in surrounding Spiritual Qi, raising the concentration within.
Lu Qinghe cleaned the place thoroughly. He would be cultivating here for a long time-at least until he reached the later stages of Qi Condensation.
He took out the complete Cloud Clearing Qi Refinement Art and began cultivating the fourth-layer technique.
But after half a day of practice, he had nothing to show for it. The Spiritual Qi required at the fourth layer was several times what the third layer demanded.
The time needed multiplied accordingly. Without pills to assist him, Lu Qinghe estimated reaching fourth-layer Perfection would take five years at minimum.
Forget it.
Lu Qinghe abandoned the conventional approach. With a flash, he appeared inside the Black Soil Space.
The sight before him left him stunned.
The space that had been only one mu had expanded-doubled exactly. What was once one mu of Black Soil Spirit Field had become a full two mu.
This meant he could plant more spirit herbs, harvest more spirit medicines.
Moreover, Lu Qinghe suspected that when his cultivation broke through again, the Black Soil Space would likely expand further.
Too heaven-defying. This thing that had inexplicably appeared within his Dantian was definitely no ordinary object. It might well be a legendary immortal treasure.
Lu Qinghe made his decision on the spot: “I must never let word of the Black Soil Space leak out. Not a single whisper.”
He reappeared in the cave dwelling and laid out a rough plan for what came next.
First-obtain more spirit herb seeds to plant in the Black Soil Space. Blood Ginseng had little effect on him now.
Second-obtain pill formulas. If he could grow the corresponding herbs and refine pills himself, he would never face a shortage again.
Third-obtain powerful techniques. The Outer Sect did provide access to techniques, of course.
But just like in the Menial Disciple courtyard, acquiring them required spending Merit Points. That was how the sect kept its disciples working.
There were no mandatory assignments in the Outer Sect, but anyone who wanted to keep advancing couldn’t avoid taking on work to earn Spirit Stones.
“First, learn Sword Riding. Then leave Taixuan Sect and head to Qingyun Immortal Market to buy what I need.” The source of this chapter is g.com.
Lu Qinghe resolved to master Sword Riding and find an opportunity to visit Qingyun Immortal Market once more.
He took out the Spirit Wind Sword and began practicing the method. The fourth-layer section of the Cloud Clearing Qi Refinement Art contained an object manipulation technique that served as the foundation.
It took Lu Qinghe a full month before he mastered Sword Riding.
He couldn’t help wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. It had been brutally difficult.
He hadn’t spent the entire month on that alone. He’d also attended one of the Inner Sect Disciples’ Dao lectures, gaining deeper insight into cultivation from the fourth through sixth layers of Qi Condensation.
The understanding made his own practice noticeably smoother.
Lu Qinghe put away the Spirit Wind Sword. “It’s time.”
He made his way to the Outer Sect assignment hall and addressed the disciple on duty. “Senior Brother, I’d like to accept a spirit herb gathering assignment.”
It was one of the few assignments that permitted leaving Taixuan Sect.
The disciple nodded and tossed him a jade slip.
“Spirit herb gathering. Time limit: one year. You can grow them yourself or go out searching. One Low Grade spirit herb is worth two Spirit Stones, Middle Grade ten Spirit Stones, High Grade one hundred Spirit Stones.”
“Once you accept, you must deliver at least one hundred Spirit Stones’ worth within the year. Upon completion, you’ll receive one hundred bonus Merit Points. If you exceed the quota, the Spirit Stone reward stays the same, but you earn one additional Merit Point per extra Spirit Stone of value.”
“Many thanks, Senior Brother.”
Lu Qinghe took the assignment and left the hall without lingering. After reporting to the gate-keeping disciples, he departed Taixuan Sect.
This time, he intended to trade for enough cultivation resources to last him a good while. To avoid trouble, he flew several li from the sect before putting away his Taixuan Sect identity robe.
In its place, he donned one of the disguises he’d prepared during his days as a Menial Disciple, then fitted a bronze mask over his face.
Only then did he mount his sword and rise into the sky, heading toward Qingyun Immortal Market.
Last time, he’d traveled aboard a Flying Boat-a true flying Magical Artifact, blindingly fast.
Sword Riding was a different matter entirely. It drained his spiritual power at a punishing rate, and his speed was less than half what the Flying Boat had managed.
Flying through open air, Lu Qinghe could cover only ten li in a single stretch before his Magic Power ran dry.
When that happened, he had no choice but to swallow a twenty-year Blood Ginseng to restore himself, then rise again and continue.
Any other cultivator at Qi Condensation fourth layer would never dare attempt Sword Riding over such a distance.