Chapter 30 030 Testing Spiritual Roots
Song Chi was alright; he was one of those who had qualified for the secret realm. Song Yun, on the other hand, had even explained the background to the elder.
As an outer disciple, he might not have received much respect from the elders. However, Song Yun smiled and said, "Elder Qingyun, I was fortunate enough to obtain a spiritual fruit in the secret realm to cleanse my aptitude. However, my spiritual root aptitude was originally poor, and even after consuming spiritual root, the improvement will be limited."
Upon hearing this, Elder Qingyun immediately gave a faint smile. "In that case, hurry to the cabin to meditate. The medicinal power of that spiritual fruit is rare and hard to come by; we must not miss a single drop."
"Disciple obeys!" Song Yun was immediately led to the cabin by the steward. There were other disciples there who had also received the spiritual fruit cleansing, but only one of them, making a total of two including him.
But actually, this is already considered quite good.
Now, these sect leaders are secretly inquiring about the number of people in their respective sects who obtained the Ruyi Fruit. Many sects have basically gained nothing.
Only the Qingjian Sect had ten people meditating directly in the cabin.
Of course, if we exclude Su Yu, Jiang Linyue, and Su Qiwu, then there are still seven people left.
These seven people are Song Chi's four roommates, Xue Qingyan, Qi Zhenmo, and Wei Lingxiu, the beautiful woman from the previous year who helped Song Chi.
Even so, this is still the most among all sects. The seven top forces each have at most three people who have obtained this opportunity, and that's only because they have powerful guards protecting them.
The other sects are lucky to have even one disciple with this opportunity.
Therefore, the elders of the Changyun Sect felt very honored.
Of course, most people were envious of the location of the Azure Sword Sect's flying boat.
However, they soon heard that someone from the Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty was indignant, saying that four female disciples of the Qingjian Sect had brazenly stolen their opportunity to obtain the Ruyi True Fruit.
Elder Qingyun immediately inquired and was amused to hear the news. The disciples of the Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty had cultivated their physical bodies to be incredibly powerful using the Divine Dragon Technique, and were basically invincible in the entire cultivation world below the Golden Core stage.
Unexpectedly, they were robbed by a few female disciples. Those disciples were at most at the sixth or seventh level of Qi Refining, and they were the two weakest sound cultivators and one alchemy cultivator in the early stages. Only the sword sect disciple was stronger, as he had two spiritual roots, but his spiritual root aptitude was also very ordinary.
Although it is said that they used despicable methods such as poison pills, once they entered the secret realm, they naturally relied on their own abilities.
The Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty, if capable, could certainly use poison pills to deal with their opponent; how can you accuse them of using despicable methods? Have you no shame?!
Then Elder Qingyun inquired further and discovered that one of the four female disciples was actually a disciple from Baihuaxi, not far from the foot of Changyun Sect, and happened to be the younger sister of Song Yun, an outer disciple.
Elder Qingyun naturally knew that the Song family's perfume shop business was overseen by Elder Pan, who was in charge of the outer sect. Elder Pan was exceptionally talented, having reached the Nascent Soul stage at around a hundred years old, and possessed formidable strength. In the Changyun Sect, aside from the two Venerables, Elder Pan and the Sect Leader were the strongest. However, Elder Pan was lazy and only wanted the title of outer sect elder, leaving the daily affairs to a few disciples.
Now, considering the extraordinary opportunities these two siblings had, Elder Qingyun, who was also a pill cultivator, decided to take Song Yun as his disciple upon returning to his sect. Firstly, it wouldn't hurt to try and benefit from the immortal opportunities, and secondly, it would also help him establish a good relationship with Elder Pan.
As soon as Song Chi boarded the flying boat, he was placed in the cabin to meditate and absorb the medicinal power because he had consumed the spiritual fruit.
Of course, there are eight other people.
But after a short while, they heard that the disciples of the Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty recognized them. Although they were only answering when asked by the person in charge, their tone was said to be quite indignant.
Anger is inevitable. The spiritual fruit they were guarding so carefully was stolen halfway through. Anyone would be angry in their situation.
But they all appeared with their faces covered, so how were they recognized so quickly?
Qi Zhenmo laughed at the moment. "You don't think that many disciples can receive such spiritual fruits and immortal blessings, do you? There are seventy or eighty thousand Qi Refining disciples in the entire field, and no more than fifty people will have this honor. Even if you four change your faces, four female disciples, two sound cultivators, one alchemy cultivator, and one sword cultivator... don't be too easy to find out."
Song Chi and the other three immediately felt their faces twitch, mainly because Su Yu, the Crown Prince of the Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty, was sitting right across from them.
That bastard Ye Qingyu, still feeling he hadn't stirred up enough hatred, leaned against the cabin laughing so hard he had to lean against the wall.
Su Yu's face twitched slightly, then he went out with his hands behind his back. Soon, the Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty quieted down.
Su Yu returned to the cabin. "Within the secret realm, everyone relies on their own abilities; you don't need to worry about them. They won't come seeking revenge!"
He spoke casually, but Song Chi and the others believed him completely. Su Yu possessed an aura that commanded respect simply by standing there. Truly worthy of being the male lead!
Besides, they hadn't killed anyone, so the hatred shouldn't be that great. Most importantly, this is also a rule in the cultivation world.
Not long after, the spiritual energy surged violently and then began to recede abruptly.
At this moment, no more disciples were thrown out, and the flying boats of the various sects took off and flew away through the sky.
Time flows differently inside the celestial palace than outside. Song Chi felt that only a few hours had passed inside, but the others in the secret realm had actually been exploring for a month or so.
The same applies outside the secret realm.
Thus, Song Chi felt that he had only stayed in the secret realm for two days and soon returned to the sect.
But after those thrilling moments, it felt like a lifetime had passed.
Upon returning to her sect, she rented a spirit storage room at Qingyun Pavilion to store all the poisonous herbs and beauty-enhancing elixirs. In fact, most of the disciples who returned alive had gathered a considerable amount of excellent spiritual herbs and medicines; almost everyone had received a portion of Foundation Establishment herbs. Therefore, spirit storage rooms were very common, and hers was unremarkable.
Then Song Chi went around giving gifts.
First, a letter was sent to Immortal Master Mo Shubai's Listening Spring Pavilion. After receiving permission, two beauty-enhancing spiritual flowers, each fifty thousand years old, were presented as a gift. Since Mo Shubai is a great handsome man, he should still pay attention to his appearance, so this gift was quite appropriate.
Song Chi wanted to return the three spiritual treasures, but Mo Shubai, citing that it was an elder's gift and could not be refused, naturally allowed her to keep them.
Then she gave Ye Qingyu, Mo Feiyun, and Xue Qingyan each a beauty-enhancing herb. They didn't refuse, but when it came to returning the magical treasures, each of them flew away like the wind, refusing to take them.
Song Chi especially thought the jade pendants belonging to Ye Qingyu and Mo Feiyun were of great significance, and even chased after them, shouting a few times. As a result, the two ran even faster.
You could clearly see that both of their faces turned red!
Song Chi thought to herself, "There's definitely something wrong." She'd seize any opportunity to shove it into their hands and run away.
Next, Song Chi also delivered two 10,000-year-old Foundation Establishment herbs to Senior Brother Zhuo Yu, who had checked her aptitude when she became his disciple, and added a 2,000-year-old beauty and health-preserving herb. She didn't let any of these young herbs go to waste, and she plucked them all from the herb garden.
She also gifted two five-thousand-year-old beauty and health herbs to Sun Chuning, the steward who had approved her entry into the inner sect back then.
If it weren't for these two people, she wouldn't be where she is today.
Then there was Senior Sister An Yu in the mission hall, who also gave her a two-thousand-year-old beauty-enhancing flower. She was overjoyed, after all, what female cultivator doesn't love beauty?
Finally, Song Chi carefully simmered a two-thousand-year-old beauty flower into four bowls of sweet soup. This golden lotus not only beautifies the skin but also relieves menstrual discomfort. A thousand-year-old is rare even in the cultivation world, let alone a two-thousand-year-old. Anyone who saw her using it to make sweet soup would have their ears twisted off.
But... it's never wrong to enjoy it yourself.
Moreover, Song Chi felt that he could cooperate with Xi Ya and the other two in the next Golden Core Realm. After all, they had robbed the disciples of the Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty together once, and could be said to have formed a revolutionary comradeship.
Then, when the three returned, she served them the sweet soup. The four of them drank it together, and instantly felt warm all over and a little sleepy.
After a good night's sleep, her skin was smooth, fair, and radiant. Song Chi was already fair-skinned, but she only noticed a slight, sweet pink glow on her cheeks.
Dai Jia's skin, which was originally slightly yellow, became a shade lighter, and her acne scars were filled in. She rushed over that morning and bowed deeply to Song Chi.
"Back then, I was blinded by greed when I entered the sect and offended Junior Sister Song. I was wrong! I will definitely mend my ways from now on."
Song Chi thought to himself, "As expected, he has a fiery temper. He's always so straightforward."
She didn't take those things to heart and naturally avoided them. Then she simply said she didn't remember.
Cheng Yao had struck it rich this time. This Golden Jade Lotus had a one in ten thousand chance of changing the user's appearance. However, this "change" was merely a change in appearance, making the eyes sparkle and giving the body an aura of purity. Cheng Yao's original almond-shaped eyes, though large, were unremarkable. Now, however, they were like watery ink, and her face was rosy and almond-shaped, making her more than twice as beautiful.
In fact, Cheng Yao was now comparable to a stunning beauty like Xi Ya. She naturally clung to the mirror, unable to shake off her silly grin for days.
Even a cool and aloof beauty like Sia, who didn't care about anything, was happy that her skin had become more delicate and fair.
There were no classes for the next month, and the sect allowed the disciples to rest and recuperate.
Song Chi was therefore busy absorbing the medicinal power of the spiritual fruit and improving his cultivation.
Leaving her side aside, Song Yun returned to her sect. That very evening, she sent a letter to Elder Pan, expecting to be granted an audience the following day.
To everyone's surprise, Elder Pan immediately led him to Peach Blossom Pavilion and then asked him about his experiences in the secret realm.
Song Yun briefly mentioned everything, including obtaining the alchemy manual. This was because the disciple of the Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty had already revealed that he and Xi Ya had received the alchemy inheritance together.
Elder Pan had taken care of the Song family for many years, so Song Yun dared not hide anything too much, for fear of upsetting Elder Pan.
Elder Pan didn't seem to care much about the elixir book; instead, he asked about his sister, Song Chi. It's likely that Elder Pan was also aware of their raid on the Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty.
He then recounted the battle that day, which made Elder Pan laugh.
"This girl is slender and delicate, like a willow branch, but unexpectedly she's quite bold, showing the same spirit as her ancestor. How did that child manage to obtain and consume the spiritual fruit?"
Song Yun nodded and said, "My sister encountered a fortuitous opportunity before me and obtained a spiritual fruit to improve her aptitude, and then helped me steal the spiritual fruit from the disciples of the Tai Xuan Immortal Dynasty."
"Yes, I am very pleased that you siblings support each other so much." Elder Pan nodded with a smile.
Then Song Yun presented five beauty-enhancing herbs.
"These were picked by my sister by chance in that celestial palace. They are all holy herbs for beauty and health. We are deeply grateful for the elder's care for the Song family for many years. This is just a small token of our brother and sister's appreciation. Please accept it, elder."
Elder Pan, who was used to seeing good things, didn't have much expectation for the spiritual herbs offered by a Qi Refining disciple.
To everyone's surprise, upon opening the treasure box, her beautiful eyes widened in shock. A further probe with her spiritual energy revealed her speechless disbelief.
"A 50,000-year-old freesia is quite a good thing."
She then looked at the other five plants, and they were all beauty-enhancing spiritual flowers that were over 50,000 years old. These spiritual herbs could not only beautify the skin and nourish the complexion, but also prolong life. Although she didn't care about each plant, which could only prolong life by one or two years, she loved things that could beautify the skin and nourish the complexion.
She was born beautiful and always loved beauty. But now, at over four hundred years old, if she couldn't achieve the true path to divinity, her beauty would gradually fade and she would begin to show signs of aging. This was something she couldn't tolerate.
This beauty-enhancing flower is enough to keep her looking youthful for fifty years.
"Are there any more of these spiritual herbs?" she couldn't help but ask.
Song Yun then said, "There are still seven or eight plants left. I originally planned to take them home, dilute their medicinal properties, and turn them into balm to sell, so that I could also offer more spirit stones to the elders."
Elder Pan laughed upon hearing this. He waved his hand and said, "Give them both to me, you two. Do you know that such a beauty and health-enhancing herb is extremely rare and hard to find? To use it to dilute the medicinal properties and sell it as a perfume to earn a little bit of spirit stones is putting the cart before the horse."
Song Yun immediately took out eight boxes of spiritual herbs from his sleeve and presented them to him.
Elder Pan's storage ring flew into his hand. "Here are 100,000 high-grade spirit stones. Take them first."
Song Yun immediately declined in fear. Elder Pan then took back the storage ring, intending to give the spirit stones to the Song family later.
However, she still gave the child a few magical treasures. Song Yun didn't dare to accept them; she simply waved her hand, and they landed in his hand.
"A gift from an elder should not be refused. These are for you!"
"It's kind of you two to be so filial. You should send this zither to Chi'er."
They also gave him a celestial zither, a pipa. The pipa's strings gleamed with golden light, and its wooden back exuded a faint woody fragrance; it was clearly no ordinary object.
The Song family has been accumulating spirit stones in recent years, intending to buy Song Chi a fine pipa.
Upon seeing such a precious zither, Song Yun couldn't bear to refuse and quickly thanked it on behalf of her sister.
As Song Yun was about to take his leave, Elder Pan called him back.
"Elder Qingyun sent me a message. That old fellow has noticed your extraordinary opportunities in the secret realm and wants to take you as his disciple. You can go and become his disciple in a few days."
Song Yun immediately agreed.
Then Elder Pan asked again, "How was your experience with the alchemy inheritance?"
Song Yun immediately reached for the scroll, but Elder Pan waved his hand. “This is your good fortune, so keep it safe. You must not show it to anyone else. Even Elder Qingyun, with me in charge, I doubt that old fellow would dare ask you for this alchemy book. Since it was bestowed by a great alchemist, it is not for others to covet it.”
"Thank you for your kindness, Elder!" Song Yun was actually a little worried that the sect's bigwig would ask for the alchemy manual. "As for this alchemy manual, I wonder if the Elder has ever heard of the name of the Hundred Flower Fairy?"
"The Fairy of a Hundred Flowers?" Elder Pan pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "Historical records mention great alchemists, but there's no such person. What about that alchemy book? How advanced is it? Is it about poisonous or spiritual elixirs?"
"This is a scroll of poison pill techniques!"
Upon hearing Song Yun's reply, Elder Pan immediately laughed. "You lad have truly inherited your ancestor's skills. You look so gentle and refined, with a face like a peach blossom, but who would have guessed that you're capable of ruthless actions?"
"As for the Dao of Alchemy, my knowledge is shallow, but I find it extremely mysterious."
"Therefore, you should diligently comprehend the Dao and not fail to live up to the legacy of this great being."
After Elder Pan dismissed Song Yun, he immediately swallowed a spiritual flower. He noticed that the fine lines around his eyes faded instantly, and his skin gradually regained its fair and delicate appearance, making him look more than ten years younger. He was immediately filled with joy.
The next day, he sent his disciple to the Song family, giving them countless pills and spirit stones. From then on, he would only charge the perfume shop a 20% commission.
She didn't really care about that small profit, but if she didn't accept it, others would think the Song family was easy to bully.
Song Ning was once exceptionally handsome, with a face like a peach blossom. She had feelings for him, but Song Ning was too unattractive and never reciprocated her affections. Later, he returned to his hometown, married, had children, and opened a small perfume shop. Before his death, he specifically sent a letter asking her to look after the Song family in the future. He also said that according to divination, his two great-great-grandsons were destined for great things, and asked her to help them in the future.
Therefore, she paid close attention to the aptitude tests of Song Yun and Song Chi when they were young, but who knew... their spiritual root aptitude was really just so-so. At the time, she couldn't see that the two children had any great opportunities.
Until this secret realm. Leaving aside the fact that young Song Chi defeated the sect disciples to gain entry, the Azure Sword Sect's fortune test already demonstrated her extraordinary nature. Then there's Song Yun, who merely went on a mission, passed by Jade Bamboo Lake, and despite being a hundred miles away, was drawn into the secret realm, receiving spiritual fruits to improve her aptitude and inheriting the Dao of Alchemy. This opportunity is all the more precious.
"They are two good children!"
After that, Elder Pan genuinely began to take care of Song Yun, and even sent a letter to his friend Xue Ji Fairy of the Qingjian Sect, asking her to help look after Song Chi.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
On the day of the retest of spiritual roots, Song Chi and the other disciples who had consumed spiritual fruits were summoned to the Respect for Teachers Hall to formally pay homage to their grandmaster.
Then, the spiritual root test was conducted in the side hall.
The spiritual root cleansing effects were quite good for everyone else. Especially for Qi Zhenmo, Xue Qingyan, and Xi Ya, who already had good aptitude, the spiritual root cleansing directly improved their spiritual root stats, with two reaching 99 and the other reaching 95.
This puts him firmly in the ranks of genius disciples.
Then there was Dai Jia. One of her two spiritual roots was clearly weak, at only 68. However, after the aptitude was cleansed, that root increased dramatically to 90, and the other also went from 85 to 95. Everyone was amazed by the explosive growth of her spiritual roots, even the sect leader took a second look.
Originally, it would have been fortunate if the blood pressure had increased from 68 to over 85. Dai Jia really hit the jackpot!
Cheng Yao's transformation of her spiritual roots was nothing short of miraculous. Originally, she possessed three spiritual roots: metal, water, and wood. Her metal root had a value of 85, her wood root 75, and her water root 72. Her water root was the lowest, but unexpectedly, it improved the most, directly reaching 92. Moreover, her water root shone with an extraordinary light, causing the Eighth Elder of the Linglong Sect, Fairy Nan Qiao, to immediately stand up, her eyes gleaming, as if she wanted to accept him as a disciple on the spot. However, she was ultimately stopped by the Sect Leader.
Cheng Yao's other two spiritual roots have also improved significantly; her metal spiritual root has reached level ninety, and her wood spiritual root has reached level eighty-five. She has now fully entered the ranks of the strong.
Wei Lingxiu, like Song Chi, originally had a miserable average spiritual root. Her metal spiritual root was eighty, and her water and wood spiritual roots were both seventy-nine.
After receiving the spiritual fruit and improving his condition, he behaved better this time. All three of his spiritual roots reached level ninety, but the gold spiritual root was at level ninety-one, while the other two were at level ninety.
When it came to Song Chi, she was unsure of herself, so she was the last to go for the blood test to verify her qualifications.
As the blood dripped down, three beams of light rose with a hum.
Then the beam of light was smoothed out as if it had been sliced flat by a sword, becoming quite even.
The root value also left onlookers speechless, as it was all 88.
Previously, even the sect leader, True Person Xuanwei, knew that Song Chi possessed three spiritual roots of seventy-seven. It was assumed that with the spiritual fruit improving her aptitude, at least one of her spiritual roots would reach ninety. That would grant her immortal roots, and she might even have a chance at the Nascent Soul stage.
Who knew that they were all just a little short, and the average was surprisingly 88.
Although Song Chi had guessed this outcome, he was speechless for a moment.
The talented disciples, including Ye Qingyu, had insisted on attending the ceremony, and upon seeing her spiritual root test, even Ye Qingyu couldn't help but close her eyes.
Although Song Chi gained nothing from the Flying Immortal Palace, they had their own guesses. But they felt that Song Chi's luck shouldn't be so bad; perhaps after a month of medicinal cleansing, his level would rise to ninety.
As a result, she managed to average 88.
Ye Qingyu thought angrily, "Can't she be a little more assertive? Golden Core cultivators only have a lifespan of three hundred years; in cultivation, time flies by in the blink of an eye." He hoped... she could stay by his side a little longer.
As Song Chi left the Respect for Teachers Hall, Cheng Yao and the others mumbled a comforting word to her.
"Perhaps more celestial realms will appear in the future, with spiritual herbs that can improve one's aptitude. Don't be discouraged!"
Song Chi thought to himself, "If the script remains unchanged, it really will happen twenty years from now."
Now is the time to seize the opportunity to cultivate and strive to raise my cultivation level to the late stage of Foundation Establishment within twenty years.
However, the chances of achieving this goal are slim. With her current aptitude, according to her recent inquiries with Senior Sister An Yu and the others, even with diligent effort, it would take her at least thirty years to reach the late Foundation Establishment stage. After all, no one has a spiritual root level of ninety, so cultivation slows down after reaching the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
The four returned to their dormitory. Xi Ya activated her defensive barrier and said, "Keep your voices down from now on. I need to work hard on my alchemy practice. Perhaps I can refine a Celestial Foundation Establishment Pill within six months."
"Wh-what?" Dai Jia's mouth could fit two duck eggs; she simply couldn't believe it.
"Is it that lost immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pill?" Cheng Yao's voice trembled.
Only Song Chi, who was holding the script, remained quite calm.
The book mentions that after returning to her sect from the secret realm, Xi Ya made a name for herself six months later by refining a Celestial-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, causing a sensation throughout the entire cultivation world!
The alchemical texts she received naturally pertained to the Dao of Elixir.
Seeing their surprised expressions, Xi Ya pursed her lips and nodded. "Originally, I was worried that my aptitude wasn't good enough, but who knew that the spiritual fruit would improve my aptitude so perfectly. Therefore, I have a much better chance of refining this Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pill!"
Upon hearing this, Dai Jia immediately stood at attention.
"Don't worry, Sia, from now on, even if a crow dares to caw, I'll snap its neck. It won't even make a sound and startle you!"
Cheng Yao nodded vigorously. "I will never let anyone who dares to disturb Junior Sister Xi Ya get away with it."
Seeing this, Xi Ya smiled faintly and said, "There's no need for such quiet. Song Chi, you can play a piece for me every night to liven things up. The beauty of your music can help me comprehend the Dao."
Song Chi was immediately stared at intently by Dai Jia and Cheng Yao.
She laughed and said, "What's so difficult about that? One song every night, and the melody is never the same."
She can brag about this all she wants. After all, she has a huge amount of music in her head.
"Then you all should focus on your cultivation. I feel that the first batch of Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pills I refine will be the best!"
Xi Ya's intuition was right again. All ten pills in Xi Ya's first batch were marked with auspicious cloud symbols, indicating she had received a divine destiny. However, they were divided among the talented disciples in the book, and the Lingxu Immortal Sect even took two of them.
This time! The four women exchanged glances, determined to be the first to swallow the pill, no matter what.
Song Chi even raised his hand. "Could you spare one for my brother?"
Xi Ya and the others couldn't help but smile when they thought of Song Yun's ethereal beauty and her seemingly frail defensive skills. In those ten days or so, each of them had saved Song Yun an average of seven or eight times.
They'd seen plenty of strong, handsome, and talented disciples, but Song Yun, this delicate and beautiful young man, was a first for them. Surprisingly, he was quite interesting and captivating.
"That's natural. Since the five of us have obtained this opportunity together, we should naturally take the elixir together as well."
Xi Ya immediately said this in a clear and elegant voice.
Venerable Xueqiao was originally observing the qualification testing outside the Respect for Teachers Hall. When he saw Song Chi leave with a stern face, he was worried that the child was upset and might develop inner demons.
I had intended to offer some words of comfort. Who knew that following me to Peach Blossom Peak would lead me to overhear such confidential information…
Although the female disciple's magical artifact defense was quite good, it naturally couldn't hide it from him. He could hear it with just a flick of his sleeve.
However, Venerable Xueqiao simply smiled and made no intention of informing others. He would just watch the show later.
As for the mutual help among these people, it was pleasing to him. And Song Chi, upon returning to the sect, busied herself like an ant, delivering gifts to everyone who had helped her, offering them all the valuable gifts she had obtained from the secret realm. Even the disciple and steward who had let her join the inner sect when she became a disciple had thought of this.
As he looked at the child, Venerable Xueqiao became even more eager to take him as his disciple. He liked children who knew how to repay kindness.
Even if none of them have a talent or spiritual root that reaches level ninety, making the Nascent Soul stage hopeless, they are still somewhat lacking in qualifications to become his disciple. There's a suspicion that they might not be able to command respect.
The main problem is that this child's aptitude is not as good as Youqin's. He originally only planned to take Youqin as an outer disciple, but now he thinks he can't let this child suffer.
Venerable Xueqiao planned to have the matter of accepting Youqin as his second personal disciple as soon as he returned.
Of course, he also noticed the slight twitch on the face of Shu Bai, the eldest disciple who was equally concerned about Song Chi, when he heard about the Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself; this kid had heaven-defying talent, yet he couldn't obtain an Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. It was just that he was born too early.
"This matter should not be publicized," Venerable Xueqiao immediately whispered. He was still looking forward to seeing the spectacle that day!
These children are exceptionally intelligent. If the sect had known about the pills before they were even refined, then this first batch of elixirs, bestowed by divine favor, should not have fallen into their hands. At least, it shouldn't have fallen into the hands of the three besides Xi Ya, as those dragon princes and phoenix grandsons are all yearning for a single immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pill but have yet to obtain one.
The day after his qualifications were verified, Song Chi received the celestial zither and pipa bestowed upon him by Elder Pan.
She held the radiant violin tightly, truly unable to put it down.
She had only ever seen such a superior celestial zither in other people's possessions, like Ye Qingyu's. It was said that one of them cost at least 500,000 high-grade spirit stones; Elder Pan was being far too generous.
Then, after reading Song Yun's letter, she learned the whole story. She couldn't help but smile; thankfully, her brother had directly sent five beauty-enhancing herbs, not the two she had mentioned before. Indeed, such miraculous herbs were extremely rare. Diluting them to sell for spirit stones would be a complete waste.
Moreover, with Elder Pan's support, even if Song Yun's alchemy lineage becomes known in the future, no one will dare to openly coerce her.
Elder Pan is truly a good person, no wonder his great-grandfather was so close to him.
Song Chi immediately sent an urgent letter, telling Song Yun not to rush into alchemy, but to focus on improving his cultivation over the next six months, and absolutely not to reach the Foundation Establishment stage before receiving her letter. She dared not reveal the reason in the letter, but emphasized that she had written it three times, believing her brother would understand her good intentions.
Next, she entered a frenzied cultivation mode. She was determined to raise her cultivation to the Great Perfection of the Ninth Level of Qi Refining within six months, and then consume that Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pill to establish her foundation! This kind of opportunity was fleeting and could not be missed.
After all, the book mentions that when the Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pill was refined, celestial music rang out, and auspicious clouds enveloped the alchemy room from all directions. This immediately attracted the attention of the sect leaders.
At this moment, they must quickly swallow a Foundation Establishment Pill. Then they must rush to the righteous path of the Daoist temple!
Strike first, strike hard. After all, those princes and princesses each have astonishing backgrounds, and to snatch the elixir from them, we have to act swiftly and decisively.
Because Venerable Xueqiao wanted to hear Song Chi's new tune, and Mo Shubai also loved this fresh melody, he would come to Taorui Peak every night at Hai hour to record a piece.
However, after only a month of enlightenment, Xi Ya began to spend every afternoon in the alchemy room, not returning until late at night.
During that month, Song Chi didn't play a single piece repeatedly for the first half of the month. Whether melodious and gentle or passionate and brilliant, there was no instrument she couldn't play, whether it was the qin, zheng, or pipa.
He especially loved the exquisite celestial zither and pipa that her family had sent her. Mo Shubai knew of this type of zither; her master had recently bought a fine one. Upon seeing Song Chi's new piece, her master was displeased and even inquired about it.
After all, the Song family's wealth was such that even their entire fortune wasn't enough to buy just one string of this immortal zither and pipa.
Then it was learned that Elder Pan of the Changyun Sect, who had been looking after the Song family, had bestowed countless spirit stones and other gifts upon them because he had received a beauty-enhancing herb from a secret realm from the Song siblings. Furthermore, a celestial zither and pipa were even sent from afar to the Qingjian Sect.
Master has recently started inquiring about auctions, presumably looking to buy a better instrument to surpass this one. That would require at least a 20,000-year-old immortal sandalwood zither to even have a chance. After all, Song Chi's current pipa is made of immortal sandalwood over 10,000 years old.
The master kept mentioning the words "Phoenix Immortal Wood," which is naturally the top-grade immortal wood used for making zithers. However, the art of making Phoenix Immortal Wood has been lost for nearly 100,000 years, making its existence virtually impossible.
Leaving those aside for now, after Song Chi played different pieces for half a month, his female disciple Xi Ya suggested that she should listen to the piece from the night they robbed the secret realm... that's the piece that truly resonated with her.
So Song Chi and Cheng Yao would play a duet on the qin and flute in the courtyard every night at Hai Shi (9-11 PM). The music was stirring and powerful, with a lively rhythm and a majestic presence. It was indeed a rare and exquisite piece.
Furthermore, Song Chi was playing the pipa and zheng together with great enthusiasm. Cheng Yao's flute music was also quite stirring, filled with murderous intent. Cheng Yao, this female disciple, had always been rather ordinary in her zither playing, but her flute music was indeed quite good, suggesting she was skilled at playing wind instruments. However, this reduced her lethality as a music cultivator. Music cultivators still relied on the chilling aura of their zither music to defend themselves.
However, the Eighth Elder, Fairy Nan Qiao, took a liking to Cheng Yao on the day her aptitude was tested at the Respect for Teachers Hall. It's likely that Cheng Yao will switch to learning the Linglong Sect's cultivation method in the future. That remains to be seen, depending on her choice.
Cheng Yao was different from the other three in the courtyard; those three were all very ambitious. Cheng Yao appeared to be the most delicate and composed, but in reality, she was the most romantic. She probably hadn't yet thought about what path she would take in her future cultivation journey.
Ultimately, this is a personal choice, and Mo Shubai, as a celestial master, dared not offer unsolicited advice. He could only challenge her during the sound cultivation assessment, forcing her to consider whether sound cultivation was the right path for her.
And so, half a year passed quickly.
Song Chi and the others cultivated at an astonishing speed, already reaching the Great Perfection of the Ninth Level of Qi Refining. Song Chi, in particular, hadn't even done any missions in the past six months, focusing solely on cultivation. Although her aptitude was slightly inferior, with such diligent cultivation, according to their mutual assessment, Song Chi had also reached the Perfection of the Qi Refining stage.
Interestingly enough...
None of those dragon sons and phoenix grandsons had reached the Foundation Establishment stage beforehand. Logically speaking, their cultivation should have reached the Qi Refining stage half a year ago, and they had already prepared high-grade Foundation Establishment pills and spiritual fields, so they could have reached the Foundation Establishment stage at any time without any problem.
These disciples attended classes at Qingxue Palace every day, appearing quite leisurely. Not a single one even suggested establishing their foundation.
Mo Shubai then secretly asked his cousin Jiang Linyue, and the reply he received was that everyone was waiting for Cui Xueruo to follow the right path.
The disciples of the Cui family in the sacred land of Yunji do indeed need to perform sacrifices, divination, and choose an auspicious day before they can follow the righteous path.
As the winter solstice approaches, people from the Cui family arrive, beginning preparations for the Cui family's young princess at the Qingjian Sect's training grounds. It seems the day of her righteous return is not far off.
Once the Cui family made their move, the other families quickly followed suit. They will likely choose the righteous path on the same day.
What impressed Mo Shubai was the incredible power of the Heavenly Secrets Deduction Technique of the Cloud Pavilion Holy Land.
He had been closely observing Xi Ya's alchemy skills. He noticed that Xi Ya's recent attempts to refine Foundation Establishment Pills had already shown considerable skill and understanding.
I'm afraid he'll achieve immortality within the next half month.
However, regarding her alchemy, Fairy Xueji of the Pill Sect was closely overseeing her, and Mo Shubai was also covering for her in various ways. Within the sect, no more than four people knew about this, let alone the external forces. Even if the Cui family and others could wield great influence in the cultivation world, they were powerless against the Azure Sword Sect within its own territory, no matter how capable they were.
But they took a different approach and divined the answer.
Of course, Cui Xue Ruo is the key to unlocking the seal on the Flying Immortal Platform, the destined woman who will usher in a golden age of spiritual power unsealing for this realm. In fact, the sect will give her this Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pill as soon as possible.
For the sake of the greater good, the Azure Sword Sect would naturally not engage in a contest of strength in such a place.
That day, a blizzard struck.
Today is the fifteenth, a day off. Early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xi Ya called over Song Chi and the other two.
"Is everything prepared at the dojo?"
“We’ve already made reservations.” Song Chi and the others showed their tokens.
Xi Ya nodded, then looked up at the sky and took a deep breath.
"I feel like today is the day, let's go."
The four of them went outside. Song Chi and the other two formed a pincer movement, flanking Xi Ya. They were prepared; not even a mosquito could possibly touch Xi Ya!
Of course, there wouldn't be any mosquitoes in this kind of weather.
The four of them soon arrived at Danzong Mountain and asked for a high-grade pill room.
In recent days, the three of them have accompanied Xi Ya to refine pills. According to Xi Ya, this is to establish their affinity with pills.
Especially today, we must guard it even more.
Therefore, after Xi Ya felt a cold wind, she turned around and went into the alchemy room.
Song Chi even displayed the peach blossom fan that Song Yun had made by hand, hoping that this might give his brother a chance to make a fortune.
All three of them were actually a little anxious, but they were afraid that their anxiety would affect Xi Ya, so they each focused their eyes on their noses and their minds, and sat in the snow to meditate. Soon their mood did indeed calm down.
It takes an hour to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill.
An hour usually doesn't seem long, but today it felt exceptionally long.
Snowflakes continued to fall softly, and the sky was filled with heavy, leaden clouds. They had arrived early, before dawn, at the alchemy room. It wasn't until an hour later that other disciples of the Alchemy Sect began to arrive and request rooms.
In the past, disciples would often ask to use the alchemy room next door.
These disciples were unusually well-behaved today; no one came around. They were even separated by three or four alchemy rooms.
Song Chi and the others breathed a sigh of relief; they were really lucky. They had already discovered that if the disciples in the neighboring alchemy room didn't refine pills well, it would also affect Xi Ya.
Therefore, recently, the disciples of the Dan Sect have been frequently targeted by the three men.
Even though the alchemy rooms are far apart, the disciples practicing alchemy today seem to be of a very high level. The alchemy rooms are shrouded in a peaceful mist, and that peaceful aura is gradually spreading towards Xi Ya.
Song Chi and the others were greatly surprised, then exchanged a secret glance. Truly, heaven is on our side! Today is indeed an auspicious day for alchemy; all the talented disciples of the Pill Sect have come to refine pills.
Then, an hour later, it was the most crucial moment for Siya.
At that time, Song Chi was the most nervous, constantly sensing his surroundings. The book mentions that when Xi Ya refined the Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, a gust of wind would blow from the ground the moment the pill was completed. The wind was clearly fresh and smooth, yet it left a deep impression on everyone.
Even the steward in charge of the alchemy room came out, stroked his beard, and nodded. The book says that this meant it was in accordance with the opportune time and that he had received divine assistance.
She hadn't even felt the gust of wind yet. Even the previously howling cold wind had completely stopped, and the snowflakes in the sky rose up like drifting catkins, sometimes falling slowly, and sometimes falling in almost a straight line.
So, where's the wind? It won't be blown away by her little wings, will it?
Song Chi truly doesn't want the script to change even the slightest bit.
Just as she was worrying, a gentle east wind suddenly blew, and sure enough, a refreshing breeze swept over her. The lightness was like a spring breeze blowing through willow catkins, incredibly gentle and warm, like the warm hand of Mother Earth!
Then she saw the steward of the alchemy room not far away emerge in surprise, not daring to make a sound. He looked around and then stroked his beard with amusement. His hand trembled quite badly as he stroked his beard, tearing off several hairs.
Here it comes! That gust of wind.
Song Chi's chest heaved slightly, and he dared not take a deep breath, lest he disturb the alchemy room.
The alchemy room was completely silent; even the rising mist above it had almost disappeared. This was unusual, and Dai Jia and Cheng Yao both turned pale.
Then a low sigh came from inside the alchemy room. It was the kind of sigh that comes from someone who has reached the pinnacle of concentration and then relaxes.
Song Chi and the other two couldn't help but take a step forward, but then dared not continue. They were afraid that any movement they made would disrupt this opportunity.
Click!
A soft sonic boom came from inside the alchemy room.
Then, Xi Ya’s soft, clear voice rang out, “It’s done!” And just like in the book, the celestial music came leisurely from the ethereal sky, arriving in an instant. Soon, the sound was loud and seemed to spread for thousands of miles.
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Author's Note: [Cat emoji][Cat emoji] I'm here, continuing to write 10,000 words a day!
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