The Qi family didn't tell much about their original residence, so the people sent by the peak master started by investigating the other cultivators who came to Nanzhou with them. After all, with so many people coming together, it was impossible to completely keep it a secret.
Upon receiving the order, the disciple immediately headed to Nanzhou to make contact with the cultivators from Xuanling Continent.
After returning from the Spirit Spring Pool, Qi Zhiheng visited the Pill Peak and met with the alchemists. Rong Gu was overjoyed to see Qi Zhiheng. This time, Qi Zhiheng's absence was longer than usual, and the drawbacks became apparent for some disciples who didn't truly enjoy alchemy to begin with. Most of the disciples here were children, with fickle minds. After the initial novelty of alchemy wore off, many began to slack off.
Rong Gu was aware of the current situation, but he was also in a dilemma. If he didn't explain the situation, he was afraid that his master would blame him for being incompetent. If he did explain, he was afraid that his disciples would think he was talking badly about them behind their backs. This put him in a difficult position.
Seeing the flicker in his eyes, Qi Zhiheng knew that he had something to say. So after the disciples finished refining the first batch of pills for the morning, Qi Zhiheng said to Rong Gu, "Rong Gu, come with me for a moment."
Rong Gu stood up and followed Qi Zhiheng to the other rooms.
Qi Zhiheng asked Rong Gu upon seeing him, "What has happened during this time?"
Rong Gu hesitated for a moment, considering how to answer the question.
Qi Zhiheng was puzzled: "I just asked you to talk about some daily situations, why are you stammering?"
Rong Gu was scolded by Qi Zhiheng, and his face turned red. In the end, he decided to tell the truth and recounted how some people had been neglecting their alchemy recently.
Qi Zhiheng nodded: "I understand." It's normal for this to happen. He didn't expect such a large group of people to become successful. However, it shouldn't be too difficult for them to become second-level alchemists in the future. At least they should be able to earn a spiritual vein for themselves!
Rong Gu saw that Qi Zhiheng didn't seem to blame him, but he didn't understand what Qi Zhiheng was thinking. Then he said, "Master, I have something to say."
"What is it?" Qi Zhiheng asked.
Rong Gu said, "I have recently had some insights and wish to go into seclusion to cultivate and break through to the Foundation Establishment stage."
Qi Zhiheng checked Rong Gu's condition and examined his body before saying, "Alright, you can go back tomorrow. I will choose someone else to take over your duties."
Rong Gu breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Master."
After returning to the alchemy room, Qi Zhiheng announced to everyone that Rong Gu would be going into seclusion to attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. For the next period of time, he would select another person to help manage the disciples. As for who to choose, he would select from among the most outstanding disciples.
Qi Zhiheng did not intend to expose Rong Gu's complaint. He told everyone that Rong Gu was going into seclusion mainly to explain why Rong Gu had gone out with him earlier.
On the same day, after a day of learning about pill refining, Rong Gu successfully refined a high-grade pill, although there was only one.
Qi Zhiheng has already refined a batch of pills during this period. Rong Gu is preparing to establish his foundation, so it would be best to prepare Foundation Establishment Pills.
Rong Gu has helped him with many things during this time, so as a reward, he should give his disciple a pill.
Qi Zhiheng first chose another disciple whose pill-refining skills were slightly inferior to Rong Gu's. This disciple was sixteen years old and named Ye Hanyuan.
Qi Zhiheng handed over the tasks that Rong Gu originally intended to do to Ye Hanyuan, giving him the title of second disciple.
Ye Hanyuan, as the second formal disciple, was quite excited. He had been extremely envious of Rong Gu for receiving so many pill rewards, and now it was finally his turn.
Before Rong Gu prepared to return, Qi Zhiheng gave him two Foundation Establishment Pills. If Rong Gu could break through to the Foundation Establishment stage in one fell swoop, he might become the first Level 2 Alchemist among this group of disciples. In that case, he would be able to obtain a low-grade spiritual vein.
Since his return from Juxian City, he hasn't had any other way to obtain spiritual veins. After the spiritual veins were buried in the space, the spiritual energy became much denser, and now he really doesn't want to part with them.
The next day, Qi Zhiheng divided the people in the house into two groups: one group consisted of about fifty people who were serious about alchemy, while the rest remained.
The disciples soon discovered that those chosen by Qi Zhiheng were the ones who had made the most progress during Qi Zhiheng's absence.
As a result, some of the disciples who were left behind experienced a sense of loss.
They were all children, but Qi Zhiheng really didn't know how to take care of them. He wondered if he should ask Yang Zhen for advice next time.
After Qi Zhiheng and the fifty selected people arrived at another alchemy room, he said to the disciples below, "You are the disciples who have made the most progress after my observation. I will focus on training you in the future. Each disciple in this alchemy room can receive a top-grade pill every day. The level of pill you can get depends on what level of alchemist you can become."
Upon hearing this, the disciples below cheered. This meant that becoming a level two alchemist would grant them one level two top-grade pill every day, and a level three alchemist would grant them one level three top-grade pill every day!
This promise naturally ignited an unprecedented level of enthusiasm among the crowd.
Qi Zhiheng hadn't yet come up with a way to guide these disciples, so he could only try to keep their enthusiasm high by offering rewards.
"Quiet down for a moment." Qi Zhiheng waited for the chattering crowd to quiet down before continuing, "Everyone in this alchemy room will receive a reward, but if you can't maintain your position in this class, then you won't get the reward."
Ye Hanyuan, who had just been elected, said, "Master, we will definitely work hard!"
Qi Zhiheng nodded and said, "Keep an eye on things here. If there's anything you can't handle, come find me."
"Yes, Master."
Qi Zhiheng instructed everyone here to refine pills, then turned and went to another pill-refining room with about a hundred people.
The disciples below didn't know what Qi Zhiheng had taken those fifty people for, but that didn't stop them from watching Qi Zhiheng with bated breath.
The oldest of the remaining children was only ten years old, and the youngest was six. Qi Zhiheng felt embarrassed to scold them when they were being stared at like that. So he could only encourage them, "Those fifty people went next door. I made them a promise that as long as they stay in that alchemy room, they can receive a top-grade pill every day."
"Whoosh—" The children exclaimed, their faces full of envy.
Qi Zhiheng continued, "You don't need to be envious. As long as you can surpass any of the people next door in the future, you can take their place and receive a top-grade pill as a reward every day!"
The children below had different expressions. Some felt they had no chance and became even more negative, while others felt they might be able to take a step further and their eyes lit up!
They were all children, many of whom couldn't hide their emotions, and Qi Zhiheng quickly figured out who wasn't very confident in alchemy.
Qi Zhiheng thought to himself that if those children really couldn't cultivate through alchemy, he could perhaps teach them in other ways. After all, he himself wasn't a cultivator who entered the Dao through alchemy.
Qi Zhiheng personally refined a round of pills for the group of children and taught them a few things. He resolved some of their questions about pill refining before returning home.
Back in the courtyard, Qi Zhiheng discovered that some of the furniture in the house had been replaced.
Qi Zhiheng said to Yang Yitian, who was watching the child, "Why is this bed new? And this table is new too. Hmm? Why is there one less chair?"
Yang Yitian looked at Qi Zhiheng with some resentment: "It was all Sanbao's doing."
Qi Zhiheng asked with some confusion, "What did Sanbao do? Does he want to buy new furniture?"
Yang Yitian shook his head and said, "No, you know how strong your son is." He then recounted the whole story. It turned out that Sanbao originally possessed an inexplicable strength. Not long after he was born, he was able to smash Yang Yitian's eyes, who was at the Golden Core stage, blackening them. Before, it was a bit better; he could only use it once every few days. But now, after returning from the Qi Induction Cultivation ...
Qi Zhiheng was also somewhat helpless: "Can't we communicate with him?" Sanbao is over a year old now. Children of cultivators are naturally precocious, and he can understand most of what is being said now.
Yang Yitian shook his head and said, "I've already tried to communicate with him, but he can't control himself. I really don't know what to do. Why don't you send him to Senior Yang Zhen for some guidance?"
Qi Zhiheng said, "Let me check on Sanbao's condition first."
He walked up to Sanbao and said, "Sanbao, your father is back."
Sanbao grinned sweetly: "Father—"
Qi Zhiheng picked the child up, sat on the bed, placed the child on his lap, kissed him on the cheek, and teased, "Did you miss your father, Sanbao?"
Sanbao opened his big eyes and said very honestly, "No."
Qi Zhiheng: "..."
"Hahahahahahahahaha..." Yang Yitian, standing to the side, almost laughed himself silly! His kid had really ruined his chances!
Qi Zhiheng glanced at Yang Yitian and continued communicating with his three treasures: "Your father is so good to you, why don't you miss him? Don't you want to eat the steamed egg custard anymore?"
Upon hearing Qi Zhiheng mention steamed egg custard, Sanbao's eyes lit up immediately: "What I said earlier was all fake. Actually, I really miss my father!" He even drooled a little as he finished speaking.
Qi Zhiheng: "..." If he hadn't drooled, his words might have been more credible.
Qi Zhiheng pinched his cheek: "You're such an ingrate." As he spoke, he used his soul power to enter Sanbao's body and examine him.
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