Chapter 017 - Arriving at the Frostfire Sect
The Frostfire Sect's environment was as harsh as it was magnificent.
Located deep in the northernmost regions, its landscape was a frozen expanse of sharp mountains, perpetually covered in snow, with occasional wisps of steam rising from concealed geothermal cracks. Glacial winds roared across the cliffs, while icy rivers shimmered beneath a pale sun that struggled to rise above the horizon.
Yet, beneath the cold surface, pockets of intense heat emanated from the volcanic veins running below, creating a strange contrast of fire and frost.
As the flying boat approached the sect, the striking beauty of the terrain became fully apparent.
Inside the vessel, however, conditions were much more pleasant. A design etched on its hull controlled the temperature, providing a cozy warmth and shielding everyone from the biting cold outside. For the children on board, this was just a glimpse of the difficulties they would encounter at the Frostfire Sect.
The moment any of them stepped outside the boat, the reality of the Frostfire Sect's climate would hit them. The sect robe's protective abilities would become essential, as the chill would pierce to the bone for anyone without sufficient cultivation to withstand it.
These robes, adorned with a subtle flickering pattern of blue and red, could alleviate the biting cold with the touch of spiritual power, adjusting perfectly to the wearer's body. The design cleverly balanced style and practicality, perfect for life in a sect where fire and ice coexisted.
As the children were dismissed to change into their new sect robes, they dispersed throughout the boat. Some of the wealthier children flaunted their robes, activating the adjustment feature immediately with a flourish of spiritual power.
One of the wealthier children glancing nervously at the white expanse beyond.
"Is it really that cold out there?"
Another child from a prominent clan scoffed, adjusting his sect robe.
"You'll freeze if you don't know how to use spiritual power."
The commoner children, meanwhile, gathered more quietly, still unaccustomed to such luxurious clothing, unsure how to properly use the robe's feature.
Rinne, unnoticed as usual, slipped into a secluded corner of the boat. Her ragged clothes, torn and dirty, were finally replaced with the crisp, new sect robe. Yet unlike the others, she chose not to activate the automatic adjustment.
Instead, she let the robe hang loosely, oversized and ill-fitting. It concealed her small frame, blending her into the group of commoner children who had not yet begun cultivating. She moved with deliberate humility, wanting no attention drawn her way, blending in among the weakest—those who had not yet learned to harness spiritual power.
One of the commoner children whispered nervously.
"I'm not sure how to adjust mine,"
Another child replied.
"Just leave it, we're all the same here—no spiritual power yet."
The boat finally arrived at the Frostfire Sect, its grand landing platform framed by massive glaciers and overlooking the sect's vast territory. As the children disembarked, the frigid air hit them all at once. The well-dressed children quickly activated the protective functions of their robes, but the commoners, including Rinne, bore the cold in silence, shivering in their oversized garments.
As they regrouped, Rinne, noticing Kael in the distance among the wealthier children, said nothing and quietly walked away. She blended into the crowd, disappearing without a trace.
Meanwhile, Kael was searching for her. He scanned the groups of disciples disembarking from the boat, looking for Rin's familiar figure, but to his dismay, he couldn't find Rin's figure anywhere. His shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment, but he remained optimistic.
"We're in the same sect now. I'll definitely meet Rin again,"
He thought to himself, determined to find his friend at a later time.
The new outer disciples were then directed towards a dormitory located in the outer sect area, which would serve as their temporary living quarters.
It was a grand structure that showcased the unique architectural style of the Frostfire Sect. The walls were constructed from Glacium Stone, a material renowned for its ability to isolate extreme temperatures. This stone kept the cold of the northern region at bay, allowing the inhabitants to remain warm and unaffected by the biting cold outside.
The building was split into two sections, one for male disciples and one for female disciples, maintaining the sect's policy of gender separation. Each section housed multiple rooms, with each room designed to accommodate four people, offering just enough space for basic necessities.
Faylen's voice echoed across the cold air, capturing everyone's attention.
"New disciples, listen closely! This dormitory is your temporary living quarters, and it is separated by gender. Males, you'll head there, the right section! Females, your dormitory is on the left!"
While speaking, he directed the new disciples with gestures, indicating where they should head.
"Register your name inside and assign yourself to a room. Don't linger too long. The orientation begins tomorrow."
With that, Faylen turned on his heel and left the group, not bothering to wait for questions. The newly recruited disciples exchanged glances, some excited, others nervous, and they began walking towards their assigned dormitories.
Rinne, however, did not follow the instructions.
She already knew the Frostfire Sect's grounds, including this dormitory's layout. She knew the details well enough to navigate without any help and was resolute in one fact—there was no way she would tolerate sharing a room with anyone. While the other children shuffled towards their dorms, she slipped away unnoticed.
Before walking through the cold, Rinne used her spiritual sense, gently injecting a bit of wood-attribute spiritual power, processed from the leftover spiritual power of the Verdant Meridian Pill—to activate the size adjustment function of her sect robe.
The robe responded immediately. First, the size adjusted itself, shrinking to fit her small frame perfectly. It was a subtle shift—one that made the previously loose garment snug and comfortable.
Next, she triggered the heat adjustment function, allowing the robe to insulate her from the biting chill. Though her spiritual root remained unstable and caused her constant pain, it still allowed her to use her spiritual sense without issue.
"Fortunately, I insisted on creating my spiritual root during the trial,"
Without it, she would have been forced to rely on a blood talisman again, wasting a chunk of her vitality each time she needed spiritual sense, shortening her lifespan in the process.
She knew, however, that this feature had its limits. The size adjustment would remain as it was until she decided to readjust again, but the heat regulation required a continuous supply of spiritual energy to maintain its function. The small amount she had used would only last a few hours at most. But for now, it was more than enough.
And then, she focused on the way.
Despite the cold, the Frostfire Sect was teeming with life—plants infused with both water and fire spiritual energy thrived in this harsh environment.
Towering Frostpine trees lined the walkway, their silvery needles glittering under the faint sunlight, each branch radiating cold, yet emanating a subtle, comforting warmth. Near the base of these trees, Snowberry bushes grew low to the ground, their bright red berries gleaming with a thin layer of frost, as if crystallized but somehow still ripe.
In one particularly eye-catching spot, she spotted a cluster of Frostfire lilacs. The delicate flowers had petals that appeared frozen solid, shimmering with an icy sheen. But as Rinne brushed her fingers across them, they were unexpectedly warm to the touch, emitting a soft heat that belied their fragile appearance. These rare plants held immense value, and Rinne didn't hesitate.
Without a second thought, Rinne began to collect everything in her path, from Snowberries to the frosted bark of the Frostpine trees, and even the tender petals of the Frostfire lilacs. She stored the plants inside her spatial bag, which she had obtained during the third trial.
'This spatial bag is most likely a hidden subsidy from the Immortal Alliance...'
The bag, despite being labeled as "lent" by the elder examiner at the time, had never been requested back.
This low-grade spatial bag, crafted from the stomach skin of a lake-swallowing toad, had the capacity of roughly the size of her bedroom during her previous life in the modern world—an ample amount of space for someone in Rinne's current position. Though it paled in comparison to the vast planting space Roran once possessed, for now, it served her needs perfectly.
By the time she neared her destination, her bag was already full, brimming with the unique flora of the Frostfire Sect.
♠♠♠
Rinne soon reached her destination, the Outer Affair Hall, its cold stone exterior rising before her.
The halls were relatively quiet at this time, with other new disciples still occupied with their arrival. Without hesitation, she entered and approached the front desk, where the teller, a woman named Talia Sartin, sat.
"I'm here to register as an outer disciple, and I'd also like to ask about my monthly resource allocation."
Talia looked up as Rinne approached, her amber eyes flicking over the small figure in front of her. She recognized the new recruit immediately. The clean, unblemished robe and the kid's stature were clear indicators of one of the recent inductees. Talia's sharp gaze briefly assessed Rinne, finding nothing of immediate interest.
Rinne, however, recognized Talia from memories she had harvested in her previous life. This woman was one of her victims. The Sartin clan which was Talia's family, had been a minor target in one of Rinne's more ruthless raids. Now she was just another face in the sect, a worker handling mundane tasks.
Talia spoke, her voice devoid of warmth.
"You're quite early to register. The orientation hasn't even started yet. Isn't it tomorrow?"
Rinne didn't hesitate, lying without so much as a blink.
"Yes, but my father told me to ignore the orientation. He said it was a waste of time and instructed me to register as soon as possible and begin practicing immediately."
She effortlessly spun a tale that painted her as the child of a cultivator family. Her calm demeanor and unwavering gaze gave the impression of confidence, as though she had every right to speak about her supposed father's orders. In reality, her family were mere mortals, with no connection to the world of cultivators.
Talia raised an eyebrow, then laughed—a short, humorless sound.
"Ha! Waste of time, huh? That's quite accurate. And who is your father, exactly?"
It was an innocent question on the surface, but Rinne could sense the subtle probe behind it. In a sect like Frostfire Sect, where lineage and family ties often carried influence, knowing who someone's father was could explain a lot about their confidence and actions.
Rinne gave a curt smile.
"I was told not to share personal information with strangers."
Talia blinked, a momentary flicker of surprise passing over her face. For a second, it seemed she might press further, but then she shrugged and dismissed the matter with a wave of her hand.
"Fine by me. It's none of my business anyway. Take out your token."
Rinne obediently pulled out her sect token. While handing it over, she discreetly used her spiritual power to imprint her information into the token, linking it officially to her identity.
Talia reached out with her spiritual sense, quickly scanning the token for the registration. She then glanced at the records before pulling out a small pouch and two porcelain bottles.
"Alright, your allocation for this month as an outer disciple: ten spiritual stones, a blue bottle with ten Spirit Gathering Pills, and a green bottle with ten Healing Pills. That's all for now."
Rinne took the items without a word, briefly inspecting them before slipping them into her storage bag.
But she didn't leave just yet.
"I'd also like to rent a small house with a courtyard in the outer sect area. The cheapest available."
Talia raised an eyebrow, staring at Rinne for a moment. She tapped her chin in thought before answering.
"A house, huh? There's one vacant right now. It'll cost you 5 spiritual stones per month. Are you sure?"
For outer disciples, they received an allocation of 10 spiritual stones each month. Since the rent cost 5 spiritual stones, this meant that half of their monthly allocation was spent on rent.
Talia glanced at Rinne's unassuming figure, silently noting how most outer disciples, especially the ones from poorer backgrounds—typically chose to live in the dorms to save their spiritual stones. Sharing a room with three others might not be ideal, but it allowed them to keep all 10 spiritual stones for other needs. Yet, this kid seemed more concerned about privacy than conserving her resources.
Without hesitation, Rinne nodded in agreement.
"I'll take it."
The decision to rent a small, private house was a necessary one. Sharing a dorm room with three other disciples would have been far too risky, and now she could avoid any unnecessary entanglements.
Seeing the firm determination in Rinne's eyes, Talia decided not to press the matter any further. It was clear that this child had made up her mind, and nothing she said would change it.
After all, her job was simply to handle the paperwork, not to question the choices of disciples.
"Alright, five spiritual stones,"
Rinne took out five spiritual stones, which had not yet been warmed up in her bag, and placed them on the table.
Talia took the payment without a word, her fingers brushing over the stones to confirm their authenticity, before quickly finishing the registration. She took out a token and handed it to Rinne, who then accepted it.
"It's yours for the month, but make sure to pay on time. If you don't, we won't hesitate to kick you out."
Without lingering, Rinne gave a slight nod, then turned on her heel and exited the building.
A sense of satisfaction settled over her. The transaction was complete, and with the house secured, she no longer had to worry about sharing her space with others.
Chapter 018 - Rinne's Secret Atelier
After finalizing the deal at the Outer Hall Affairs building, Rinne held the small house token given to her by the teller.
The token was more than just proof of ownership; it contained a detailed record of the house's location, etched within its core. She swept her spiritual sense over it, quickly understanding the directions to her new home.
"Right. This is where I'll stay."
The token also functioned as a key, allowing only the owner—or those they explicitly permitted—entry into the house.
While this security measure was significant, it couldn't prevent access to anyone at the Nascent Soul stage or above. However, that didn't concern Rinne for now, as Nascent Soul cultivators in the sect were elders with no reason to interfere with a mere outer disciple. In the future, she considered improving the house's defensive formations if she stayed long enough, or perhaps moving to a better home.
'Perhaps I'll improve it when the time comes.'
Rinne finally arrived at her destination—a modest structure tucked away in a quieter area of the Frostfire Sect's outer disciple quarters. The cold mountain wind whipped through the air, carrying with it the bite of frost, but the small house stood firm. It was built with simple yet sturdy materials, a stone building that insulated the interior from the biting cold outside. The stone walls shimmered faintly with lingering spiritual energy, and as Rinne pressed the token against the door, it unlocked with a quiet click, granting her entry.
'It's smaller than expected… but it'll do.'
She stepped inside and immediately scanned the house with her spiritual sense, taking in every detail. The interior was basic but functional. The common room had a low stone table, a couple of old chairs, and a modest fireplace that still retained a trace of warmth from its last use.
The walls were bare stone, but Rinne's sharp eyes caught a few scratches that seemed deliberate—likely remnants of the house's previous owner. The scratches formed crude mnemonics for a Spirit Gathering manual, a clear sign that the former resident had tried to use the house as a study space.
She activated the house token once again, this time reading the recorded history embedded within it.
The previous owner had been a male disciple at the 5th Spirit Gathering stage, who had died during a mission. His death meant he could no longer pay the monthly rent, and the house was reclaimed by the Outer Affairs Hall. They had already cleaned the place, confiscating anything of value left behind.
"Rest in peace, senior brother."
To Rinne, this information was irrelevant—just another faceless story in a world filled with fleeting lives.
Rinne walked down the short hallway, peeking into the small kitchen and then entering the bedroom, which was just large enough for a single bed and a wooden chest. She inspected everything methodically, ensuring no hidden threats or prying eyes were left behind.
After a thorough examination, Rinne let out a quiet breath, her thoughts quickly shifting to the task at hand. The house was adequate for her current needs, but she wasn't one to leave things in their basic state. She took out a small knife from her spatial bag, the familiar weight in her hand steadying her. Kneeling at the corner of the common room floor, she began carving a series of formations into the stone.
Her first formation was one she often used—the Evil Blood Sacrifice Formation.
Despite its ominous name, the formation's original purpose was not inherently evil. It was designed to extract energy from various sources, allowing the user to substitute spiritual stones with other materials. However, certain evil sects had twisted its function, modifying it to drain vitality from mortals and other living beings, which led to its dark reputation.
Rinne, however, planned to use it for its intended purpose, without the sinister modifications. With this formation, she could fuel her formations with other materials that provide spiritual energy, like how she used Spirit Gathering pills during the trial before. This was useful because she was not rich at the moment and her supply of spirit stones was limited.
Once she finished carving the first formation, Rinne moved on to her second task.
This one was far more intricate, the Array Automatic Creation Formation—a formation she created that could automatically project a design from her mind and imprint it on the stone surfaces of the room. It was one of her favorite creations, sparing her the tedious labor of manually inscribing each rune. Instead, with this technique, she could "print" an entire formation in an instant.
'This will save me a lot of time.'
Of course, the formation design Rinne created was very complex and almost impossible to create manually by hand. This was because this formation used the concept of micro sculpting, which could literally compress a large-scale formation into a compact size, making it much smaller.
In modern times, it's like comparing a bulky old hard drive to a micro SSD—which compresses large amounts of data into a compact, efficient design.
However, Rinne knew that the process of projecting the formation design from her mind would be no simple task. Transferring the complex series of intricate lines and runes from her mental blueprint into the physical world would strain her focus. It wasn't a task she could complete lightly; it would require a steady mind and plenty of spiritual energy to endure the mental toll.
'It's done for now, best to rest before attempting this.'
Satisfied for the moment, Rinne sheathed her knife, mentally preparing for the work ahead.
She would rest for the night, ensuring her mind was clear and her energy restored before attempting such an endeavor. There was no need to rush. Tomorrow, with a refreshed spirit, she would begin the delicate work of imprinting the formation.
♠♠♠
The next morning, Rinne awoke as the first light of dawn seeped through the window.
She blinked a few times, feeling refreshed after a night of rest. Though the familiar dull ache of her unstable spiritual root still lingered, she had adjusted to the pain—it was no longer a hindrance, just a constant reminder of her condition. Sitting up, she stretched her arms, feeling her muscles loosen, then swung her legs over the side of the bed.
Sunlight streamed through the frosted window of her modest house, illuminating the room with a soft glow. Today was supposed to be the day of the new disciple orientation, but Rinne had no intention of attending.
The orientation merely introduced sect rules and basic cultivation techniques—things she already knew. The basic cultivation class was particularly irrelevant to her; it only taught new disciples how to introduce spiritual energy into their bodies and officially enter the 1st Spirit Gathering stage. Rinne had already achieved this the moment her meridians were transformed.
"Nothing useful there. Wasting time."
Instead of wasting her day, Rinne decided to continue with her own tasks.
She took out a Spirit Gathering Pill and placed it in the center of her Energy Extraction Formation—or the former Evil Blood Sacrifice Formation due to its infamous history. But in Rinne's case, there would be no blood spilled today.
With a subtle gesture, she activated the formation.
Immediately, a transparent white glow enveloped the pill, far different from the deep crimson glow that often accompanied this formation. The lack of vitality or resentment meant that the energies extracted from the pill were pure. Human vitality, stored mostly in blood, was absent, which explained why there was no blood-red glow.
Though the energy extracted from the pill was modest, it was sufficient to activate the next formation that overlapped with it—her Spirit Gathering Formation, which would sustain the operation. After stabilizing everything, Rinne took a deep breath and braced herself for what came next.
"Let's do this."
Rinne's favorite formation, the Array Automatic Creation Formation, came into action.
It scanned the image of the intricate formation she had stored in her mind and began to project the corresponding lines onto the floor, walls, and ceiling of the room. Almost instantly, a sharp pain shot through her skull, as though a migraine had gripped her entire mind.
"Ugh…"
Rinne winced, enduring the discomfort.
Unlike typical formation lines packed with visible runes, this one manifested as a series of compact 5cm straight lines. Yet upon closer inspection, these lines were densely packed with microscopic runes, compressed so tightly that they appeared almost seamless. Such precision was beyond manual carving—only a sophisticated formation could etch these designs.
The process was mentally exhausting, taking four hours to complete. As Rinne bore the headache, she watched the lines spread throughout the floor, walls, and ceiling of her home, seeping into the structure. When the final line settled into place, the formation activated. Suddenly, the entire room distorted, as though the very fabric of space rippled outward from the formation. Rinne instinctively shut her eyes as the shift took place, the strange sensation disorienting her senses for a brief moment. When she reopened them, the once modest and cramped space seemed to stretch outward. Her small house appeared significantly larger, the walls receding far beyond their original positions.
She blinked, examining her surroundings.
"Did it succeed…?"
Of course, the room itself hadn't actually grown in size. Instead, the objects within the formation that weren't imprinted by its lines had shrunk, creating the illusion that the space was far more expansive. The effect wasn't permanent—it only worked within the house.
If any object left the building, its size would revert to normal.
"This will do… for now."
Real spatial-changing formations required rare materials like void stones, which contained spatial energy—materials far beyond Rinne's current reach. Still, this illusion served its purpose.
To make things even smoother, Rinne also added an illusion function, a derivative of Phantasmal Mirage Formation, designed to mask the transition of size. Anyone standing outside the house would still see the people inside as their normal size, while those within could see the outside world without distortion.
But that wasn't the main feature of this function.
The interior of the house, which was originally simple, has now transformed into a luxurious estate with modern aesthetics.
Marble walls adorned with intricate carvings replaced the plain stone. The floor turned flat and glossy, as if coated in epoxy, softly reflecting her image, while plush fur carpets spread across the ground. The ceiling seemed to stretch higher, decorated with colorful glasswork that cast a subtle glow over the room. The moment the Illusion Formation activated, the transformation of the room was far more than just visual.
The illusion extended its reach to all five senses, enveloping Rinne in a fabricated reality that felt as tangible as the real world. As she moved through the room, the smooth marble walls felt cool beneath her fingertips, even though they were only the rough stone walls beneath the illusion. The fur carpet underfoot had a plush, luxurious softness, a stark contrast to the plain flooring hidden beneath.
The high ceiling and intricate glass decorations sparkled with elegance, casting fragmented lights across the room. Rinne couldn't help but marvel at how real it all seemed, even though she knew, logically, none of it existed. The scent of fresh, crisp air, tinged with a faint floral note, filled the room as if a gentle breeze carried it from a distant meadow. This, too, was part of the illusion, masking the actual smell of dust that lingered in the real space.
However, not everything was perfect. The original furniture, not imprinted by the formation, had also shrunk and stood out awkwardly against the grand illusion. Still, that was a minor issue.
Satisfied, Rinne retrieved her stone cauldron and stove from her spatial bag, placing them near the fireplace, which had also grown in size. The Array Automatic Creation Formation had created an area that would provide a fireless, concentrated heat—perfect for her pill refining.
A smile tugged at her lips.
"With this, Atelier Rinne is officially open! Just kidding."
It was a joke, but the pride she felt in her work was no less real. Now, her home was not only secure, but it also provided the perfect environment for her alchemical pursuits.
Chapter 019 - Dilemma
With the problem of the house solved, Rinne suddenly started to feel a bit hungry. It seemed the effects of the fasting pill she had consumed before the second trial were about to wear off.
The timing was perfect, though—she now had the right conditions to practice alchemy.
"Okay then, I should refine some fasting pills."
Normally, the sect's cafeteria would provide daily portions of free meals to all disciples. The food was simple and modest—not particularly delicious, but sufficient to stave off hunger. Of course, for anyone wanting a more luxurious dining experience, they would have to pay extra. Right now, the new disciples were likely having their lunch after a few hours of introductory classes.
But Rinne had no desire to join them.
The thought of sitting among them, engaging in meaningless conversations and small talk, made her sigh in irritation. She simply wasn't in the mood for socializing, especially not with strangers.
'I'll pass on that, socializing is not my forte.'
Refining fasting pills seemed like a much more productive use of her time. These pills would keep her nourished for days without the need to eat any actual food, allowing her to focus entirely on her tasks without interruption.
Typically, fasting pills were made from spiritual grains, a few kilograms worth of which would be condensed into a handful of pills. These pills could sustain someone for several days, mimicking the effects of consuming multiple meals. However, Rinne knew that spiritual grains weren't the only option.
'Spiritual grains cannot grow in this place, but that doesn't matter.'
In fact, any edible substance could be refined into fasting pills.
The concept was similar to extracting glucose—it wasn't exclusive to sugarcane; any plant could yield it with the right technique. The same principle applied to fasting pills. Whether it was meat, roots, or even common herbs, as long as the ingredients had nutritional value, they could be used to create the pill.
Even feces could be used to create the pill.
The effectiveness might vary depending on the materials used, but with the right process, anything could be made to serve the purpose of nourishment. But Rinne was confident in her alchemy knowledge, especially after the insights she had gained from the memories of numerous alchemists.
For her, substituting ingredients or creating a new recipe wasn't difficult, it only required different steps and methods.
She gathered the ingredients she had collected from Eldergrove Forest and put them into her stone cauldron—some leftover rootstalk from a mountain root ginseng, a handful of Mossy Cap Fungus, and a few slices of snail meat. These ingredients, while unconventional, had a nutritional value comparable to the typical recipe for fasting pills.
'I'll use these leftover ingredients first, before they go bad.'
The ingredients dissolved quickly with the help of Solution B, then Rinne pressed the stir symbol etched onto the side of the cauldron, stood back and watched the process in silence. The cauldron stirred the mixture on its own, evenly distributing the dissolved ingredients.
As the ingredients simmered inside the cauldron, Rinne's spiritual sense flared to life. Ever since awakening her spiritual root, her perception had sharpened, allowing her to sense things she couldn't before. Now, as the spiritual power inside the cauldron flowed and interacted with the ingredients, she could detect subtle fluctuations in energy.
Her newfound abilities enabled her to manually adjust the spiritual power within the cauldron with precision. With each stir and adjustment, the pill refinement process became smoother. She fine-tuned the energy flow, ensuring that the ingredients dissolved perfectly and merged into the pill base.
In a few hours, the mixture condensed and solidified into ten gleaming pills. Rinne picked one up and examined it.
The pills were of top grade, far superior to the typical fasting pills distributed by the sect. Only, the color was a bit wrong, instead of the usual white color, the pills had a somewhat murky appearance, but it was not a major issue.
"This should last me for quite a while."
Satisfied with her work, she popped one of the pills into her mouth and stored the rest in a bamboo bottle. The hunger that had gnawed at her moments before quickly faded, replaced by the sensation of fullness.
♠♠♠
With her hunger satisfied, Rinne sat cross-legged, her gaze steady as she pondered her next steps.
"Well then, what should I do next..."
The problem of her stomach was resolved, but now came the more critical matters. Her body was still riddled with harmful substances—the aftermath of the Verdant Meridian Pill she had consumed before. This required urgent attention.
Her personal tasks stacked themselves neatly in her mind:
Purging the harmful substances caused by the Verdant Meridian Pill.Preparing the medicinal bath to enhance the purity of her newly awakened spiritual root.Practice body tempering to prepare for the sect's annual assessment in a year.Clearing the toxins from the Verdant Meridian Pill would require the Marrow Cleansing Pill, an essential step for both detoxification and establishing a stronger foundation.
'I need to start preparing the ingredients for Marrow Cleansing Pill...'
Some of the necessary ingredients could be collected from the wilderness surrounding the Frostfire Sect, but a few rare materials required contribution points.
These points were needed to access sect-cultivated herbs, rare minerals, or the waters of the Glacial Spirit Lake, which lay deep within the inner sect's territory—out of reach for an outer disciple like her.
'Those ingredients I can't get... Well, I can simply exchange them.'
Rinne had already devised a plan during the boat trip to refine as many Fasting Pills and Spirit Gathering Pills as possible using the materials she had collected, intending to trade them for contribution points. These 1st-grade pills were simple to produce and could be crafted by any apprentice alchemist. Selling or exchanging them was unlikely to raise any suspicion.
While it might seem odd for a 7-year-old child at the 1st-level of Spirit Gathering stage to possess the skill to perform alchemy, Rinne could easily brush off inquiries by attributing the pills to her mysterious father. That explanation was usually enough to stop most people from asking further questions.
However, the more she thought it over, the more she realized it wouldn't work.
'No, this is still too slow.'
The reason was simple.
The three tasks were essentially having something in common, which was involving the exchange of resources through contribution points. When combined, they accumulated, and the profits from trading Fasting Pills and Spirit Gathering Pills were insufficient.
In addition to the ingredients of the Marrow Cleansing Pill, Rinne also needed another set of specific ingredients for her medicinal bath. Some of them originated from Middle Realm, which was far from her reach. But using Roran's memories as a foundation, she had deduced the closest available substitutes that theoretically produces similar results.
These substitute ingredients were available within the Frostfire Sect, but of course they were expensive.
Additionally, if she wanted to practice body tempering, she also needed to supply substantial nourishment for it to be effective. This type of nutrition could only be derived from food and medicine made from rare ingredients, most of which were accessible only through perilous missions or from the limited supplies of the inner sect.
Simply selling first-grade pills would not provide the points she needed in a reasonable amount of time. Gathering the required contribution points could take years, far longer than she was willing to wait.
'The medicated bath only works until I'm 10 years old, and that's less than 3 years.'
Meanwhile, refining higher-grade pills—has its own risks.
While selling 1st grade pills was not a problem, things would not be so simple for 2nd-grade pills or higher. Pills of that caliber required a certain level of expertise, and alchemists capable of refining them were officially recognized as second-grade alchemists, valuable individuals whom others actively sought to befriend or establish connections with.
If Rinne produced such pills, it would certainly draw attention, and the sect elders or other curious individuals would undoubtedly want to know the identity of the refiner. She couldn't just invent a random name as people might investigate further, and any inconsistency would arouse suspicion.
This could jeopardize her position as an inconspicuous disciple.
"Such a dilemma. This requires a more careful approach."
Rinne exhaled slowly and shook her head, postponing the thought.
She closed her eyes and delved into her Soul Library, accessing the collection of knowledge she had stored. This time, she tried to find a solution to the problem from a different aspect.
Chapter 020 - Pain and Resilience
Whenever Rinne needed to think deeply, she instinctively retreated into her Soul Library.
Inside, time seemed endless, though only a few minutes passed outside—just enough for a quick nap. Of course, the inevitable headache would follow, but that was a minor trade-off. Here, she could calmly search for a solution.
"How do I get the materials I need without drawing attention?"
Of course, robbing others for resources had crossed her mind briefly, but she dismissed the thought immediately. This was her new life, and she wanted nothing to do with the darkness of her past.
As she sifted through the library's memories and knowledge, the Hibiscus Body Tempering Artresurfaced. The technique came from the Jade Pleasure Sect, known for its focus on dual cultivation. It wasn't a popular method—it didn't boost cultivation speed or offer great strength. Instead, it enhanced beauty and preserved youth, especially if practiced before the body fully matured at sixteen.
More importantly, it required no expensive resources. The technique used spiritual energy to nourish the body and gradually expel impurities. While not as effective as a Marrow Cleansing Pill, it could reduce the need for one.
Rinne smiled.
"This is perfect! I won't need the Marrow Cleansing Pill anymore, and I'll need fewer materials."
This technique wasn't a true body tempering art but more of a supplement to dual cultivation. Still, Rinne didn't mind using it for her needs. With her Energy Extraction Formation, the Hibiscus Body Tempering Art fit her situation well—it allowed her to draw energies from materials rich in energy and convert it into spiritual energy for practice.
But there was a problem.
"This won't be enough to protect me."
Relying only on this technique would give her beauty and fitness but leave her powerless. Without real strength, she'd just be a fragile decoration, forced to depend on others for survival.
That would be unacceptable.
"Then, I'll just create a better version!"
Determined to make it stronger, Rinne started piecing together a new body tempering art. She scoured the Soul Library, reviewing techniques from various sects and clans. Each method had its benefits but also drawbacks—some caused permanent damage, while others deformed the body over time.
This was considered normal in the cultivation world.
Body tempering was never without risks. Cultivators who altered their bodies through these methods often paid unintended consequences. Side effects usually emerged after prolonged practice, whether in appearance, mobility, or health.
That was why, it was essential to understand the human body to create a new technique, and fortunately, Rinne's knowledge was more than enough.
She carefully extracted the best parts of each method, discarding unnecessary or harmful elements. The Hibiscus Body Tempering Art's focus on spiritual energy nourishment served as the base, but she went further, adding components to temper the muscles, bones, and internal organs—balancing both beauty and strength.
"This should work, in theory,"
The improved version does not mean it has become the best body tempering art.
This technique was still not as strong as other techniques, but it was safer and fewer risk to practice, as the burden on the body not as heavy as that of other techniques, which could potentially cause permanent side effects.
"For the name... let's call it Hibiscus Rebirth Tempering Art."
With the technique finalized, Rinne shifted her thoughts to Roran's medicinal bath.
Even after scouring the Soul Library, she found no method to temper spiritual roots directly. If such a method existed, she would have discarded the need for the bath entirely. But since there was no alternative, the bath remained essential for now.
♠♠♠
Rinne opened her eyes to the familiar throb of a dull headache.
It was uncomfortable as always, but she had grown used to it. She exhaled slowly, allowing herself a brief of rest, waiting for the pain to ease before getting back to work.
Once the headache subsided, she sat cross-legged and straightened her posture, ready to practice the Hibiscus Rebirth Tempering Art. As she channeled her spiritual energy, sharp pain shot through her spiritual root—the core of her cultivation.
Cultivators relied on their spiritual roots to control and harness the flow of spiritual energy, but Rinne's spiritual root was still unstable and sensitive. Somehow, in her eagerness to push forward, she had forgotten this crucial fact.
It felt like pressing a raw wound or trying to grasp fire with bare skin. Every attempt to circulate energy only deepened the pain. She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to stop before the agony became overwhelming.
Frustration simmered beneath the surface. No matter how much preparation she made, her body stubbornly reminded her of its limits. She closed her eyes again, sinking into contemplation.
'In the end... I'm just walking in circles.'
This thought gnawed at her.
For the sake of remaining inconspicuous, she had taken numerous detours, avoiding paths that might attract attention. Yet, every step forward seemed to come with another kind of pain—whether it was in body or mind.
Was this suffering truly worth it?
The question lingered as doubt began to creep into her heart. For all the sacrifices she made to stay hidden, was she truly free of the burdens of her past? Or was she merely trading one struggle for another?
But the doubt only lasted briefly.
Pain? She was already familiar with it. Compared to the torment of the Gu backlash in her previous life, this was nothing but a minor inconvenience.
Rinne closed her eyes and controlled her breath. With practiced ease, she slipped into self-hypnosis for the second time, forcing the pain to vanish as if it had never existed. The sensation melted away into nothingness.
"As long as it doesn't kill me, I can keep going!"
As for the question of whether it was worth it or not? Of course, it wasn't worth it.
She could have showcased her talent, earned admiration, and maybe even secured a spot as an inner or core disciple. She could have basked in the privileges that accompanied such a position, enjoying the respect and admiration of her peers. The elders probably wouldn't have minded her little secret, especially since she was surrounded by the praises of her achievements.
She knew very well that doing otherwise was a foolish decision. But despite knowing all this, she still chose the harder path.
With a quiet sigh, Rinne acknowledged her own contradiction.
She understood, perhaps better than anyone, that while she possessed the courage to endure pain, she lacked the courage to interact with others. This peculiar contrast left her feeling increasingly alone on her path, caught between her pursuit of strength and her fear of forming bonds.
Chapter 021 – Pill Inscription
Rinne's self-loathing mood didn't last long.
She knew better than to waste time on useless thoughts. Doing something productive was always the better option. The pain in her spiritual root had been pushed back through self-hypnotism, but that didn't change the fact that it was unstable and unusable for now.
Still, there was no reason for her to stop practicing the Hibiscus Rebirth Tempering Art.
"Well then, what should I do..."
Her mind wandered back to her second life, when she became a Gu cultivator.
At that time, she had shared her perception with her Gu, including her spiritual sense, using it to practice. After killing the Gu, however, her spiritual sense also wiped out altogether. She could no longer sense spiritual energy, but that didn't mean it was gone. The energy was still there, flowing through the meridians. It was just a matter of her being unable to sense it.
Her answer at the time was to use formations and runes.
She had drawn lines and runes all over her body to control the movement of spiritual energy once it entered her. This allowed the energy to follow the proper cycle, just as if she could sense it. Her inspiration had come from a journal describing ancient tribal warriors who covered their bodies with tattoos of lines and symbols. She realized those tattoos were a primitive form of formation work.
After a bit of experimentation, she had found unexpected success. The problem was that the energy was unfiltered, and practicing like that brought incredible discomfort. The difference was like drinking mineral water compared to sewage.
This time, she wasn't about to put herself through that again.
Tattooing her body wasn't just painful, it was also unsightly. Instead of inscribing the runes on herself, she considered inscribing them into a pill, something like a Spirit Gathering Pill. If the pill could carry the runes, it could act as a guide, automatically controlling the flow of energy through her meridians to complete the Hibiscus Rebirth Tempering Art.
"It's quite troublesome, but I have no choice,"
Of course, the idea was unheard of.
No cultivator would think to inscribe a formation on something as small and fragile as a pill. It was next to impossible to do by hand. Besides, a pill was consumable, so any inscribed formation would vanish once the pill was used.
This was where the Array Automatic Creation Formation came in. By using this, Rinne didn't have to bother inscribing the runes into each pill manually. She only had to print them into each pill with high precision.
Rinne immediately pushed her thoughts aside and started refining a batch of Spirit Gathering Pills. As usual, she didn't bother following any of the conventional recipes. Instead, she worked with the materials she had on hand, trusting her instincts and experience. While the composition differed from the traditional formula, the resulting effects were nearly identical.
The refinement process took close to an hour, and by the end of it, ten top-grade pills sat in her palm, their surfaces smooth and gleaming.
Satisfied with the results, Rinne shifted her focus to the next phase: designing the inscription. She delved into her Soul Library once more, and began sketching the blueprint in her mind.
"Rather than a formation, it's closer to a talisman inscription,"
The difference between formations and talismans wasn't significant. Both relied on runes fueled by spiritual energy, but their applications varied. Formations were large-scale and long-lasting, usually engraved on solid surfaces that could withstand the energy flow for extended periods. Talismans, on the other hand, were small and consumable, typically painted on paper, disintegrating after use.
"But since it's a pill, it should be called a pill inscription."
It seemed that the concept of pill inscription was never proposed by anyone in this world. Even though this concept appeared in some Xianxia novels that she read in her first life.
Maybe if there was a chance, she could write a thesis book to submit to the Alchemy Association. The rewards she could get would perhaps be hefty enough to support her until Core Formation stage. But it didn't take too long for her to dismiss the thought.
Rinne shook her head in denial.
"Forget it, that's too troublesome."
She didn't even have the courage to interact with others, let alone perform in front of a crowd.
Designing the pill inscription proved to be a meticulous task. It had to fit the small surface of a pill while functioning as intended. The main goal was to guide spiritual energy at a certain rate into specific areas within the body, ensuring the energy was processed in precise ways upon consumption.
Although she could have designed the inscription to direct energy straight into the dantian, which would normally accelerate cultivation, that option was off the table. Her dantian was in a delicate state, occupied by her unstable spiritual root, and exposing it to spiritual energy would only invite trouble. For now, she had to avoid that area entirely.
Time slipped by unnoticed as she immersed herself in the task, but eventually, she completed the design. The inscription was complex, but every line and curve served its purpose.
"Okay then, it's time for the real test,"
Her consciousness pulled away from the Soul Library, and she returned to the real world with a sharp, familiar headache.
♠♠♠
Ignoring the pain in her head, Rinne made her way to the core of the house formation.
Upon arrival, she activated the Array Automatic Creation Formation, allowing it to scan her mind and project the inscription design with precision. The projection was compact, much smaller than when she originally crafted it.
At first glance, it appeared as a thin, transparent bluish ring, with the runes so densely packed that they looked almost like a smooth, flat surface. The ring's diameter matched the exact size of the Spirit Gathering Pill resting in her hand. Without hesitation, Rinne inserted the pill into the ring. The imprinting process began immediately, finishing in less than ten seconds.
"This looks good..."
She carefully inspected the now-inscribed pill in her hand. The subtle glow of spiritual energy within the ring confirmed that the pill inscription was functioning as intended.
Rinne sat down cross-legged, popped the pill into her mouth, and waited for the effects to kick in.
As the pill dissolved, spiritual energy flowed smoothly through her meridians, spreading warmth throughout her body. There was no need for her to manually guide the flow, everything proceeded automatically just as she had designed. She allowed herself to relax, savoring the soothing sensation.
The energy from the top-grade Spirit Gathering Pill was well-refined, much purer than the coarse spiritual energy that felt like sewage water she remembered from her second life.
After a few cycles, the energy coursing through her meridians dispersed, nourishing her body in line with the Hibiscus Rebirth Tempering Art. Seeing the progress, Rinne took out a second pill and repeated the process. As the energy flowed once more, she began to feel bloated.
There was a natural limit to how much spiritual energy the body could absorb in one session, influenced by factors such as age, physical state, and cultivation stage. At seven years old, two pills were her current threshold. Pushing beyond that would only be harmful to her body.
Once the second pill's energy finished its cycles, Rinne noticed a subtle improvement. The stagnation in her meridians had loosened slightly, and she felt an unpleasant dampness on her skin. A thin layer of black mud, carrying an indescribable stench, seeped from her pores.
"So, this is the poison inside me? It really stinks."
The result confirmed that her newly crafted technique could expel toxins from her body. With more practice, the accumulated poison would continue to clear, reducing the need for the Marrow Cleansing Pill. She found this promising, though it would take time and repeated effort to cleanse her system entirely.
Once her spiritual root stabilized, she would modify the pill inscription to guide the end goal of the spiritual energy to her dantian. That way, instead of the energy dissipating from her pores, it would be stored to enhance her cultivation base.
For now, Rinne was satisfied with her progress.
The only regret was that her digestive ability wasn't high enough to absorb more than two pills at a time. Worse still, she needed to wait a few days before her body could fully digest the energy and resume practice.
"There are techniques to improve digestion, but I'll hold off on those until I have a stable income."
With nothing else to do for the time being, Rinne shifted her focus back to alchemy. She began processing the remaining materials she had, intent on refining them into something useful.
Chapter 022 - Inner Demon
Other's POV:
A few days later, in another part of the Frostfire Sect.
A large classroom bustled with children standing silently, maintaining careful distances from one another. They wore the plain training clothes distributed by the sect, marking them as newly recruited disciples.
The children ranged in age from seven to eighteen, divided across six classrooms, each with roughly fifty students. In this particular room, the atmosphere was heavy with silence, broken only by the occasional shuffle of feet.
At the front of the room stood a stocky, middle-aged man named Namhil, the instructor for this group. As a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, it was his responsibility to guide these children through their earliest steps in the world of cultivation.
"When the sun rises, life awakens. Morning is the best time to absorb natural energy and strengthen your body. Same rules as always! Legs apart—shoulder-width! Knees slightly bent, hands pressed down at your waist. Assume the Spirit Building Stance!"
Namhil barked, his voice echoed through the hall, carrying a weight of discipline. He paced back and forth, observing the children's movements with a sharp eye. His stern gaze swept over the class as he addressed them.
"Focus your mind. Stay calm. Breathe naturally. Remember what you learned in the theory class!"
The students immediately shuffled into position, doing their best to replicate the stance.
The Spirit Building Stance was deceptively simple, yet highly effective, perfected over generations of Frostfire cultivators to train the body and prepare it for the rigors of cultivation.
In an ideal situation, the stance would be practiced outdoors, where students could directly absorb the natural energy in the environment. However, the harsh climate of the Frostfire Sect made that impossible for beginners—their bodies weren't ready to withstand the cold for long. Until they reached a higher level of cultivation, they had to train indoors.
As Namhil walked through the rows, he observed the children with a critical eye. The older teens in the back row were calm, their stances steady and breath controlled—evidence of at least some proficiency. They seemed to have understood the basics.
But among the younger ones, it was a different story. Some stood awkwardly, their knees wobbling, waists twisted at odd angles. Their muscles were relaxed when they should be taut, making it clear that they lacked strength and discipline. It was easy to tell which students had potential—and which ones didn't.
Namhil paused mid-step, letting out a small sigh in his mind.
'These kids are still too young. Their minds are tender, and their bodies weak. It's too early to expect too much from them.'
It was no surprise that most of these children didn't exhibit high talent. Those who did would have already caught the attention of the sect elders and been recruited directly into the inner disciple ranks. Namhil knew the children before him were likely the less promising candidates.
Still, it wasn't entirely hopeless.
'It's good to get them moving early,'
Namhil thought, adjusting his expectations.
In the harsh world of cultivation, survival often depended less on talent and more on effort and perseverance. Beyond the safety of the sect's walls, countless dangers lurked—monsters roamed the wilderness, and even nature itself could be unforgiving.
On top of that, the endless competition among cultivators for resources made life precarious.
'At the very least, if they could reach Foundation stage, they might live long enough to see the battlefield... and survive it.'
He believed that talent wasn't everything. Hard work could often bridge the gap where natural aptitude failed. With discipline and training, even an ordinary child could achieve something meaningful. The upcoming annual assessment would be a chance for these children to show their growth—if they applied themselves.
Namhil straightened his back, hands clasped behind him, and called out,
"All of you, stand firm! Hold your stance!"
He strode through the class, stopping now and then to correct their postures. When he found a child's legs too loose, he tapped their knees with the blunt end of a wooden rod. "Bend it more. Don't slouch."
He adjusted another's hands. "Press your palms to your waist—don't let them float. Feel the tension."
For each correction, his tone was patient but firm. With every mistake fixed, the class gradually began to stabilize. After some time, Namhil stepped back and surveyed the room. Satisfied, he gave a brief nod.
"That's enough for today. From now on, I want you to practice this stance every morning and every evening. No excuses."
As soon as Namhil left the room, the rigid atmosphere dissolved, and the disciples slumped out of their stances, groaning and stretching their sore muscles.
A few of the younger children rubbed their knees and waists where the instructor had tapped them with his rod, wincing dramatically. One boy muttered, his face scrunched with annoyance as he massaged his leg.
"Ugh, does he have to hit so hard? It hurts very much..."
A handful of others murmured in agreement, their complaints spilling out as they shuffled toward the door in small groups. Despite the sour moods, the children slowly filtered out of the classroom, their voices growing softer as they disappeared down the corridors, already dreading the next morning's training.
One of the disciples, was Kael.
As the remaining disciples gradually left the classroom, Kael stood still, lost in thought. He scanned the faces passing by, hoping for a glimpse of that familiar figure—just one sign that Rin was somewhere in this sea of new recruits. But once again, there was nothing.
"Rin's not here today either..."
Ever since he'd disembarked from the boat of the Frostfire Sect, Kael had searched for Rin at every opportunity, but without success. Whenever he asked his newly made friends, they only shook their heads, puzzled.
None of them had ever heard of anyone named Rin.
A few of the more well-connected disciples had even used their influence to search the records, but no trace of Rin could be found. It was as if Rin had vanished into thin air.
"Where did you go, Rin...?"
Kael clenched his fists, frustration gnawing at him.
He had thought they might reunite here at the sect, but every day without a sign of his friend only deepened the mystery. Despite his efforts, Rin remained elusive—a ghost lost somewhere within the vastness of the Frostfire Sect.
"Still searching for that mysterious friend of yours?"
Kael turned to find Arven strolling over, a teasing grin on his face. Arven, the son of the 8th branch of the Tylan Clan, had become Kael's closest friend in the sect. Their shared background in talisman crafting created a bond that formed quickly, one forged over late-night conversations and mutual grumbles about sect training.
Kael let out a frustrated sigh.
"Yeah, as usual."
Arven gave him a playful shake of the head.
"Are you sure this Rin of yours even exists? Maybe he's just your imaginary friend."
Kael's eyes narrowed, but he couldn't fully blame Arven for being skeptical.
The story he told—of a beggar-turned-hidden-scion, someone so remarkable yet utterly unnoticed—sounded far-fetched, even to himself at times. And Arven had done his part to help search for Rin, going as far as consulting his clan's connections to check the Frostfire Sect's registration records. But no one named Rin had enrolled.
There were multiple explanations for this situation. One possibility was that Rin had not yet registered his name, similar to children from impoverished backgrounds who had not yet connected with spiritual energy. As a result, they were unable to activate the sect token, which was necessary for registering their names as disciples.
However, that doesn't seem logical. If Rin truly came from a powerful family, he would have likely received a fundamental education in cultivation prior to attending the recruitment ceremony.
The second possibility was that Rin does not exist. No one aware of Rin's presence except for Kael, and this Rin may simply be a figment of his imagination.
Kael's patience frayed under the weight of doubt.
"That's not true! I know Rin exists!"
He snapped, his voice sharp and raw with frustration.
Rin, in Kael's memory, appeared mysteriously detached, possessing eyes filled with wisdom that contrasted sharply with his small stature. There was something inexplicable that captivated Kael's attention towards Rin.
However, after being separated with Rin and finding no leads in his search, and upon hearing Arven's words, Kael couldn't help but begin to doubt himself and question Rin's existence.
The outburst startled a few lingering disciples, who turned to stare at him in surprise. Arven raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Whoa, easy! I didn't mean to push you that hard... There's still one more possibility. If Rin does exist, maybe he didn't come in as an outer disciple. Maybe some elder saw his talent and brought him in as an inner disciple or a personal disciple. That would explain why he's not on the outer disciple list."
He tried to calm Kael down, speaking carefully.
Fortunately his efforts paid off, Kael's expression shifted, brightening at the thought.
"That's it! Rin's so powerful—of course he'd catch the attention of an elder. He must've been made an inner disciple!"
A surge of determination welled up within Kael, replacing the earlier frustration.
If Rin was already an inner disciple, then Kael knew what he had to do. All he needed was to get promoted during the annual assessment. It might be quite challenging due to the limited resources available to an outer disciple. However, he was fortunate to be a member of the Verin clan. As it happened, he had bought a basic talisman introduction book from his clan.
The issue of getting promoted to an inner disciple didn't seem too hard. Currently, he had sufficient resources, and if he were to run low, he could have learned to draw talismans and sell them to support himself.
Watching the renewed fire in Kael's eyes, Arven let out a weary sigh. Kael's obsession with Rin was deeper than he had realized. Even with the most optimistic assumption—that Rin had become an inner disciple—something still didn't sit right with Arven.
Even if the third assumption were accurate, then as Kael's close friend, there would be no reason for Rin not to have come to see Kael or to have left any messages.
Arven exhaled slowly, a flicker of unease tightening his chest.
"Is this what they call an inner demon?"
Arven often heard about inner demons. It was said that a cultivator with obsessions could give rise to inner demons that could obstruct their practice or, even worse, drive them to madness.
The notion that this Rin had been Kael's closest friend was likely true. However, it was possible that Rin had perished for some reason, and Kael couldn't come to terms with that reality, leading to his obsession.
Reflecting on this, Arven could only feel sympathy.
Chapter 023 – Selling the Pills
Rinne's POV:
It had been a week since Rinne began practicing the Hibiscus Rebirth Tempering Art.
In that time, she had managed to process most of her gathered materials, creating several unnamed solutions and crafting over 250 Spirit Gathering Pills and around 200 Fasting Pills.
Every batch had a 100% success rate, something that could cause a stir if any alchemist knew.
About 10% of her pills turned out to be superior-grade, 70% were top-grade, and the rest were still high-quality middle-grade. She stored them in wooden boxes she'd crafted back during the third trial of the recruitment ceremony. However, lacking proper pill containers, she had to reuse the boxes for now.
For the various unnamed solutions, she used something unexpected as storage: virtual vials, made entirely of air within her atelier.
The space of her atelier basically operated inside a formation with remarkable customization abilities. Not only could she shrink objects within it to make more room, but she could also adjust gravity, making walls, ceilings, and even the air itself step-able, as if they were solid ground.
With a better level of control and aided by the illusion function, it was even possible to create illusory but touchable fake objects out of thin air, then treat them as real objects. These objects couldn't be taken outside the atelier—they'd vanish upon exiting—but it saved her the trouble of buying furniture and tools for personal use.
Maintaining this complex space required a steady flow of spiritual energy, but the Spiritual Gathering Formation in place took care of that, keeping the space active.
And then, move to another matter.
Rinne glanced at her reflection in the mirror.
Her complexion had improved, shedding the malnourished look that once made her resemble a beggar. The Fasting Pills provided enough nutrition, and over the past week, her hair had grown from neck-length to just past her shoulders.
It seemed that the wood-attribute spiritual root she recently gained, though unstable, granted her a small boost in vitality and regenerative power. Those with wood-attribute roots were known for their long life and vitality, so this growth wasn't entirely surprising.
"Nice, it turns out I'm quite good looking... I should grow my hair long,"
Rinne was satisfied with her appearance.
At this moment, she has fully transformed into an adorable girl, with some reminiscent of her first life. Even her own voice became smoother and pleasing to hear. While her figure remains flat both in the front and back, no one would mistake her for a boy anymore.
With the Hibiscus Rebirth Tempering Art, she would definitely grow into a beauty. This was good, because no one could resist the temptation of being beautiful. Even though she had no intention of socializing, there was no harm in making herself beautiful for her own enjoyment.
"Well then, it's time to sell those pills."
After admiring her progress in the mirror, Rinne gathered her things, ready to step out.
♠♠♠
Rinne cautiously traversed the outdoor area within the Frostfire Sect.
To conceal her hair, she pulled the hood of her sect robe over her head. And to obscure her face, she wore a skull mask crafted from the corpse of the red-horned wolf, the spiritual beast she had picked up from the battlefield during the third trial. The robe was fully infused with spiritual energy, enabling its heat-adjustment feature to last an entire day.
Although she was aware that her appearance was rather striking, she had no choice in the matter.
She didn't like standing out but she also felt uneasy about revealing her face. This was understandable, as it was a common issue faced by introverts, especially from a former evil cultivator who was once terrorized being hunted down by the entire cultivation world.
"Too bad, I don't have the cultivation to turn invisible like before."
If only her cultivation had reached at least the 3rd level of the Spirit Gathering Stage, she could have utilized one of the 1st-level techniques from the Phantasmal Mirage Art to reduce her presence. Furthermore, upon reaching the 6th level of the Spirit Gathering Stage, she would have been able to employ the 3rd level of this technique to render herself invisible, or even alter her appearance.
Unfortunately, these techniques were currently just unusable knowledge. Before Rinne could consider using them, she had to wait until her spiritual roots were stable to cultivate first.
But fortunately, the Frostfire Sect's cold climate worked in her favor.
Most disciples avoided the open air, preferring to stay inside buildings or use the connecting corridors to avoid the chill. Activating the heat function of the sect robe consumed spiritual energy, which most disciples preferred to save for cultivation rather than warmth. This was also one of the reasons Rinne had chosen this sect, she could keep a low profile here with fewer people outside.
"I hope no one sees me."
Of course, there were occasionally some people seen outside the building. They are disciples who are practicing certain techniques. Some are practicing swinging swords, some are practicing body movements, some are meditating on a large rock, and so on. Judging from their cultivation level, they were around the 4th-6th level of Spirit Gathering Stage.
Those people were no problem to her. They were so focused on their training that they didn't pay much attention to their surroundings. Rinne just walked away and left them alone.
'I should not disturb them.'
After a while, she reached the familiar Outer Affair Hall building.
This time, she headed straight there without stopping to collect materials along the way like she had previously. The reason was that her spatial bag was of low grade and had very limited capacity. If she wanted to gather anything, she would have to wait until her business was complete and she was on her way home.
♠♠♠
Inside the Outer Affair Hall, Rinne's masked appearance quickly caught the attention of everyone nearby.
Her wolf-skull mask and hooded sect robe made her look out of place, attracting curious glances. Talia Sartin, the teller behind the counter, raised an eyebrow as she looked at Rinne's small, cloaked figure.
"I want to sell some pills,"
It was only when Talia heard the child's voice that she immediately recognized the child.
It was the same child who had shown up right after orientation to register the sect token and rent a house. Though this kid's voice sounded smoother than before, the familiarity was unmistakable.
"Oh, it's you? Your sense of style is… unique."
Talia said with a slightly amused tone.
Around them, the spectators' initial curiosity faded, everyone returning to their business. After all, this kind of cautious attitude was not uncommon in the cultivation world. The cultivation world was dangerous and the sight of cultivators robbing each other was not uncommon.
It was just that the choice of using a wolf skull as a mask was quite strange and looked like an evil cultivator. But seeing the stature of the child who did it, they only found it funny, a cute attempt to look intimidating.
"Take out the pills you want to sell,"
Talia said, getting back to business.
Rinne removed two small wooden boxes from her spatial bag and placed them on the counter. She opened them to reveal rows of pills with varied hues.
"Here they are. This box has 50 Spirit Gathering Pills, and this one has 50 Fasting Pills. Please check them."
Talia blinked at the large quantity of pills, eyeing the irregular coloring, which hinted at unconventional ingredients.
What surprised her more was the casual way Rinne had stored them in simple wooden boxes. Pills were normally kept in specialized containers to preserve their potency, but here they were, all together in makeshift boxes like common trinkets.
"Then, excuse me,"
Talia said as she picked up a few samples, taking a quick sniff.
Despite their unusual color, the medicinal effects checked out, top-grade quality, consistent and potent. She returned the pills to their box, curiosity sparking.
"I'm curious, who made these pills?"
Rinne had expected the question and quickly replied,
"My father made them before I left home. They were for my cultivation, but I have a debt now, so I need to sell them."
Hearing Rinne's answer, Talia just remained silent.
This father again!
"Who is your father, anyway?"
It was the same question as the last time Rinne visited this hall.
Talia couldn't help but be curious about who this clueless father was, who treated pills like mud balls, yet had the real skill to produce 100 top-grade pills.
Regarding this, Rinne simply replied politely, using the same line as before.
"I'm sorry, I was told not to share personal information with strangers,"
Talia had expected this answer.
It was no surprise that alchemists were arrogant and difficult to make friends with. It would be good if she could get one more alchemist connection, but it didn't matter if she didn't. Still, befriending the alchemist's child could also be considered as forming a connection with the alchemist himself.
"Alright then, 50 Spirit Gathering Pills and 50 Fasting Pills. Since they're top-grade, I'll give you 2 spirit stones each, totaling 200 spirit stones. Does that work for you?"
She held out two pouches, each containing 100 spirit stones.
Don't think that 200 spirit stones are a little. For common expenses, spirit beads were used, where 1 low-quality spirit stone is equal to 100 spirit beads. One low-quality Fasting Pill costs 5 spirit beads and one medium-quality Fasting Pill costs 20 spirit beads.
Rinne thought for a moment.
The price of the pills was as she had expected. She had been worried that the price would go down because of the strange color. However, fortunately her worries were unfounded.
She took the pouches, counting the stones quickly before nodding.
"Okay, I've received the spirit stones. By the way, I also need some materials. Can you help me get them?"
Talia smiled at Rinne's question.
The Outer Affair Hall functioned as a hub for managing resources gathered in the Frostfire Sect's outer sect area, while also serving as its venue for resource exchange.
Furthermore, it had an indirect connection to the Immortal Alliance via Inner Affair Hall. Through this connection, Talia could obtain almost anything, provided the item was available and there are sufficient spirit stones to purchase it.
"Of course, as long as there are spirit stones, I can give you anything you want."
Hearing Talia's answer, Rinne heaved a sigh of relief.
She then handed a paper containing a list of a few names of ingredients.
"Here is all the things I need."
Talia silently read the list and frowned.
The list contained the names of 24 different spiritual plants, 18 of which were easy to obtain as they were specially cultivated in the sect, while the rest were quite troublesome, they could only be grown in the wild due to their difficult growing conditions.
Eternal Primrose, for instance, could only be found deep in the cold waters of Frigid Abyss Lake, requiring a dive through intense cold and crushing pressure. Another was the Infernal Ashroot, which thrived solely in the depths of volcanic lava.
In addition of that, there were various parts of 8 spiritual beasts, including rare ingredients like Crystal Snow Elk blood, Three-horned Salamander brain fluid, and Green-eyed Yeti testicles.
Those spiritual beasts were mostly grade 2 beasts which were equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage, and there were also grade 3 ones which were equivalent to the Core Formation stage.
"Kid, why do you need these things?"
Talia asked, suspicion flickering in her eyes.
Rinne tilted her head, feigning innocence. However, her mind quickly went into frenzy, thinking about how to answer. She couldn't understand why this teller needed to ask when all she had to do was serve customers.
Of course, Rinne couldn't say that it was all alchemy materials for herself to refine. No one would believe that a child of the 1st level of Spirit Gathering Stage could perform alchemy, especially with such high-level materials.
Fortunately, she could quickly came up with an answer.
"It's for my father's research. Is there a problem? These materials are within the Frostfire Sect territory, so I assume they're available?"
Talia could only stare for a moment, left speechless by the reply.
Although everything on the list did exist in the Frostfire Sect, some items were extremely difficult to obtain. It was safe to say that some of them required several Core Formation stage cultivators to obtain them.
Chapter 024 - New Cauldron
At the Outer Affair Hall, Rinne listened as Talia went through her list of ingredients.
Out of the 24 spiritual plants she needed, only 18 were currently in stock. Talia explained that the missing ones were rare and very difficult to gather, even in the sect's territory. It was a similar story with the spiritual beast ingredients: only some grade-1 cores, blood, and meat were available.
Rinne couldn't help but be disappointed, but at least these ingredients were confirmed to exist.
All she had to do next was raise the funds needed to buy them. For the missing items, she could turn to the Mission Hall and set up tasks for other disciples to gather them later, though she'd need to prepare suitable rewards for that in the future. But that could wait for later.
Rinne turned her attention to what was available.
As expected, the prices were quite expensive, even with her 200 spirit stones, she could only afford a few lower-priced items. In addition, she also hesitated, thinking perhaps she had made a mistake. She had told Talia about her supposed debt, so going on a sudden shopping spree might raise questions she didn't need.
Rinne took a moment to rethink her approach.
"Then, I will buy the seeds of those 18 plants."
Since the ready-made spiritual plants were costly, Rinne decided that seeds would be a more affordable choice.
There were many techniques for promoting plant growth, and one of the most powerful was the Spring Rain Blossom Technique, which created a spiritual rain that sped up growth.
Among her gathered memories was one from a skilled Spiritual Planter named Tharmus Musgrath, who had mastered this technique to perfection, earning him the title of Spiritual Rain Master. With this skill, seeds could mature and be harvested within just two months.
But there was also a more extreme approach, one Rinne only considered as a backup: the Spring Bloom Strain Technique. This frowned-upon method could force plants to grow nearly ten times faster, though at a heavy cost. The quality of the plant's medicinal properties would diminish, and the plant itself would wither soon after reaching maturity.
However, combining both techniques could yield a rapid yet functional solution.
The Spring Rain Blossom Technique would encourage quick but stable growth, while the Spring Bloom Strain would push it to its limits, making seeds germinate within seconds, mature in ten days, and be ready for harvest by the twelfth. Although Rinne didn't yet have the cultivation level needed to perform either technique, she knew they could be replicated with formations.
As for the reduced medicinal quality? That didn't concern her.
Once converted to a solution, quantity could make up for quality.
"I also need a few more items."
Along with the seeds, Rinne included several additional items in her purchase: a bottle of blood from a 1st-grade spiritual beast known as the Snow Rabbit, ten cores from 1st-grade spiritual beasts, and fifty sheets of talisman paper.
Hearing Rinne's words, Talia checked the list once again, mentally calculating.
"All the seeds cost 20 spirit stones, and these costs 8 spirit stones."
Rinne quickly reached for her pouch and counted out the stones, handing them over. Talia accepted the spirit stones and began packing the items.
As Talia handed over the items, she glanced at the talisman paper and raised an eyebrow.
"Do you practice talisman making?"
Rinne nodded, keeping her response simple, "Still learning."
Talia gave a nod, a hint of encouragement in her expression.
"Good luck with it. If your talismans are any good, I'll give you a fair price for them."
Rinne gave a slight smile under her mask.
Buying materials for making talismans was actually just an excuse to tell Talia that Rinne was also into talisman making. So, there was a reason why she could sell the talismans she made later.
"Thank you. I'll be sure to bring them to you when they're ready."
With the items packed and the spirit stones exchanged, Rinne tucked everything carefully into her bag, nodding briefly to Talia before turning to leave the building.
♠♠♠
Outside the Outer Affairs Hall, Rinne didn't head home right away.
Instead, she made her way over to the sect's junkyard, a short walk from the building. It was a sprawling area filled with discarded items: broken swords, shattered artifacts, household scraps, alchemic waste, and occasionally, human corpses. Rinne even spotted a complete alchemy cauldron missing one of its legs.
Though most of the items here were damaged, the old saying proved true: one person's trash was another's treasure.
This was a perfect spot to collect things at no cost since nobody cared what was taken, as these were due to be disposed of in bulk every few years.
The moment Rinne saw the cauldron, she suddenly remembered her stone cauldron at home. This was a good opportunity to replace her cauldron. Although this cauldron was missing one of its legs, but it was undoubtedly a functional alchemy cauldron.
"This is a good cauldron, I won't be polite and take this with me."
Without further ado, she took the cauldron and put it into her spatial bag.
Of course, in this junkyard, there are still many things that can be used besides this cauldron. All she needed to do was just search for them from these piles of rubbish.
"Now then, it's time for treasure hunting,"
Rinne murmured, stepping carefully among the piles of frozen waste.
The chill in the air worked in her favor, as the cold kept everything from rotting and producing unpleasant odors. She stepped over various frozen piles and began selecting items of potential use—broken swords, scraps of iron, and anything else she could melt down later. Her spatial bag had limited room, so she had to be selective.
She planned to forge her own spiritual weapon from these materials instead of spending her spirit stones to buy one. Collecting higher-end items would be impractical for now, as they'd require exotic fire to melt, which she couldn't yet handle.
Once she had filled half of her spatial bag, Rinne looked around at the remaining piles but decided she had enough. Still, she was pleased with her haul, particularly the cauldron.
"Okay, this should be enough for now."
With her collection done, she turned and left the junkyard. The remaining space in her bag would be saved for herbs and berries she planned to gather on her way back.
♠♠♠
Some time later.
Once Rinne reached her atelier, the first thing she did was switch out her old stone cauldron for the new one she'd picked up from the junkyard.
Although it was missing one of its legs, that didn't bother her, here in her atelier, she could create an illusion of a missing leg, or even make the cauldron float if she wanted.
"It's time for me to upgrade my cauldron,"
She said to herself, carefully cleaning it before adding her improvements.
Unlike the rough, hand-carved formation she'd made on the stone cauldron, the newly made Cauldron Assist Formation Mk.II would be engraved by her Array Automatic Creation Formation, using the precise, micro sculpting technology.
This new formation was far beyond the first one she had created, packed with helpful features to make refining ingredients easier. The only thing Rinne needed to do was to supply a steady flow of spiritual energy, although the formation could also pull in energy from the air around it if she wanted to save her own strength.
The best part was, she didn't even need to light a fire anymore, as the formation itself could manage basic heating. Of course, it couldn't imitate exotic flames, but for ordinary alchemical work, this was enough.
But the real power of this cauldron wasn't just the heating, it had a memory function that recorded each refining step. With a bit of adjustment, it could replicate any previous process perfectly.
Normally, controlling the properties of each plant or mineral was a constant challenge since every ingredient varied slightly in quality. This required most alchemists to focus intensely with their spiritual sense to adjust as they worked. But with this cauldron's automatic detection feature, she could process ingredients in a consistent way every time.
It was simply an alchemy cauldron for fools!
"With this, I won't have to work so hard on alchemy anymore!"
Rinne felt more than satisfied with her new arrangement.
Chapter 025 - Greenhouse
After finishing the matter of the cauldron, Rinne turned her attention to planting the seeds.
Naturally, the Frostfire Sect, with its extreme temperatures, wasn't an ideal place for farming. The sect was divided into two main areas: the valleys outside, where the cold was biting, and the volcanic mountains, where heat scorched the air. Only plants with dual affinities for both extreme cold and heat could survive in these conditions.
Of course, the sect had its own methods to grow crops. Specific lands were equipped with formations to adjust temperatures, creating an artificial environment suitable for farming.
These lands could be rented by spiritual planters, but there was a catch—rent was not paid in spirit stones but in harvest. Planters were allowed to keep only 30% of their yield, while the remaining 70% had to be handed over to the sect. Rinne found this arrangement unfair and had no intention of following it.
After her usual briefing session in the Soul Library, she opened her eyes, her thoughts clear.
"The preparation is complete. I can start planting the seeds now,"
The formations used by the sect to isolate farming lands were, in her eyes, mediocre at best.
Compared to them, the Phantasmal Mirage Formation she used to decorate her atelier was leagues ahead. It could create an environment so convincing that even the most sensitive biological and spiritual senses would be fooled.
This formation had endless possibilities.
If a plant required the icy depths of the Frigid Abyss Lake to grow, she could recreate that. If another plant thrived only in molten lava, she could replicate that as well. The formation could even adjust the "taste" of spiritual energy, tricking plants into thriving on whatever energy was available.
"Using this formation, even cat poop can taste like chocolate,"
Rinne chuckled, recalling a scene from her past life.
Once, she had hypnotized a group into eating their own fingers and intestines deliciously without feeling pain. Now, she planned to use a similar trick—but this time, her targets were plants.
Of course, while the formation can deceive the plant's senses, it doesn't actually change the spiritual energy itself.
If she wanted to replicate the energy fully, it would require much more intricate preparation, something impossible with her current resources. This means some behavioral changes in the plants are likely. By the time they mature, they could become entirely new breeds—different shapes, colors, or even medicinal properties.
Despite this uncertainty, Rinne didn't seem concerned. Instead, she smiled faintly.
"This is also an intriguing research."
She activated the formation, manipulating it with her mental power to transform a section of her atelier into a new room. Inside, a three-floor multi-section greenhouse appeared. Each floor had ten sections, and every section could have its own unique environment.
Rinne chose a soilless planting method, using rockwool fabricated directly by the formation. She planted all 18 types of seeds in three sections on the first floor, leaving the remaining sections empty for future use.
"I'll get more seeds later,"
To accelerate growth, Rinne used her Array Creation Formation to overlay the greenhouse with formations replicating the Spring Rain Blossom Technique and Spring Bloom Strain Technique. Working together, these techniques would ensure the seeds germinated and matured in a fraction of the usual time.
However, there was one issue—the spiritual energy consumption was enormous, far beyond what her spiritual gathering formation could provide. The only solution was to supplement it with spirit stones.
Without hesitation, Rinne threw 20 spirit stones into the energy extraction formation.
"Well, this is a necessary cost,"
The expenditure of spirit stones, worth two months' resources, didn't bother her. She knew the return would far outweigh the investment. With 152 spirit stones still left, she had enough to sustain her needs for now. By the time her reserves ran out, the plants would have matured, and she could sell pills to replenish her funds.
Satisfied with her preparations, Rinne stepped back to admire the results.
♠♠♠
With the greenhouse now settled, Rinne shifted her focus to her practice.
The two Spirit Gathering Pills she had taken previously were fully digested, and it was time to consume another pair. She retrieved two superior-grade Spirit Gathering Pills from her stash. Their surfaces were etched with intricate, tiny inscriptions—runes so minute they would require microscopic sight to be properly examined.
Rinne didn't sell all the pills she made, keeping a portion, especially the superior-grade ones, for personal use. From her previous batch, she had set aside 25 Spirit Gathering Pills and 20 Fasting Pills of superior grade, reserving them for her own practice. Selling them wasn't even a consideration.
"It's time to eat the pills,"
She took one of the pills and swallowed it, guiding the spiritual energy into her meridians. Immediately, a warm current spread through her body, filling her with energy.
There was a faint pain, the sensation of her veins being tempered by the influx of spiritual energy. But with her pain perception reduced by almost 90%, it felt like little more than a minor discomfort. Moments later, her body began purging impurities, and dark, oily substances seeped out of her pores. Her body felt noticeably lighter.
"It seems the effect is great,"
Without delay, she consumed the second pill, repeating the process.
The difference between superior-grade and top-grade pills was substantial. Superior-grade pills boasted higher purity, more concentrated spiritual energy, and significantly fewer impurities.
It was known that pills also contained toxins that could hinder future practice, even top-grade pills were not exempt from this problem. It was just that the higher the quality, the lower the level of toxins.
Meanwhile, superior grade pills contained little to no toxins and could be consumed without side effects. The energy contained in the pills was extremely pure and easy to digest.
This could drastically shorten the time it would take Rinne to digest the energy from the pill from about a week, to an estimated time of about a day and a half.
With more pills, the speed of Rinne's body tempering practice also increased, and with more training, the excretion of harmful substances also became faster. Rinne estimated that by the end of the month, all harmful impurities—except for those in her bone marrow—would be completely expelled.
But there was more. As she absorbed the energy, she noticed an unexpected benefit: her spiritual root seemed to be stabilizing faster than anticipated.
With this realization, Rinne felt a surge of motivation.
"It seems that I can practice sooner than I expected,"
Initially, she had calculated it would take around a year for her spiritual root to fully stabilize. Now, with the current situation, she estimates full stabilization will take about four months.
But when she thought again, full stabilization wasn't necessary to begin cultivating.
As long as the stabilization rate exceeded 30%, she could start practicing her cultivation technique little by little. By cultivating, her spiritual root would naturally adapt, further increasing the stabilization rate. This meant her overall progress would accelerate, reducing the time needed for full stabilization.
What once seemed like a year-long process might now take only a few months.