On this day, Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes, his face glowing faintly as a calm, composed aura enveloped him. His presence had taken on a newfound steadiness.
"Now that I've reached the tenth level of Qi Refinement, further consumption of pills barely advances my cultivation. It seems I've hit my limit. The next step is to prepare for Foundation Establishment." A flicker of excitement crossed Xiao Chen's face. Who would have thought that a boy with no spiritual roots would achieve the tenth level of Qi Refinement in just over six months?
"Foundation Establishment Pill!" Xiao Chen's eyes gleamed with resolve.
Half a day later, Xiao Chen left the medicine garden, heading toward the Spirit Medicine Valley. Despite his remarkable alchemy skills, he couldn't create a Foundation Establishment Pill without a sample to study. Unfortunately, none of the storage pouches he had obtained contained one, which left him slightly frustrated. This trip's purpose was to acquire a pill—or at the very least, uncover its composition.
The Spirit Medicine Valley, as the sect's sole source of medicinal pills, held unparalleled significance. Although Elder Yaodaozi was only at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, even the Golden Core mid-stage sect master treated him with great respect. Despite his disdain for taking disciples, Yaodaozi had five, including Xiao Chen, his only registered disciple. Meanwhile, over a hundred outer disciples managed the gardens and herbs under his supervision.
With Yaodaozi striving to reach the Golden Core stage, the Spirit Medicine Valley's prestige had risen even further.
Wang Erma stood supervising the outer disciples, barking orders with a sense of authority.
"Move faster! Get all the herbs laid out properly!"
"Careful with those! These are materials for refining Spirit Replenishing Pills. If you damage them, how will you compensate?"
"Can't you see? That's a Snake Orchid! Exposure to sunlight ruins its potency. Get it back in the shade now!"
After a while, Wang Erma, feeling parched, turned back to a stone table, poured himself tea, and drank deeply. Watching his subordinates scurry around, he smirked with satisfaction. If not for his cleverness in aligning himself with Senior Brother Duan, he'd never have landed this supervisory role.
Xiao Chen strolled into the Spirit Medicine Valley. As Yaodaozi's registered disciple, he had the privilege of coming and going freely. Seeing the bustling scene, a faint smile appeared on his face. He had once helped with such tasks during his early days in the valley.
Recognizing a familiar face, he called out with a teasing tone, "Why is the esteemed supervisor handling herbs himself? Didn't you always say an overseer must maintain their dignity? What's changed?"
Startled, Wang Bin turned to see Xiao Chen and managed a strained smile. "Ah, it's Senior Brother Xiao Chen! It's been months. Things have changed. I'm no longer the supervisor. Before closing his doors for seclusion, the elder left Senior Brother Duan in charge. He thought I wasn't doing well enough."
Wang Bin tried to appear indifferent, but Xiao Chen caught a flicker of bitterness in his gaze.
"Does this have anything to do with me?" Xiao Chen's expression darkened, his voice growing stern.
"Well… Senior Brother Duan spoke ill of you behind your back. I lost my temper and argued with him, so he removed me and replaced me with one of his bootlickers," Wang Bin admitted, unable to hide his frustration.
Hearing this, Xiao Chen's face turned colder. Before he could respond, a voice full of disdain interrupted.
"Wang Bin! Chatting with outsiders during work hours? Are you looking to get kicked out of here? Pack your things and return to the outer sect! Plenty would kill for a chance to join the Spirit Medicine Valley!"
Wang Erma strode over, his face smug. He knew Xiao Chen's identity but wasn't intimidated. As a close subordinate of Senior Brother Duan, he figured Xiao Chen wouldn't dare cross him. In his eyes, Xiao Chen was just a lucky novice, not worth fearing.
Wang Bin's face turned pale at the threat. Being sent back to the outer sect would crush his chances of advancement.
Xiao Chen's expression darkened further as he turned to Wang Erma, his voice cold. "Outsider? Open your dog eyes and take a good look. I am the elder's registered disciple. And you? What are you to dare bark in front of me?"
Even without releasing his cultivation, Xiao Chen's presence as a tenth-level Qi Refinement cultivator exerted an invisible pressure. Wang Erma's knees nearly buckled under the weight of it.
Before Wang Erma could retort, a mocking voice came from deeper within the valley.
"Well, well, who's making such a fuss in our Spirit Medicine Valley? Oh, it's Junior Brother Xiao Chen. Still at the first level of Qi Refinement after all these months, but your temper has certainly improved."
Xiao Chen turned to see Duan Huaming and Ji Yuewu approaching from the inner courtyard.
His gaze swept over Duan Huaming. Eighth level of Qi Refinement—a decent improvement in six months, but still far inferior to his own progress.
When his eyes landed on Ji Yuewu, his expression grew serious. Seventh level of Qi Refinement! Xiao Chen's rapid advancement relied on his golden seal and excessive pill consumption, yet she had achieved this through sheer talent. Her spiritual roots must be exceptional.
Smiling faintly, Xiao Chen greeted her, "Senior Sister Ji, it's been a while. How have you been?"
Ji Yuewu gave him a measured glance. His composure and steady demeanor surprised her. Despite his poor aptitude, Xiao Chen clearly had deep reserves of self-discipline. Remembering the time he had accidentally bumped into her, she felt a faint blush rise but quickly suppressed it. "I've been well, thank you for asking."
Duan Huaming's expression darkened when he saw Ji Yuewu's fleeting blush. Her rise to prominence had shaken the sect, earning her recognition as a core disciple from the sect master himself. Her beauty and achievements had also made her the undisputed "First Beauty of Falling Cloud Valley." Despite Duan Huaming's relentless pursuit, she remained distant. To see her act even slightly coy around Xiao Chen filled him with envy and rage.
"Wang Erma!" Duan Huaming snapped. "What's going on here? How did you manage to provoke Junior Brother Xiao Chen?"