On the peak of a quiet mountain, Chen Li sat under an old tree, meditating through the night. As the first sunlight rise over the eastern sky, he felt a surge of energy within him. Finally, he compressed the spirit energy form gas to liquid, condensing the first drop of spirit liquid in his dantian and breakthrough the Spirit Sea Realm.
Thanks to the Nine Oceans Pearl, his cultivation progress was smooth and natural. This treasure is his lifeguard treasure. He earned it as a reward in the Inheritance Sea, where he managed to master the Nine Oceans Art in just seven days. It is a feat that others could only dream of.
Chen Li opened his eyes, letting out a long sigh. A faint smile appeared in his face and thought, No wonder everyone wants to join an Immortal Sect. Their foundation and resources are truly amazing. I've achieved in a few years what many rogue cultivators can't achieve in a lifetime.
His thought was not wrong. Cultivators often said that the path of cultivation was against the heaven and every step was filled with thorns and terror, but there was a huge difference between a sect disciple and a rogue cultivator. The greater the sect, the greater the advantage.
Compared to rogue cultivators, sect disciples lived like a emperor among the mortal. They did not need to worry for various kinds of resources. Everything was placed on the table. They only need to sit down and eat.
Chen Li couldn't help but feel grateful for his system. Without it, he would never comprehend the Nine Oceans Art in the Inheritance Sea and obtained the Nine Oceans Pearl.
But his system was little unreliable—it had only appeared twice. The first time, it introduced itself and explained the rules. The second time, it gave him a beginner's gift. After that, it went completely silent like a dead fish.
"Seriously," Chen Li muttered, "this system is too lazy. If it weren't for the two light beams I see whenever I call 'system', I'd think it had abandoned me."
From the first interaction, he had learned the basics rules of system. Saving others earned Merit Light, while killing accumulated Sin Light. Merit Light and Sin Light could suppress each other.
If he gained enough Merit Light, he could exchange it for enlightenment, speeding up his comprehension. But if his Sin Light suppressed Merit Light and reached a certain amount, he would face a tribulation. These rules were simple and full of loopholes, but the system itself offered no further guidance.
Just as he was lost in thought, a cheerful voice called out. "Junior Brother! Are you still sitting there cultivating? Isn't it boring? Come and play with your Senior Sister!"
When Chen Li turned his head, he saw his Senior Sister Li Xiaoyan standing nearby, her hands on her hips and a playful grin on her face. She was the youngest daughter of their master and everyone in the sect called her Junior Sister. That was until Chen Li arrived.
With him being younger, she had joyfully taken the chance to finally become "Senior Sister." She loved her new title so much that she'd grown very fond of Chen Li. However, cultivation wasn't really her thing—she preferred spending her time playing around.
Despite her playful nature, her talent was astonishing. While Chen Li had painstakingly advanced to the Spirit Sea Realm, she had already reached the late stage of Core Condensation and was only one step away from the Soul Condensation Realm. Her progress was effortless, a stark contrast to his struggles.
Chen Li sighed and stood up. "Senior Sister, you should focus more on your cultivation. Who knows? I might catch up to you someday."
Li Xiaoyan burst into laughter. "If you catch up to me, Junior Brother, I'll start calling you Senior Brother!"
Because of her teasing, Chen Li shook his head, but he couldn't help smiling.
"Junior Brother, come on, play with your Senior Sister. That old fogey keeps forcing me to cultivate! I'm so bored I could die!" Li Xiaoyan complained, pouting dramatically.
"No…" Chen Li rejected her instantly without a second thought. He knew her "play" often ended in chaos—chaos he couldn't afford without the protection of a strong background like hers.
Li Xiaoyan raised an eyebrow, holding up a jade slip. "Oh? Then who should I give this Great Five-Element Formation to? Maybe Seventh Brother? His fiancée is a formation master. Or perhaps Third Uncle? I heard his son is learning formations." She spoke to herself, her voice was light and full of teasing, ensuring Chen Li could hear every word.
Although Chen Li wasn't a formation master, he had collected many formation techniques. Li Xiaoyan knew this, so she deliberately dangled the bait.
In a flash, Chen Li appeared in front of her. "Senior Sister! Is that really the Great Five-Element Formation?"
Li Xiaoyan shot him a sidelong glance, feigning disinterest. "It is. Originally, I thought my Junior Brother would often play with me, so I planned to give it to you as a present. But now… tsk, tsk…" She shook her head with disappointment.
Chen Li's smile turned awkward. "Hehe… If that's the case, I can play with you, Senior Sister! What do you want to do? Stroll through Xian City? Or maybe catch some little demons?"
Li Xiaoyan smiled mischievously. "No, I want to visit the Thousand Flowers Mountain."
The moment Chen Li heard that, his face darkened as memories of their last escapade flooded back. Without hesitation, he replied, "Absolutely not!"
Li Xiaoyan's expression didn't change, but her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Fine. Then how about the Alchemy Mountain?"
Chen Li groaned. "Senior Sister, do you want to steal a 50,000-year-old ginseng again? And eat it with three-colored chicken? Last time you did that, you were confined for six months! You were even warned that if it happened again, you'd be confined for ten years!"
"That old man Xiao is so petty!" Li Xiaoyan huffed, crossing her arms. "We only took one ginseng, and he ran crying to my parents, throwing a tantrum on our sect. I really want to teach him a lesson! This time, I'll rob his entire herb garden."
Chen Li's heart sank at her bold declaration. He kept his thoughts to himself, though. If she does that, who knows what will happen to her… But one thing is certain—I'll be punished for it too. The lightest punishment would be getting kicked out of the alliance. At worst, my cultivation will be destroyed.
He forced a smile and said, "Senior Sister, the herb garden belongs to the alliance. That old man Xiao is only a manager. If you dare to rob the whole garden, not only master but also the Alliance Leader won't let you off lightly."
Li Xiaoyan waved her hands dismissively. "I know, I know. I'm just saying. I won't really do something stupid like that. How about we go to the Myriad Beast Forest instead?"
Chen Li's face paled. "No! Absolutely not! Senior Sister, that place is full of Spirit Beasts with weird tempers. They won't care who you are. If they get angry, they'll attack without mercy!"
Li Xiaoyan grinned slyly. "Don't worry. They're afraid of Uncle White. I have already got two of his scales—one for you and one for me. As long as we have them, no beast will dare to harm us."
Chen Li stared at her, completely speechless.
Li Xiaoyan tilted her head. "So, will you come or not? If you won't, what a shame… I guess I'll just give this formation to the Seventh Brother." She turned away dramatically, as she was preparing to leave.
"Wait!" Chen Li called out, sighing in defeat. "I'll go with you."
Li Xiaoyan's face lit up like a child who'd won a game. "That's my lovely Junior Brother!" she beamed, her smile as sly as a fox.
…..
Under the bright sunlight, a forest of towering trees stretched thousands of miles. In the heart of the forest lay a vast, shimmering lake, so large it covered nearly a third of the entire forest. The forest teemed with life—beasts of all kinds roamed freely, grazing or prowling. From the smallest critters to towering Spirit Beasts, nearly every creature imaginable could be found here.
At the edge of this forest, two figures walked cautiously like thieves. Who else could it be other then Chen Li and Li Xiaoyan? They moved carefully, avoiding the patrolling disciples sent to keep order. Though the Myriad Beast Forest was dangerous, its edges were relatively safe.
Some bold disciples would sneak in to collect rare herbs or materials. Unfortunately, they lacked treasures like the dragon scales Chen Li and Li Xiaoyan carried—items that could scare away Spirit Beasts. Without such protection, accidents often occurred, leading the alliance to assign regular patrols. But despite the risks and the rules, some disciples still dared to sneak in—just like Chen Li and his mischievous Senior Sister.
After walking for a while, the pair arrived at a small stream. This was the spot where they had cooked and eaten three-colored chicken during their last adventure.
Li Xiaoyan wasted no time. She climbed up a nearby tree with practiced ease and spread her spirit sense outward, scanning the area for her prey. Within moments, her eyes lit up as she detected a flock of three-colored chickens not far away. Without a word, she leapt gracefully from branch to branch, heading in the direction of the flock.
Chen Li sighed. He already knew what this meant—Senior Sister had found her target. Without complaint, he set to work, gathering dry branches to prepare for cooking.
A few minutes later, Li Xiaoyan returned, holding two plump, colorful chickens in her hands. She tossed them to Chen Li with a triumphant smile.
"Here you go, Junior Brother. Get them ready!"
Chen Li shook his head but got to work. He cleaned the chickens skillfully and skewered them on a single stick. Placing them over the fire, he began grilling them, turning the stick slowly to ensure they cooked evenly on all sides.
Before long, the rich, mouthwatering aroma of roasted chicken filled the air. The golden-brown skin glistened, and the scent made even Chen Li's stomach rumble.
Li Xiaoyan said excitedly. "That smells amazing! Hurry up, Junior Brother—I'm starving!"
Chen Li glanced at her and smiled faintly. "Be patient, Senior Sister. Good food takes time."
A few minutes later, the fragrant grilled chicken was ready. The two sat by the stream, enjoying their meal amidst the tranquility of the forest.