Endurance

Not until the moon hung high in the sky did Qin Sang finish his chores for the day, dragging his exhausted body into seclusion to cultivate. Manipulating the Five Elements Cloud to nourish the spiritual herbs had nearly depleted all the spiritual power in his body. Yet as he cultivated, he felt his cultivation progress slightly more than before. It might also have been because his aptitudes were simply too poor—the increment was so miniscule that, having grown accustomed to Soul Pills, he could barely think much of it. Having just entered the sect, even if he wanted to run, now was not the time. Qin Sang decided to quietly endure and bide his time in the Yuanzhao Sect while watching how things unfolded. His top priority right now was to increase his strength. The medicinal efficacy of the Qi Gathering Pill had not yet been fully refined, and in his mustard seed bag he still possessed a bottle of stone milk and an ample supply of Soul Pills. Qin Sang estimated that it would not be long before he could break through to the seventh layer of the Qi Refinement stage. Qin Sang turned his inner vision toward his qi sea. The medicinal power of the Qi Gathering Pill had remained suppressed there all this time; now was the time to begin refining it. …… In the blink of an eye, over ten days passed. Life during this period was extraordinarily peaceful, free from any disturbance. The disciples in Cloud-Moving Valley were each busier than the last, staying day in and day out on their own patches of land. Not a single person showed any interest in this newly arrived junior brother, let alone stirred up trouble for him. After such a long time, Meng Ruhui was still the only person Qin Sang knew. Yet what made Qin Sang uneasy was that Yu Hua had never once sought him out either. Qin Sang had grown used to the rhythm of life in Cloud-Moving Valley. By day, he moved clouds, summoned rain, and tended the herb garden; by night, he returned to his cave dwelling to quietly cultivate and refine the medicinal power of the Qi Gathering Pill, his cultivation realm advancing by leaps and bounds. "Another ten days or so should be enough to completely refine the Qi Gathering Pill's medicinal power," Qin Sang calculated silently while maneuvering the Five Elements Cloud to irrigate a plot of spiritual fields planted with Seven Star Chonglou. Barring any unforeseen accidents, once he exhausted the pill's potency, his cultivation would steadily rise to the late sixth layer, just a sliver away from the seventh layer. If he then consumed that bottle of stone milk, he would in all likelihood break through in one go. However, once he broke through to the seventh layer, he would have to find a way to rid himself of these chores. For every thread of the Qi Gathering Pill's medicinal potency Qin Sang refined, he had to pause his cultivation and allow a certain amount of time for his body to slowly digest the medicine entirely, while also adapting to his rapidly rising realm. Rushing things recklessly would bring no benefit and might even leave hidden flaws in his foundation. Thus, during this period, the chores in the herb garden had not actually hindered his cultivation. Yet once he finished refining the pill's power and broke through to the seventh layer, there would be no shortcuts left. He would have to cultivate through bitter perseverance, and at that point, the herb garden would become an enormous encumbrance. After finishing the rain over the final spiritual field, the day was still early. Just then, two streaks of light flew into the valley. Seeing that it was Meng Ruhui, Qin Sang hurriedly went up to greet him. Beside Meng Ruhui was a young man roughly the same age as Qin Sang, whose face bore an undisguisable look of joy, which subdued only slightly upon spotting Qin Sang. "Greetings, Senior Brother Meng. Might I ask this senior brother's surname?" Qin Sang cupped his hands. The young man returned the greeting. "Junior Brother Qin, my surname is Bi." Noticing that Meng Ruhui hesitated to speak and had a somewhat peculiar expression, Qin Sang pressed, "Senior Brother Meng, Senior Brother Bi, have you come looking for me for something?" Meng Ruhui hesitated before asking, "Junior Brother Qin, tell me the truth. Have you ever offended Uncle-Master Yu?" Yu Hua! Qin Sang's heart leaped to his throat, but his expression remained calm, betraying only confusion. "I only met Uncle-Master Yu once during the Ascension Assembly and complied with his arrangements to come to Cloud-Moving Valley. I do not believe I acted discourteously in any way." Meng Ruhui shook his head. "Junior Brother Qin, from now on, this valley will be overseen by Junior Brother Bi. Come with me." Full of doubts and wondering what Yu Hua was playing at, Qin Sang bade farewell to Senior Brother Bi, returned to his cave dwelling to pack his belongings, rode his magic tool, and followed Meng Ruhui toward the man's residence. Meng Ruhui's dwelling was a thatched cottage built in a river valley, nestled against the mountains and beside the water. He kept several green oxen for company, living a leisurely, carefree life; according to him, this residence had been modeled after his childhood memories. "Junior Brother Qin, please come in. Try some Spirit-Nourishing Tea newly plucked by Junior Sister Yan. You won't find good tea like this out in the mortal world." Meng Ruhui beamed as he ushered him inside. Meng Ruhui had an easygoing temperament. Though Qin Sang had only met him a few times, he found the man decent. Qin Sang was in no mood to savor tea. Cupping his hands, he said, "Senior Brother Meng, please be frank with me. What on earth happened? You have seen my conduct ever since I joined the Yuanzhao Sect. I have been diligently tending spiritual herbs in Cloud-Moving Valley and have not even visited the Lecture Hall. It is utterly impossible that I offended anyone." Meng Ruhui's smile faded, and he let out a soft sigh. "Junior Brother Qin, I also believe you are not a rash or arrogant person. But in this cultivation world, if your strength falls short of others, there is nowhere to reason things out. Perhaps a single gesture, a glance, or even an improper tone of voice could make someone harbor a grudge. In the future, you had best be more cautious in how you carry yourself…" Meng Ruhui preached a string of grand principles to Qin Sang before finally saying, "Take that Junior Brother Bi from just now. He inadvertently offended a Foundation Establishment uncle-master, and after I received a hint, I had no choice but to assign him the most grueling chore, leaving him to suffer through ten bitter years. Fortunately, this happened inside the sect, where even Foundation Establishment cultivators must abide by the rules and cannot simply kill on a whim. Had this been on the outside, he would have lost his life." Qin Sang understood. In a heavy voice, he asked, "Senior Brother Meng, you mean…" Meng Ruhui nodded. "Come with me, Junior Brother." The two flew directly out of Cloud-Moving Valley, heading west. Along the way, Qin Sang noticed numerous similar valleys shrouded in mist. Before long, Meng Ruhui stopped before one such valley, produced a talisman to open the grand formation, and handed both the talisman and a jade slip to Qin Sang. One after the other, they stepped inside. A rich herbal fragrance immediately filled Qin Sang's nostrils, prompting him to surmise that this was another herb garden. "This is Huiyang Valley, which is also under my charge, and spiritual herbs are planted here as well." Meng Ruhui paused and glanced at Qin Sang. "However, the herbs in this garden are all used by the Changsheng Hall for pill refinement. Every single stalk is far more troublesome to look after than those in Purple Bamboo Valley. Junior Brother Qin is already familiar with tending herb gardens, so getting started shouldn't be too difficult…" Huiyang Valley was slightly larger than Purple Bamboo Valley, and the varieties of herbs in its spiritual fields alone were several times greater. When Qin Sang sent his spiritual sense into the jade slip and saw the endless rules, requirements, and taboos, he felt completely overwhelmed and dizzy. Tending these spiritual fields would take far more time than in Purple Bamboo Valley. Seeing Meng Ruhui turn to leave, Qin Sang hurried after him. "Senior Brother Meng, wait." Meng Ruhui assumed Qin Sang could not swallow this indignation and counseled him earnestly, "I know you feel wronged, Junior Brother Qin. Just endure it for a few years. Once Uncle-Master Yu's anger subsides, things will be easier to manage. When the next Ascension Assembly comes around, I will do my best to mediate on your behalf." Qin Sang smiled. "Do not worry, Senior Brother. When it comes to 'endurance,' I have quite a bit of experience myself. What I wished to ask you was where I might purchase a few items that I urgently need."