A Way In

Outside Dengxian Tower. Yaoguang glanced back inside. "Fourth Layer Qi Refining... Back in the Artifact Nurturing Realm, someone like that would be the foremost expert in an entire country. Even if the qi refining system can't match the martial path in combat strength before reaching the high-level realm, suppressing a whole province would still be child's play for them. Yet here in Dengxian Tower, all they can do is usher guests in and out." "Rarity makes things valuable. When any field becomes flooded with people, its worth naturally takes a plunge." Zong Yan sighed wistfully. "I found it hard to believe when I first arrived, too, but now... I've made peace with it." "The main reason for this situation is the shift in global dynamics," Ji Pingtian joined in. "Three hundred years ago, the literacy rate in our White Tower Federation was under ten percent. Now, it's well over eighty percent. Likewise, three hundred years ago, before we made contact with the Moon Demon Empire, anyone at Fourth Layer Body Refining had a realistic shot at testing into the Ten Great Immortal Sects and becoming disciples of that elite caliber. Cultivators were one in a thousand back then. But today... everyone has arts to practice, and everyone can cultivate." "Indeed. The times have changed too quickly," Zong Yan agreed wholeheartedly, nodding. "Immortal masters who stood high above the masses centuries ago have blended into the crowd. Cultivation arts that once required bankrupting an entire family to obtain are now incorporated into the compulsory education system. It's truly turned heaven and earth upside down... If you can't keep pace with the trend, the times will simply leave you behind." Yaoguang looked at Ji Pingtian and Zong Yan. Evidently, even though these two "old men" were working hard to study and adapt... They had lingered too long in the Artifact Nurturing Realm. In the future, it was inevitable that they would face obsolescence. That was why they were filled with such wistful lamentation. "Both of you are Sixth Layer Body Refining experts. There's no need to be so pessimistic about the future," Yaoguang said. "All you need is an opportunity, and you'll be able to comprehend the force of heaven and earth to step into the realm of high-level cultivators." "High-level cultivators... If I could step into that realm in this lifetime, I'd die content," Ji Pingtian said with a wry smile. "Still, even though the difficulty of becoming a mid-level cultivator has dropped by a huge margin, high-level cultivators are still considered to have achieved true mastery. They hold real status and prestige in every industry. Younger ones can easily test into executive positions even at the Nine Cauldrons Sect. But we've already missed our prime cultivation years. Taking that step now... is easier said than done." "Longxiang City Fifteenth Higher Academy is hiring martial arts teachers right now," Zong Yan said suddenly. "I plan to apply in a while. Once I'm in the system, if I can advance to Seventh Layer Body Refining down the line, I could directly apply to become a professor at Longxiang Taixue Academy." "You?" Ji Pingtian paused, slightly startled. "Isn't staying at the Hundred Refinements Sect as an outer courtyard instructor good enough?" "Going to a higher academy to absorb the new school of thought and break open my mental shackles might give me a shot at pushing for Seventh Layer Body Refining. If I stay at the Hundred Refinements Sect... Sixth Layer is probably my ceiling," Zong Yan replied. Ji Pingtian fell silent upon hearing this. Perhaps... he should also move with the times. Without integrating into this world's existing cultivation system, one could never keep up with the tide of the era. After a long pause, he remarked, "We... both walk the martial path, where competition for teachers is fiercest... If we were sword cultivators or spell cultivators, with a Sixth Layer cultivation, we wouldn't even need to interview. We could just get certified and start working immediately..." "Yet we aren't young anymore. Hastily attempting to refine qi into spirit and switch paths... the consequences are unpredictable," Zong Yan said, shaking his head. "Then let's try together. If a higher academy won't take us, a higher college would do as well." Listening to their exchange, Yaoguang understood the dilemma they faced. Compared to him, Zong Yan and Ji Pingtian were well along in years, leaving them with little room for growth. He was only twenty-one. With the Nine Cauldrons Sect as a fallback, even if he spent eight or ten years wandering without establishing his own lineage, he could simply test into the sect to secure an iron rice bowl. But Zong Yan and Ji Pingtian couldn't. Especially Ji Pingtian. Zong Yan at least had Zong Lian of the Hundred Refinements Sect to lend a helping hand. If Ji Pingtian didn't take a gamble, he might live comfortably enough without worrying about food or clothing, but when it came to career and accomplishments... He would truly blend into the faceless crowd for the rest of his days. For someone who had once served as the chairman of the Jishi Society and stirred up storms across two continents, that would be worse than death. *** The Hundred Refinements Sect. Yaoguang immersed himself in the astral force field, relishing how it tempered his physique alongside the Heavenly Being Pill he had ingested not long ago. Although he had known for a long time that pills provided an immediate boost to cultivation, he still let out a long breath when this round of training came to a close. A sharp glint shone in his eyes. "I knew it!" He muttered, "Right now, what I lack isn't realm comprehension, but an accumulation of energy. As long as the energy catches up, I can reach the Star Lord realm very quickly." He glanced at the remaining nine Heavenly Being Pills in his hand. After a quick calculation, he arrived at a conclusion. "If every cultivation session is supplied with Heavenly Being Pills, I can step into Eighth Layer Body Refining in half a year. And that's assuming I pace it to maximize the medicinal efficacy. Otherwise, I could cut that time down to under three months." Reaching Eighth Layer Body Refining in three months... expecting to reach Ninth Layer in a year wouldn't be excessive, would it? After solidifying his foundation for a while longer... Under the best conditions, he could even reach Star Lord within two years. *** Over the days that followed, Yaoguang lost himself in this lightning-fast progress. However, a single bottle of Heavenly Being Pills didn't last long after all. When Yaoguang poured out another pill half a month later, he was startled to find that only three remained. "Twenty spirit stones, gone just like that?" That had been a decade's worth of savings for the entire Jiang family of Chixing. *** The next day, after finishing his cultivation, Yaoguang found Zong Yan. "I want to see Sect Master Zong Lian." Zong Yan, who was leafing through a book, paused in surprise before immediately rising to his feet. "I'll take you there right now." The two headed toward the rear courtyard. Walking about a hundred meters, they arrived at a courtyard enclosed by walls and inscribed with formations. Inside, a woman was currently instructing three disciples in their forms. Yaoguang recognized her. She was the one who had stood beside Zong Lian earlier, wearing a qipao. Her name was Huang Yunqi, the eldest senior sister of the Hundred Refinements Sect. Lacking talent for qi refining, she walked the martial path and was specifically tasked with instructing the inner courtyard disciples in martial arts. She possessed the strength of an Eighth Layer Body Refining cultivator. The other three were formal disciples of the sect. Compared to the Hundred Refinements Sect, the Nine Cauldrons Sect held far greater appeal for cultivators with the aptitude and conditions for sword or spell cultivation. Consequently, the vast majority of disciples at the Hundred Refinements Sect focused on the martial path—people who had failed to test into the Nine Cauldrons Sect but were unwilling to abandon cultivation entirely. Those truly walking the sword or spell cultivation paths were limited to just four people, led by Eldest Senior Brother Zong Wuya. Only those four were considered Zong Lian's true legacy disciples. The rest, including Huang Yunqi, were essentially high-level employees of the Hundred Refinements Sect. Distantly related to Zong Lian, she had been nurtured by the sect since childhood; having achieved some success in cultivation, she now worked for the sect to repay the debt. "Eldest Senior Sister," Zong Yan stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Is the Sect Master available?" Huang Yunqi didn't answer. Instead, she turned her gaze toward Yaoguang, studying him for a moment before remarking, "Your strength has improved quite a bit." "You flatter me," Yaoguang said. "Flatter you?" Huang Yunqi gave a faint, mocking smile. "If I had pills to take the way you do, I'd probably be a Star Lord by now. Who doesn't know how much resources aid cultivation?" Yaoguang looked at her, finding her tone odd. "Do you harbor hostility toward me?" "I just find it hard to watch, that's all," Huang Yunqi said coldly. "Do you have any idea how long it took our little junior brother to save up two spirit stones?" "Eldest Senior Sister..." Zong Yan hastily spoke up to stop her. Yaoguang ignored her words, his thoughts turning over until a realization struck him. "You don't want me staying at the Hundred Refinements Sect?" Huang Yunqi's expression remained steady, but a fleeting trace of panic flickered across her eyes. Though she quickly recovered her icy composure, Yaoguang's Awareness caught it all the same. "I'm simply stating a fact. Rapidly raising your strength through pills proves nothing about your talent," she said briskly. "Since Master and Little Junior Brother think so highly of you, you ought to show what you can do. Whether by joining the Nine Cauldrons Sect or making a name for yourself in another field, that would be the way to prove your talent." Yaoguang nodded, understanding her motive. Zong Lian clearly intended for him to stay at the Hundred Refinements Sect. For what purpose? To hold up the sect's facade after Zong Lian passed away. Yet Huang Yunqi, who had grown up in the sect, evidently saw things differently. Yaoguang shook his head and paid her no further heed. Still, after weighing the matter, he abandoned his original thought of leveraging his "cultivation talent" to secure an "angel investment" from Zong Lian. He couldn't be bothered to get entangled too deeply. As for the spirit stone problem... He had already thought of a solution half a month ago, the moment he realized how effective the Heavenly Being Pills were for his training. "Eldest Senior Sister," Zong Yan said with displeasure, "we came to see Master." "Master went with City Lord Luo to the Eastern Desolate Archipelago for the annual maritime patrol," Huang Yunqi said. Zong Yan paused, surprised. "Why was it moved forward this year?" "The Xuanming Sect encroached on the waters of Posuo Island. The Nine Cauldrons Sect naturally has to project deterrence," Huang Yunqi replied calmly. Hearing that, Zong Yan had nothing to say. The Hundred Thousand Mountains and the Eastern Desolate Archipelago had originally been territory of the Artifact Sect, and the Nine Cauldrons Sect had always claimed sovereignty over them as well. However... The surrounding sects paid no heed to those claims. They seized the islands in the eastern archipelago as they pleased and mined the resources as they saw fit. The Hundred Thousand Mountains were no different. For that reason, the Nine Cauldrons Sect organized forces every year to conduct a sweep through both regions. If things went well, they would reclaim some territory. If not, they would lose a few resource points. "Each patrol usually lasts two to three months. Yaoguang, did you have something urgent? If so, we can send a message to the Sect Master..." Zong Yan asked. "No, it's fine." Yaoguang shook his head. Then he added, "I'm heading out." "I'll drive you." "No need to trouble yourself." Yaoguang waved a hand, but Zong Yan insisted on driving, taking Yaoguang all the way to his destination. Longxiang Taixue Academy. Stepping onto the academy grounds, Zong Yan looked around in bewilderment. "What are we doing here?" "I looked into it. Longxiang Taixue Academy is conducting a research project with funding approved by the Nine Cauldrons Sect—fourteen hundred spirit stones in total," Yaoguang said. "And that research... I believe I can solve it."