Ning stared at the twenty-four mid-grade spirit stones in front of him like a Victorian child catching sight of ankles for the first time.

  The impact was… profound, to say the least.

  Each of these mid-grade spiritual stones was equivalent to a thousand spiritual stones. After so many years of scraping by, it felt good to be moderately rich for once.

  “With this much,” Ning muttered, “I could even buy a Foundation Building Pill.”

  A Foundation Building Pill was the most coveted pill for Qi cultivators. For those with weaker foundations, it served as a crucial aid when attempting to break through to the Foundation Building stage. It was said to increase the probability of success by at least twenty-five percent.

  Of course, Ning had already planned exactly how he would spend these spirit stones.

  After storing them carefully in his newly acquired storage pouch, he changed into his new robes.

  Inner sect robes were distinguished by black stripes. Unlike the outer sect robes, which were mostly ornamental, these had several practical functions. For example, they were inscribed with a cleansing array; with just a bit of qi, the robe could clean itself instantly.

  Most importantly, the inner sect robes were extremely drippy. They were designed to flutter dramatically in the wind and move elegantly with the wearer, perfect for cultivating a proper aura.

  Ning stood before the mirror.

  The reflection showed a boy around fourteen or fifteen, with long brown hair and fair skin.

  Then he struck a few rather questionable poses, bizarre, some might even say.

  “Hmm. Not bad,” Ning said, nodding to himself.

  He had always made it a habit to dress well. At the very least, he tried not to look like someone down on their luck. In this world, looking shabby could probably get you slapped for no reason.

  Just then, someone knocked on the door.

  It was Old Zhou.

  “So, you’re really heading to the inner sect now?” Old Zhou said, glancing at the black-striped robe with a hint of envy.

  “Yes.” Ning nodded.

  Old Zhou sighed. “I’m jealous. I heard that inner sect spiritual farmers are given first-tier spiritual land right away. I spent years trying to turn my one-acre sub-spiritual field into first tier… and you get it handed to you.”

  He shook his head.

  Who would have thought the boy who once had to borrow spirit stones from him would rise this quickly?

  “Ah, right,” Ning said, scratching his cheek. “Some of my plants haven’t matured yet. Could you help take care of them?”

  He still had two acres of basic grain that hadn’t been harvested.

  “Don’t worry,” Old Zhou said with a wave of his hand. “Leave it to me. Just remember us poor outer sect folks when you become a big shot.”

  Ning grinned, “Of course. I’ll come back often, someone has to stop you from teaching the younger disciples your questionable life philosophies.”

  Old Zhou laughed and waved him off.

  “Get going already. Inner sect disciples aren’t supposed to keep people waiting.”

  Ning gave one last look at the small courtyard he had lived in for years, then slung his bag over his shoulder.

  “Then, take care,” Ning said, waving as he walked off.

  Old Zhou watched his departing figure and let out a long sigh.

  “Great… now I have to cook for myself again,” he muttered. “Maybe I should just find myself a wife.”

  Despite being nearly sixty, Old Zhou was still quite lively at heart.

  ...

  It had been a week since the outer sect competition, and most, if not all, of the competitors had fully recovered from their injuries.

  Today was the day that the elder had told all the winners to assemble. Elder Shu was leading the ten of them into the inner sect.

  The inner and outer sect regions were separated by a tall wall. In a world of cultivators, a mere wall was hardly enough to stop intruders, but the formations carved into it were another matter entirely.

  “Show your identification.”

  The voice that echoed through the air was not human.

  Beside the marble jade gate, the only entrance to the inner sect, stood two statues.

  On the left was a massive two-headed dog, its stone body covered in jagged spikes.

  On the right stood a gigantic winged serpent with razor-sharp fangs, exuding a cruel aura.

  Both statues looked incredibly lifelike. Their eyes were set with black jewels that seemed to hold a faint spark of life.

  When Elder Shu stepped forward, the serpent statue spoke again in a dry, scraping voice. Each time its mouth opened and closed, small flakes of stone fell to the ground.

  “Identification.”

  “Enough, Serp,” Elder Shu said impatiently. “Don’t you recognize me?”

  At his words, both the serpent and the two-headed dog burst into laughter. The booming sound stirred a gust of wind that made the disciples’ robes flutter.

  “Fascinating,” Ning murmured quietly.

  He was far more interested in the statues themselves than the conversation. First, because they were clearly some sort of animated stone puppets, and second, because their aura… was comparable to that of Foundation Building cultivators.

  “Alright, alright,” Elder Shu said, producing a jade medallion etched with golden lines. “Look carefully. I’m also here to register the new disciples.”

  “Hm. I see,” the serpent replied lazily.

  The statues turned their gaze toward the group.

  “All of you, present your sect identification jade. We will register you.”

  “Do as they say,” Elder Shu instructed.

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  The process was quick. Each disciple placed their jade token into a carved slot between the statues. The token glowed faintly for a few seconds before dimming again.

  “You may enter.”

  With that, the statues allowed them to pass.

  Just like that, the group stepped into the inner sect.

  The first thing everyone noticed was the difference in the air.

  The concentration of spiritual energy was noticeably higher, at least twenty percent denser than in the outer sect.

  Just this improved environment alone made entering the inner sect worthwhile.

  Of course, most of the top ten disciples were heirs of cultivation clans. For them, this was nothing particularly exciting. Thanks to their connections, they were already familiar with the inner sect’s conditions.

  As they walked further inside, Elder Shu began explaining the sect’s history.

  “Our Pure Qi Sect was founded in the Bronze Year 666. It has been nearly five hundred years since its establishment. The founder was the famous Nascent Soul Patriarch Li Changsou…”

  “You may have noticed the increase in spiritual energy here. That is because the sect was built upon a spiritual vein discovered by Patriarch Li Changsou. The closer you are to the spiritual vein, the higher the concentration of spiritual energy.”

  Ning nodded occasionally as he listened.

  He had already gathered a fair amount of information about the sect beforehand, but learning more was never a bad thing.

  Especially when the topic involved Patriarch Li Changsou.

  The reason was simple.

  This was the sect where the protagonist lived.

  Ning would be foolish to believe there was nothing special about it.

  According to the information he had collected, Patriarch Li Changsou was not originally from this region at all. He had arrived from a distant land and later established the Pure Qi Sect.

  Some rumors even claimed he had left behind a hidden legacy somewhere within the sect.

  Though whether that was true or not remained uncertain.

  “The inner sect is divided into several major areas,” Elder Shu continued. “You are free to explore them in your leisure, but do not approach any restricted zones.”

  “All of you will also be assigned your own courtyards.”

  He paused, glancing at the group.

  “As your elder, let me offer a small piece of advice.”

  “The lower the number of your courtyard, the closer it will be to the spiritual vein.”

  Ning’s eyes narrowed slightly.

  He immediately understood the implication.

  Judging by the expressions around him, the protagonist and his dear rival had reached the same conclusion.

  It was at that moment, just as they arrived at a large square dominated by a statue of the sect’s founder, that Elder Shu’s tone suddenly grew serious.

  “Now, I will explain the reason for your early admittance,” Elder Shu said. “Some of you may already know about it, while others may not. Either way, I will clarify it now.”

  Ning straightened slightly. This was clearly connected to the special opportunity that had been mentioned ever since he first joined the sect, the one tied to his future plans and cultivation progress.

  “In five years,” Elder Shu continued, “the Flowing Light Secret Realm will open. Only those under the Foundation Building stage and under thirty years of age are allowed to enter.”

  He paused, allowing the information to sink in.

  “Secret realms are independent spaces that had various restriction and carry great oppurtunity. The Flowing Light Secret Realm is one of them. The four major sects, including the Pure Qi Sect, discovered long ago that this realm is especially rich in materials used for Foundation Building, particularly Jade Ganoderma, the primary ingredient for Foundation Building Pills.”

  Hearing this, Ning was stunned.

  Secret realms?

  He remembered reading about them. There were two types: naturally occurring ones and those created by cultivators themselves. The Flowing Light Secret Realm clearly belonged to the latter.

  “But this time,” Elder Shu continued, “the Flowing Light Secret Realm is special. Every three hundred years, the realm produces a unique type of qi known as Heavenly Jade Qi, which greatly aids the process of Foundation Building.”

  At those words, everyone’s expressions turned serious.

  Foundation Building was the goal that most Qi cultivators worked toward. It was the first step to distinguish themselves from the common crowd.

  “As you know,” Elder Shu said, “the quality of one’s foundation varies. We classify them into four grades: low, mid, high, and top.”

  “Cultivators with low-grade spiritual roots can normally only form a low-grade foundation. Those with mid-grade roots can only form mid-grade foundations.”

  “But Heavenly Jade Qi can partially compensate for the limitations of one’s spiritual root during Foundation Building. With it, even someone with a low-grade root has a chance to surpass their limits and form a mid-grade, or even high-grade, foundation.”

  He looked around the group.

  “And those with high-grade spiritual roots may even have a chance to form a top-grade foundation.”

  “Top-grade foundation?”

  “Heavenly Jade Qi? That kind of qi exists?”

  The group immediately grew excited.

  Especially those with low- and mid-grade spiritual roots, their eyes practically shone with hope.

  Ning was also excited.

  From the books he had read, only those who formed high-grade foundations or above had a real chance of advancing to higher realms like the Golden Core stage.

  In fact, Ning had a fleeting suspicion that this opportunity had originally been meant for the protagonist.

  After all, despite Xiao Fan’s overwhelming combat talent, his low-grade spiritual root would normally limit the quality of his foundation.

  But with Heavenly Jade Qi, that limitation could disappear entirely.

  Seeing the group’s excitement, Elder Shu quickly poured some cold water on them.

  “However, you must understand something. The amount of Heavenly Jade Qi produced each time is limited. There will never be enough for everyone.”

  “And remember, other sects will also be entering the secret realm.”

  Those words immediately cooled the atmosphere.

  Elder Shu continued mercilessly.

  “Moreover, even those with high-grade spiritual roots will find it extremely difficult to form a top-grade foundation, even with the assistance of Heavenly Jade Qi.”

  “A top-grade foundation is the mark of a true genius. Even cultivators with exceptional talent like the top grade foundation struggle to achieve it. It requires not only extreme mastery of one's own qi cultivation but also luck."

  He was clearly trying to temper the young disciples’ expectations.

  Then, suddenly, a powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted somewhere in the distance.

  The surrounding qi flowed violently toward a single point.

  At the same time, a vision appeared in the sky: the phantom image of a flowing river accompanied by the sharp, metallic sound of swords clashing.

  “What’s happening?” someone asked in confusion.

  Elder Shu stared at the sky, stunned.

  “This… this is the vision of a top-grade foundation!”

  He had just finished explaining how rare such a thing was, and now someone had actually achieved it.

  “Vision?” Ning muttered. “Isn’t this just… special effects?”

  But then again, visions were one of the easiest ways to show that something extraordinary had happened in this cliché cultivation world, so Ning quickly accepted the setting.

  The phantom image slowly faded, but the uproar still remained.

  “That courtyard belongs to Xu Qing!” Elder Shu exclaimed in shock. “In all my years, I’ve never personally witnessed someone form a top-grade foundation!”

  “Xu Qing?”

  “Isn’t she the only one in our batch with a top-grade spiritual root?”

  Realization dawned on several of them.

  Even Ning, and Xiao Fan, who had been quietly blending into the background, looked surprised.

  “Sister Qing?” Xiao Fan murmured.

  He knew her better than anyone. After all, she was his adopted sister.

  For a moment, Xiao Fan was speechless. He was genuinely happy for her, but the gap between their talents suddenly felt painfully obvious.

  Quietly, he strengthened his resolve to become stronger.

  Ning, however, had a completely different reaction.

  He was simply marveling at the difference in cultivation speed.

  To form a top-grade foundation, one had to reach the twelfth stage of Qi Condensation, which was exactly double Ning’s current cultivation level.

  And now she had already entered the Foundation Building stage.

  Then Ning suddenly remembered something. This Xu Qing was related to the resident protagonist among them.

  Suddenly, everything made sense.

  “Ah,” Ning thought. “The classic trope of the loser and the genius sister.”

  Reincarnation truly was a skill.

  Ning had been born with a mid-grade spiritual root and had worked quite hard to reach his current level in five years.

  Meanwhile, Xu Qing, within the same time, had already reached a level comparable to the sect’s elders.

  Truly, the gap between humans could sometimes be greater than the gap between humans and ants.

  The others in the top ten clearly felt the same shock.

  However, unlike Ning, who had a chill mentality about this whole stuff, these guys were facing this disparity for the first time.

  “So this is the difference between high-grade and top-grade spiritual roots…” Qiu Han muttered, clenching his fists.

  He realized that the path to immortality wasn’t only blocked by those weaker than him, but also by those far stronger.

  “When I reach Foundation Building, I want to fight her,” Jin Su declared excitedly.

  Being a battle maniac, the revelation only fired her up even more.

  After witnessing the phenomenon, Elder Shu clearly wanted to investigate immediately. Without wasting time, he quickly handed each of them a jade token.

  “These correspond to your courtyards,” he said hurriedly. “Channel qi into them and they will guide you to your residence. That’s all for today.”

  And with that, he rushed off.

  The group slowly began to disperse.

  “Ning, see you next time,” Zhang Feng said, waving as he left.

  Several others nodded their farewells as well.

  Ning waved back.

  Then, using the Turtle Breathing Technique, he followed the faint qi signal coming from the jade token.

  Eventually, he arrived at his assigned residence.

  Ning looked up at the plaque above the gate.

  His lips twitched.

  69th Courtyard.

  …69.

  He seemed to have gotten a rather interesting courtyard number.

  “Well,” Ning muttered.

  “From today onward… I’m officially an inner sect disciple.”

  With that, he pushed open the gate and stepped inside.

  ...

  Thanks for reading~