Chapter 26: Bai Yuan Takes on New Disciples Again

Inside a big tree, the top floor.

Bai Yuan concentrates, controlling the Fire Spirit Array to refine a pill.

His alchemy techniques and array methods are all supplied by the system, so they are naturally the topmost among beginners.

Now he is forging a basic Foundation Pill, a lower‑grade spirit pill, which is neither hard nor easy for Bai Yuan.

After all, this is his first time.

Various auxiliary herbs and the main herb successively enter the furnace, turning to ash under high heat, leaving only their essence, which merges with the essence of the other herbs.

The control of temperature and timing demands extreme precision; not a single mistake can occur.

And Bai Yuan's mastery of the Fire Spirit Array has already reached a superb level, so deviation is impossible.

He has read the Foundation Pill formula countless times, and missing the timing is utterly impossible.

Finally, Bai Yuan disperses the Fire Spirit Array.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for successfully refining the Foundation Pill. Reward: Intermediate Alchemist, 1,000 Mentor Points."

Bai Yuan feels a flood of knowledge surge into his mind.

Yet in less than a moment, as if ages had passed, he feels that knowledge become extremely familiar, as if he had applied it thousands of times.

He slowly opens his eyes; from this moment, Bai Yuan is now an Intermediate Alchemist.

"Ding! System has issued a quest."

【Quest Description: Set up a Sect‑Protection Array】

【Quest Objective: The array must be able to block the early Foundation stage】

【Quest Reward: Intermediate Array Master, Mentor Points ×1000】

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for successfully setting up the Sect‑Protection Grand Array. Reward: Intermediate Array Master, 1,000 Mentor Points."

Bai Yuan feels a bit dazed, but the earlier sensation resurfaces, and a torrent of array knowledge floods his mind.

【Quest Description: Forge a Destiny Spirit Weapon】

【Quest Objective: Forge a Destiny Spirit Weapon for oneself】

【Quest Reward: Intermediate Smith, Mentor Points ×1000】

Looking at the newly issued quest, Bai Yuan opens his attribute panel.

【Host: Bai Yuan】

【Cultivation: Qi Refinement Ninth Level】

【Items: None】

【Special: Intermediate Alchemist, Intermediate Array Master, Junior Smith, Junior Talisman Master】

【Disciple Count: 4】

【Bound Disciple: Bai Yu (Current binding limit: 1) (When the bound disciple advances, the host advances the same cultivation level.)】

【Mentor Points: 17300】

【Shop: Click to Open】

【Current Quest 1: Forge Destiny Spirit Weapon, Reward: Intermediate Smith, 1,000 Mentor Points】

【Current Quest 2: Breakthrough Foundation Stage, Reward: Binding limit ×2, 10,000 Mentor Points】

【Current Quest 3: Recruit Seven Disciples (four already recruited), Reward: Current top treasure chest, 10,000 Mentor Points】

Bai Yuan smiles with satisfaction, opens the furnace, and reaches for the still‑warm Foundation Pills.

Inside, there are not many but enough Foundation Pills—three in total, just enough for his three disciples.

Of course, the only one now qualified to breakthrough is Bai Yuan's senior disciple, Bai Yu.

Previously Bai Yu might have been a bit short of qualification, but after witnessing the birth of an auspicious beast, she has completed Qi Refinement Ninth Level and can now push toward the breakthrough stage at any time.

As for the second disciple Mu Junwu, he has not begun cultivation; the third disciple Wang Qiuer still doesn't understand basic life skills and is being taken care of by Bai Yu.

Bai Yuan glances at the dim sky outside, smiles broadly, and heads downstairs.

Then, a violent rumble erupts, mixed with the roars of numerous Soul Beasts and a tremor that reaches Bai Yuan's senses.

This makes his complexion change.

"Can't we beat the Soul Beasts? Why does the battlefield keep moving deeper?" Bai Yuan hurriedly walks downstairs.

Upon reaching the first floor, he sees Bai Yu leading Wang Qiuer and Ning Rongrong, anxiously waiting for him here.

"Master, I just saw five Title Douluo surrounding a Soul Beast; we can't stay here any longer, let's go!" Bai Yu's small face was full of anxiety.

Wang Qiuer comes over, clutching Bai Yuan's hand, her big eyes flashing as she says, "Master Dad, Senior Sister said staying here is dangerous, let's go!"

Ning Rongrong also looks on anxiously, naturally worried about her father and two grandfathers.

After all, there are far too many Title Douluo arriving.

The Star Dou Great Forest's ten‑thousand‑year Soul Beast count far exceeds their estimate.

Bai Yuan remains silent.

"Run?"

"Just finished running and need to run again?"

"But if we keep running like this, when will it end?"

"Especially with this Title Douluo‑level melee."

"No matter which side wins, there will be a full sweep of the Star Dou Great Forest; can he really lead everyone to evade it?"

"If they fail to escape, Ning Rongrong's life could endanger the Seven Treasure Glass Sect, while the other Title Douluo won't care."

"As for the Soul Beast side winning, could they use Wang Qiuer to threaten the ferocious beasts?"

Bai Yuan feels reluctant, because Wang Qiuer is his disciple, always calling him 'Master Dad', unlike Ning Rongrong.

Suddenly, Bai Yuan looks at Ning Rongrong and says, "Ning Rongrong, I'll give you one final chance: will you accept me as your master?"

Ning Rongrong was stunned, unable to understand at first why Bai Yuan suddenly asked her that.

But the next moment, she recalled Xiao Wu's fate, and her delicate body shivered, collapsing weakly to the ground.

Through sobbing, Ning Rongrong pleaded, "Bai Yuan, I beg you to spare me. I'm truly obedient now, I never intended to run away, and I really have fallen for you now."

Bai Yuan stepped forward, reached out to help Ning Rongrong to her feet, gently wiped the tears from her eyes, and said softly, "Rongrong, don't worry. I won't treat you the way I did Xiao Wu. Think it over carefully."

Bai Yuan helped the emotionally unhinged Ning Rongrong onto the bed, then turned his gaze to Bai Yu and asked, "Bai Yu, I'll let you break through to the Foundation Establishment stage now. How confident are you?"

Although Bai Yu didn't understand why Bai Yuan was asking this, she replied, "It was thirty percent before, but after meeting Qiuer's birth, my accumulation deepened a lot, so now it's about sixty percent."

Bai Yuan smiled with satisfaction, "Bai Yu, take this Foundation Pill. Go upstairs now to take it and break through; the rest is up to me, the master."

Bai Yu took the Foundation Pill, hesitated briefly, but chose to trust Bai Yuan, saying, "Very well, disciple will not disappoint the Venerable Master."

The senior sister who looked like a little girl turned and walked straight up the stairs.

Bai Yuan looked at Wang Qiuer and said, "Qiuer, please comfort Rongrong for me; I'll be back shortly."

Bai Yuan glanced at the stairs leading down, then at Ning Rongrong curled up on the bed crying, and said, "Rongrong, don't worry. I hope that when I return, you'll sincerely become my disciple."

Bai Yuan went downstairs; he now needs to recruit disciples, complete Mission Three, gather seven disciples, and obtain the currently most coveted treasure chest.

The previous two treasure chests were used by Bai Yuan to unlock the cultivation techniques and various resources the disciples needed.

What he wants to open now isn't those items; he seeks something that will let him establish a foothold in the Star Dou Great Forest and safely get through this crisis.

(End of chapter)