Chapter 11: The Enviable Batch

After more than a month, in the Chaos Valley where the Grand Void Sect's Qi Refining disciples were in seclusion, Jiang Yu, who had finally finished switching her cultivation method, was the first to open the stone room door and leave seclusion.

"Qi Refining Fifth Layer, three days of seclusion is also quite effective." True Person Dao Xu stroked his beard and smiled.

He was responsible for overseeing this batch of disciples practicing the Thunderfire Technique; each time a disciple finished seclusion, he gave praise: "Your inner breath is steady, your spiritual power solid—you may now practice on your own, no need to come here every afternoon to train."

"If you have any questions about the cultivation method, you can come find me on the fourth floor of the Library Pavilion in the morning."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and a streak of white rosy light fell into Jiang Yu's hand.

Jiang Yu took the Library Pavilion's entry/exit token, bowed, and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Elder; I take my leave."

Because she had switched cultivation methods, she endured a month before taking a top‑grade Gathering Qi Pill; the result was that, three days ago, upon taking it, her breakthrough to Qi Refining Fifth Layer was smooth and unhindered.

Going forward, entering normal cultivation will require another adjustment of her schedule, but she first needs to accept this month's task; only then can she study wholeheartedly without distraction.

Jiang Yu rode her paper crane away for over an hour when someone chased after her, calling, "Junior Sister Jiang."

"Senior Brother Qian, congratulations on also leaving seclusion." This person, among them, had the highest cultivation.

"It's not really a joy; I thought that after switching cultivation methods, training on the meridians with the aid of pills, I should be able to breakthrough to Qi Refining Seventh Layer."

"But you're still at Qi Refining Sixth Layer, whereas you, who runs back and forth every day between the Transmission Hall and Chaos Valley, advance quickly."

"Of our eight who practice the Thunderfire Technique, I'm the only one stuck at my original realm." Senior Brother Qian piloted his flying vessel, slowed to fly alongside her as he spoke.

Jiang Yu weighed her words: "I've heard that transitioning from the middle to the late stage of Qi Refining takes time; senior brother, there's no need to rush."

"Have the other senior brothers and sisters also left seclusion?"

"They just left seclusion, each having advanced one level like you, and are now consulting Elder Dao Xu."

"Junior Sister Jiang, I chased after you hoping to exchange some top‑grade Gathering Qi Pills; do you have any left?" Senior Brother Qian looked at her eagerly.

Besides the personal transmission stipend she received, Jiang Yu had several bottles of Gathering Qi Pills in her storage pouch, but she couldn't reveal them; "I can give you two pills," she said.

Senior Brother Qian took the pills and flew away happily.

Little Turtle Jiang Tu poked his head out of the spirit beast bag he had purchased, saying, "He finished a bottle of top‑grade Gathering Qi Pills in half a month and still didn't advance."

"How poor must his spiritual root value be?"

"Haven't you forgotten? Senior Sister Wu, who cultivates with us, said that only those practicing this method with an average spiritual root value above sixty receive the sect's personal transmission treatment." Jiang Yu noticed that the people around her were well‑informed, though she didn't know where the information came from.

She was pondering whether to free up time to join more exchanges among lower‑rank disciples when a communication talisman flew to her side.

Little Turtle and she extended their divine sense into it, hearing Lu Ruochan's voice: "Jiang Yu, when did you leave seclusion?"

"Great news: the monthly exam rankings are out—you came first in Talisman Studies, first in Identifying Spiritual Herbs and Materials, and fourth in Formation Basics."

"Moreover, Senior Sister Ye ranks just behind you in every category—hahaha, you didn't see how dark her face was at the time."

"If you manage to advance two levels in seclusion to reach the sixth level, I'm sure her face will turn even darker with anger."

"However, be careful lately—several outer‑disciples of the Ye family have said they'll put you in a sack to vent her anger."

"I don't know how you manage it—studying all day, then after sword practice at night, whether you sleep or not, you're always at the top of every class."

"Of course I sleep; otherwise I wouldn't have the energy to study."

"It's just that after her evening sword practice, she cultivates the Primeval Stars Technique, which nourishes the soul and enhances wisdom."

Little Turtle chuckled: "Jiang Yu, aim to reach Qi Refining Sixth Layer within half a year, make that Senior Sister Ye cough up blood from anger—we're not afraid."

"Even if she's the junior of a Golden Core Elder, she's still just an outer disciple living east of Kind Water Valley."

"I cultivate, and others cultivate too."

"As for the scores on paper, they don't count for much."

"In the fields of alchemy, implements, talismans, and formations, I've only drawn talismans and helped Senior Sister Wan refine spiritual herbs; I've basically had no hands‑on experience elsewhere." Jiang Yu was self‑aware.

From now on, she can't juggle everything; she only needs to focus on deepening her study of talismans.

For alchemy, she must also learn the basics of Grain‑Avoiding Pills, Rejuvenation Pills, Hemostatic Powder, and the like.

For weapon forging and formations, she will study them only after her cultivation is high and her lifespan long.

Little Turtle didn't understand human thinking, asking, "From now on, you won't go to Chaos Valley in the afternoons—will you study constantly in the Transmission Hall?"

Jiang Yu thought: "No, just attend lectures in the morning; in the afternoon I'll go to the Alchemy Room to practice making pills, then draw some talismans and sell them together with unused Five‑Elements Formation Disks to exchange for a sword."

The wooden sword issued by the sect and my iron sword feel a bit light when I practice my current sword technique.

Little Turtle's eyes rolled, and from its inner space it summoned a communication talisman, which it sent off in the blink of an eye.

"You still have one of these? Give it to Jiang Bai." After seeing what flew away, Jiang Yu was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, he has many swords; go pick one."

"Don't you want spirit stones?"

"Uh…" Little Turtle was uncertain.

Jiang Yu thought she didn't want to meet Jiang Bai, so she said, "Send him another one, saying I've already bought it."

"There's no way you could buy it that fast!" Little Turtle protested, but then saw a communication talisman flying straight toward them.

It thought it was Jiang Bai's reply, about to open it, but Jiang Yu had already grabbed it in her hand to read.

It was Lin Yuan: "Jiang Yu, what's your current cultivation? Where are you?"

"I just received word that the sect's Azure Mountain Secret Realm will open in seven days; it's reserved for Qi Refining disciples to temper themselves, and I'd like to invite you to form a team."

"I'll reach the External Affairs Hall in three more quarters of an hour; tell me where you are, senior brother, and I'll come find you shortly." After a brief pause, Jiang Yu replied; she was lacking spirit stones and could try her luck there.

Lin Yuan's reply came quickly: "Let's meet in the pavilion of the small square of the External Affairs Hall in an hour."

Jiang Yu sped up her flight, and Little Turtle sent her a mental message: "Teaming up with Jiang Bai guarantees you'll hunt treasure in the secret realm without worry."

"Thanks, I seem to have heard someone mention that the Azure Mountain Secret Realm only allows Qi Refining cultivators under thirty to enter each time it opens."

"He must be at least seventy or eighty—way too old." Jiang Yu made this up; she was too busy cultivating to learn such things.

Little Turtle looked at her skeptically: "When did you hear that? I don't know anything about it."

"Besides, Jiang Bai's actual bone age is forty‑four, which isn't old."

Jiang Yu's enviable batch—someone actually reached Golden Core at such a young age, and who knows what profound secret method could even conceal their bone age.

After she bought a guide to the Cangshan Secret Realm from the Foreign Affairs Hall, she saw that the regulations stated it was for those under twenty in the mid‑stage of vital energy Refinement, and she couldn't help scratching her head.

When she saw Lin Yuan, she asked, "Senior Brother Lin, the secret realm that opens only once every twenty years—registration requires paying twenty spiritual stones to enter—are there any good things inside?"

Moreover, she hadn't heard of any sect‑organized expeditions.

Lin Yuan raised a soundproof barrier and said, "No need to worry, the Cangshan Secret Realm has five sections in total, and each opening features a different area."

It opens roughly once every hundred years, and inside are low‑grade spiritual herbs, sufficient for rest and recuperation.

Although the sect does not organize expeditions, it will issue a task two days later to collect over ten kinds of spiritual herbs such as century‑old Seven‑leaf Flower, Ice‑sand Grass, and Purple Monkey Fungus.

These spiritual herbs, which have all grown to a hundred years in the Cangshan Secret Realm, grant each plant between one and ten merit points.

So, what do you think—shall we form a team and go together?